diseases
and disorders
not the full list, but a useful
resource
ULCERATIVE
COLITIS & CROHNS
IRRITABLE BOWEL DISEASE
....
(aka inflammatory bowel syndrome)
DEFINITION
Irritable bowel disease includes the inflammatory conditions of the intestine known as ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Ulcerative colitis involves the colon or large intestine. Crohn's disease can involve any portion of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus but mainly the distal small intestine and colon. Another distinguishing feature of Crohn's disease is that the inflammation characteristically extends through all layers of the intestinal wall. Inflammatory bowel disease occurs slightly more often in women than men and typically is prevalent between the ages of 10 and 40. Those of European Jewish descent, as the Ashkenazi Jews, are at least three times more likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease than the general population.
SYMPTOMS
There are a wide variety of symptoms commonly associated with inflammatory bowel disease and may include fatigue, poor appetite, weight loss, abdominal pain or cramping, diarrhea, bloody diarrhea, fever, arthritis, eye problems, skin changes such as mouth ulcers (aphthous ulcers), and blood vessel problems. Rarely, people may note constipation as a presenting feature. Complications specific to ulcerative colitis include perforation of the colon, dilation of the colon (toxic megacolon) and strictures or narrowing of the colon.
Complications related to Crohn's disease include gall stones, intestinal narrowing leading to obstruction, and abnormal tracts (fistulas) between adjacent tissues. Additionally, one of the first signs of Crohn's disease in children is failure to thrive or poor growth. Inflammatory bowel disease increases the likelihood of gastrointestinal cancers but ulcerative colitis places the patient at a higher risk than Crohn's disease.
try...
conditions and diseases