What is Inflammatory Bowel disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease refers to two chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestines: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Although ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease have quite a few symptoms in common, there are some important differences.

In ulcerative colitis, the inner lining of the colon and rectum becomes inflamed and develops open, painful sores or ulcers. Swelling and reddening usually begins in the rectum and lower intestine and spreads upward to the entire colon. Ulcerative colitis may cause abdominal pain; however, pain is often the most severe in the rectal area, which can cause frequent diarrhea. People with this condition alternate between flare-ups and periods of remission throughout their lives.

Crohn's disease differs from ulcerative colitis in the areas of the bowel it involves; it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine as well as portions of the large intestine. The disease causes inflammation of the intestines that extends much deeper into the layers of the intestinal wall than ulcerative colitis, causing swelling, abdominal pain and ulcers.