Signs of Inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Description

Describes two inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract: Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bowel usually affecting the lower portion of the small intestine. Other portions of the large and small intestine may become involved. The entire thickness of the bowel is affected and the diseased bowel can become attached to the surrounding organs causing fistulas. Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition of the bowel affecting the large intestine. Only the inner lining of the intestine is inflamed and the rectum is the most commonly involved area. Patients with ulcerative colitis have a higher incidence of colon cancer. Both diseases tend to run in families.

Symptoms

Crampy abdominal (belly area) pain, fever, fatigue, persistent diarrhea.

Tests

A history and physical exam will be performed. Additional tests to establish the diagnosis include: barium enema, colonoscopy, CT scan of the abdomen, endoscopy, MRI of the abdomen, sigmoidoscopy with enteroscopy, small bowel X-ray series, and/or upper GI series.

Standard Workup

CBC
Chem 12
X-Ray
CT Scan

Treatment

The goal of medical treatment is to suppress the abnormal inflammatory response. This allows the intestinal tissue to heal, thereby relieving the symptoms of diarrhea and abdominal pain. Once the symptoms are under control, medical treatment is used to decrease the frequency of flare-ups and to maintain remission. Standard treatments include steroids, aminosalicylates, and immune modification medications like Infliximab.