Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a variety of conditions that cause chronic inflammation in one or more parts of the gastrointestinal tract – with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis being the main forms. Common symptoms of these disorders may include abdominal discomfort, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, weight loss and cramping. The cause of IBD is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors, with a high-protein diet also a potentially contributing factor. Patients who have experienced severe and unremitting symptoms of ulcerative colitis can be “cured” of the disease via proctocolectomy surgery, while patients with Crohn’s disease may also undergo bowel resection, colostomy or strictureplasty when medications and dietary modifications fail to appropriately control their symptoms.