What is IBD?

The term ‘inflammatory bowel disease’ or ‘IBD’ is used to describe two types of chronic inflammatory bowel disease: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the mucous membrane or inner lining of the large bowel (colon and rectum). If only the last section of the large bowel (rectum) is affected it is sometimes called ulcerative proctitis. When the entire colon is affected it is sometimes called pan-colitis.

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is inflammation of the full thickness of the bowel wall rather than just the lining. Crohn’s disease may affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus. Most frequently it occurs in:

the terminal ileum and is called ileitis;
(the ileum is the last section of the small bowel which inserts into the cecum (see diagram) via the ileocecal valve)
the large bowl and is called colitis;
both the small and large bowel and is called ileo-colitis.

Both conditions can affect parts of the body outside the bowel and may be associated with poor general health.

Inflammatory bowel disease should not be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which is a very different condition.

Causes and treatment

The causes of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are still unknown, although intensive research is continuing into a number of likely factors.

IBD is a long-term, chronic condition - there is no cure at present. Treatment generally focuses on the management of the disease using medication and, in some cases, surgery.

Symptoms

The symptoms of IBD and their severity vary from person to person and the disease may have periods of high and low activity. Many people experience periods of ‘remission’ when they are completely free of symptoms.

Common symptoms include: