Types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes long-term inflammation in the digestive tract. Your digestive tract runs from your mouth to your anus. There are 2 types of IBD: Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Under these main types are several more subtypes of the disease, some with overlapping symptoms.^1-3

Which kind of IBD you have depends on the area of your digestive tract each illness affects. Here is a closer look at each type and how they could impact you.^1-3

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease can affect the entire length of your digestive tract. It also impacts both the inside and outside layers of your bowel wall. There are 5 different types of Crohn’s disease:³

Ileocolitis

Most people with Crohn’s disease have this form of the condition. It impacts your large intestine (colon) and the end of your small intestine (terminal ileum). You could have the following symptoms:³

• Diarrhea and cramping
• Abdomen pain, especially in the middle or lower right area
• Major weight loss

Ileitis

The ileum is the only part of your intestine that this type of Crohn’s disease impacts. Like ileocolitis, it causes diarrhea, cramping, stomach pain, and weight loss.³

If you have a severe case of ileitis, your body may form:^3,4

• An abnormal connection between your intestine and the outer surface of your skin (fistula)
• A pocket of pus (abscess) in your abdomen

Gastroduodenal Crohn’s disease

Your stomach and the beginning of your small intestine (duodenum) are the parts of the digestive tract affected by this form of the condition. You may have symptoms such as:³

• Feeling sick to your stomach
• Throwing up
• Loss of hunger
• Weight loss

Jejunoileitis

This form of the disease causes uneven, inflamed areas in the upper part of your small intestine (jejunum). Symptoms may include:³

• Abdominal pain after you eat
• Loose, watery stools (diarrhea)
• Fistulas in severe cases or after extended periods of inflammation

Crohn's (granulomatous) colitis

Your colon or large intestine is most affected by this type of Crohn’s disease, causing:³

• Diarrhea
• Bleeding from your rectum
• Fistulas, abscesses, and ulcers
• Skin lesions
• Joint pain

Ulcerative colitis (UC)

Ulcerative colitis is another type of IBD. It affects your colon and the inside layer of your large intestine. There are 4 different types of UC:³

Ulcerative proctitis

With this form of UC, only the area closest to your anus (rectum) is inflamed. Usually, the only symptom of the condition is bleeding from the rectum.²

Proctosigmoiditis

The lower end of your colon (rectum and sigmoid colon) will be inflamed, with symptoms such as:²

• Bloody diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Problems moving your bowels even though you have the urge (tenesmus)

Left-sided colitis

This type of UC causes inflammation that moves up from the rectum through the sigmoid and downward (descending) areas of your colon. Symptoms include:²

• Bloody diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps and pain on the left side
• The urge to have a bowel movement

Pancolitis

Your whole colon will likely be impacted by this form of the condition, causing:²

• Severe bloody diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
• Major weight loss

If you do not know what type of IBD you have, ask your doctor if there are ways to narrow down your diagnosis.