Fever and Night Sweats...Fever, or a higher body temperature than normal, is one of the more common symptoms of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Crohn’s and UC are the 2 main forms...
Constipation and Incomplete Bowel Emptying...Constipation is a problem many people experience. Constipation refers to difficult and infrequent bowel movements. For people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), constipation is complicated by other gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms...
Abdominal Pain and Cramps...Abdominal pain and cramping are very common symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. In people with IBD, the immune system attacks healthy tissue...
Urgency and Incontinence...Accidental bowel leakage can be a devastating symptom of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It is a source of considerable embarrassment for some people. It may cause them to withdraw from...
Rectal Bleeding...Rectal bleeding can be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or its complications. Bleeding in the digestive tract presents in a number of different ways. For example, you might...
Diarrhea...Diarrhea is defined as loose, watery stool that occurs more than 3 times per day. Diarrhea that lasts for 4 weeks or more is considered chronic diarrhea. Diarrhea is a...
Symptoms and Complications...Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) affects the digestive tract. There are 2 main types of IBD which affect different parts of the digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis affects the large intestine. Crohn’s...
Myths and Misconceptions...There are many myths when it comes to inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn's and ulcerative colitis. Unfortunately, many people do not understand the conditions, leading to misconceptions. We're here...
Research...While there are treatments and surgical interventions available that can treat the symptoms of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), there is no cure...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children and Teens...Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is more common in adults than children. Nevertheless, between 5% and 25% of cases of IBD are diagnosed during childhood...
Toxic Megacolon...Toxic megacolon is a severe, life-threatening complication of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, the two major forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). When toxic megacolon occurs, the large intestine (colon) begins...
Liver Disease...Your liver plays many important roles, including: There are special considerations for people who have overlapping inflammatory bowel disease and liver disease. Medications that treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can...
Gallstones...Bile is a fluid that helps you to digest fat. The liver produces bile, which is stored in the gallbladder. Bile is made up of water, bile salts, cholesterol, and...
Osteoporosis...Osteoporosis is a condition that makes your bones weaker and more likely to break. There is a link between having inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and a greater risk of osteoporosis...
Anemia...If you have anemia, your blood does not carry enough oxygen throughout your body. In people with inflammatory bowel disease, anemia is the most common complication to occur outside of...
Colon Cancer...Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States and the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Less than 1% of these cases are related to inflammatory...
Malnutrition...Malnutrition occurs when you do not get enough of 1 or more nutrients that your body needs to thrive. There are many reasons why people with inflammatory bowel disease are...
What is an Anal Fissure...Inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis can cause complications to the tissue around the anus, like anal fissures. An anal fissure is a split or tear at...
Mucosal Damage...Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes ongoing (chronic) inflammation. This damages the walls of your intestine. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) are the 2 main types of IBD. Crohn’s disease...
What is a Fistula?...A fistula is an abnormal connection between an organ and another structure. Fistulas develop when an organ becomes inflamed or injured. They are a very common complication of inflammatory bowel...