Inflammatory Bowel Disease:- Ulcerative Colitis & Crohn's disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is usually a long-term condition, where chronic inflammation of the intestines, can cause severe stomach pain and changes to bowel habits. IBD is an overarching term for two inflammatory conditions; Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative colitis.

Crohn’s disease is when a part of the digestive system becomes inflamed. It commonly occurs in the large or small intestine. Ulcerative colitis is inflammation of the bowel, which can include the colon and rectum.  

In both diseases, symptoms can come and go, and people can often experience flare ups when symptoms become problematic. This PDF file produced by NHS Scotland has some information and guidance if you are experiencing a flare up and are unsure what to do.

IBD is believed to occur when the immune system attacks the gastrointestinal system. Whilst the exact causes of this are unknown, there are thought to be biological, hereditary and environmental factors involved in developing the disease.

It is also important to note that Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) are two different health conditions, requiring different treatment. Whilst both impact the digestive system, IBD is shown to cause inflammation of the intestine and increased risk of colon cancer.

For further information, this booklet explains the differences between IBS and IBD. It is created by the American Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.

Chronic illness such as IBD can be challenging to live with. Challenges related to IBD might include symptom management, navigating stigma and social relationships, maintaining a job and impacts on self-esteem.

The UK Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation have some helpful videos around living alongside these challenges. They have also written an information booklet on managing life with IBD. It covers an extensive array of topics on living with IBD. These include coping with an IBD diagnosis, talking to others about IBD, medication, exercise, relationships, finances and community support.

Because the body and mind are interconnected, IBD and mental health are also linked. Specifically, some research indicates that IBD symptoms can worsen during stressful times in life. Understanding your mental health as well as learning to cope with physical symptoms, stress and overwhelm is therefore important for people living with IBD.

This video explains how people’s mental health and life stressors can impact the physical symptoms of their IBD:

UK Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation also have an information sheet which aids in understanding how emotions and mental health interplay with IBD and how you might access support to cope.