What Is IBD? Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“IBD” ?

INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE :

A DISEASE HIDDEN IN THE BUSH OF IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME.

What is IBD ?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) covers a number of conditions that involve inflammation of the digestive system, especially the intestine. This is a part of the body involved in digesting food, absorbing nutrients and water and finally getting rid of the waste products known as faeces or stools.

People can sometimes get confused between irritable of diarrhea and constipation are similar, the causes of IBD and IBS are different. IBS is a functional disorder, which means the digestive system looks normal but doesn’t always function properly. IBD is a chronic (on-going) condition which results in inflammation and sometimes damage to the structure of the intestines.

Essentially, it can be divided into two major types :

Ulcerative Colitis (UC)	Crohn’s Disease
·         Associated with inflammation and ulceration in the inner lining of the large intestine. (it starts in the rectum, and the ulcer can potentially spread up to the left side and to the rest of colon). ·         A recent study suggests that the estimated prevalent rate of UC in Malaysia is 8-10 cases per 100,000, while the incidence rate of new cases is about 0.46 per 100,000 Malaysians.	·         Causes inflammation, but unlike UC, it can affect any part of the digestive tract from the mouth down to the anus. The most common affected area is the junction connecting the small intestine to the colon. The estimated prevalence rate of CD in Malaysia is 2-3 per 100,000 people.

What causes IBD ?

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS	·         Such as overuse of antibiotics or painkillers (such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), smoking, diet high in fat and sugar, prolonged stress.
GENETICS FACTORS	·         Mutations of certain genes , may give rise to IBD, and these mutations can be passed on from parent to child.
GUT MICROBIODATA	·         The natural population of micro-organisms in the gut. ‘under normal circumstances, the populations of beneficial bacteria is balanced by the population of potentially harmful bacteria,’ when this balance disturbed, the population of harmful bacteria may dominate the gut microbiota, leaving the colon more vulnerable to ‘leaky gut’ and subscequently inflammation.
IMMUNE SYSTEM	·         May mistake cells of the intestinal lining to be potentially harmful and attack these cells. The resulting over stimulation of immune cells will lead to damage and subsequently IBD.

GENERAL SYMPTOMS OF IBD ?

The characteristics symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are ;

·         Diarrhea (frequent bowel movements that are runny or grainy)

·         Abdominal pain

·         Blood in the stools

·         Pus and mucus in the stools

·         Painful bowel movements

·         Loss of weight

·         Fever and an effect on general health

THERE IS STILL NO CURE FOR IBD, BUT THERE IS HOPE

IBD is a lifelong condition but affected individuals can still lead a relatively normal and healthy life if the condition is kept under control.

IBD symptoms can be treated using  anti-inflammatory medications and pain relievers.

Symptoms such as diarrhea, low blood count and infections can also be treated with appropriate medications. In the case of moderate to severe cases of IBD, they can also be treated with immune-modulator or biological therapies which are available in Malaysia. Furthermore, a counsellor can offer support and advice to those experiencing emotional issues due to IBD.

EARLY DETECTION CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

‘When the IBD is detected early, we can reduce the need for surgery,’ Dr Raja Affendi says. The disease will also be easier to keep under control, allowing the affected person to still lead an active and healthy life.

He adds that, due to lack of awareness on IBD even among healthcare professionals , the disease is commonly mistaken for IBS or food poisoning. Therefore, he advises that, if symptoms such as bloody stool and abdominal cramp persist even after we have taken prescribed medications, it may be worthwhile to consult a gastroenterologist. He or she can run medical tests to determine whether these symptoms are caused by IBD or any other diseases.

Is IBD the same as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)? ‘IBD is not the same as irritable bowel syndrome,’ Dr Raja Affendi. While some of the symptoms of these two diseases may appear similar (cramps, diarrhea, etc), he emphasizes that there is no inflammation observed in IBS. Also, ulcers and others forms of damage to the lining of the gastrointestinal tract to do not occur in IBS. The gastroenterologist can run medical tests including endoscopy to confirm whether one is suffering from IBD or IBS, as the treatment is very different.

IBD and CANCER People with IBD also face increased risk of developing cancer involving the gastrointestinal system. The risk increases the longer they have IBD, and this risk is further increase if the patient also receives treatment that suppresses his or her immune system. Therefore, the healthcare team will also be monitoring someone with IBD closely for signs of cancer. Surveillance for colorectal cancer via colonoscopy at regular intervals especially for long standing IBD patients is helpful.

ATTENTION!!

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Reference

1.  www.guts4life.com.my
2. Mims Health Today September 2018 edition by:Associate Professor Dr Raja Affendi Raja Ali (Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist)