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Thursday, December 4, 2014

{Crohn's Awareness} :: What's the Difference Between IBD and IBS?

A lot of people assume that IBD {Irritable Bowel Disease...what I have} is similar to IBS {Irritable Bowel Syndrome...something I do not have}. The truth is that they are two very different things. While I don't want to minimize the effects of IBS, it is a less severe diagnosis than IBD, mostly from a long-term damage and complication standpoint.

IBD is the collective diseases of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis. They are incurable diseases of the intestinal tract that cause inflammation, ulcers, and damage to the bowel. IBD affects 1 in 200 people in the United States. You can read more about the differences between Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis in my post from yesterday.

On the other hand, IBS is a group of symptoms that cause some type of disturbance in bowel function; it is not a disease. It is known as Spastic Colon, Spastic Bowel, or Mucous Colitis because of the way the intestines act up. It can cause a great deal of discomfort, ranging from mildly annoying to disabling. It is more common than IBD, affecting 1 in 5 people in the United States.

The key difference is that IBS does not cause inflammation, ulcers, or other damage to the bowel. Symptoms do not include anemia, bleeding, weight loss, or fever, and it rarely requires hospitalization. Treatment for IBS also does not usually involve surgery or powerful medications.

There are mixed views on what causes IBD {genetics, environmental factors, etc}, and some believe that stress causes IBS. Either way, there is no definitive cure for either.

I do think that anything gastrointestinal stinks {haha- no pun intended...ok, maybe a little}.

#themoreyouknow #youarewelcome  :)


Sources:
- Healthline



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