Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term used for a group of illnesses affecting the digestive system. With roughly one million sufferers in the United States, IBD is primarily composed of two disorders: Crohns Disease and ulcerative colitis.
What takes place with IBD, Crohns, and ulcerative colitis is the bodys immune system has an exaggerated response to an unknown bacteria or condition of the bowel system, releases a large number of white blood cells to the affected area, and as a result, the area becomes drastically inflamed. This swelling causes ulcerations and injury to the bowel, as well as various other negative side effects.
Although extensive research has been done, it is unclear what causes the excessive immune response in IBD. Some believe it is the bodys mistaken identification of good bacteria in the bowel as being dangerous, while others believe it is a foreign agent that triggers the immune system, which in turn, does not shut down properly. Whatever the reason, this is a chronic condition which will continue to be a problem for sufferers for an extended period of time.
The primary difference between Crohns Disease and ulcerative...