Millions of Americans may be living with chronic digestive issues and irritable bowel disorders. The symptoms are often painful and disruptive to their lives. Even though many symptoms can be managed with lifestyle changes, people are often embarrassed to discuss them with their doctors.
As uncomfortable as it can be to talk about it, it might help to remember that your gastroenterologist has seen it all. They deal with bathroom issues and bodily functions every day and understand their impact on your life.
Some common digestive symptoms can indicate more significant problems, like inflammatory or irritable bowel disorders.
Here are four common irritable bowel disorders that may have similar symptoms:
People often confuse celiac disease with a gluten allergy, but celiac disease is not an allergy. It’s a digestive and autoimmune disorder that can affect several organs. Gluten can trigger celiac disease and, as a result, the autoimmune response damages the small intestine. That damage can keep your intestine from absorbing nutrients from your food.
There is no cure for celiac disease, but most people can manage the symptoms by avoiding gluten.
Celiac disease primarily causes symptoms in the digestive system but can affect other body systems.
Symptoms can include:
Symptoms vary from person to person; some don’t have any symptoms at all. Children tend to have more gastrointestinal symptoms than adults.
The exact cause of celiac disease is unknown, but it may be a combination of genetics, gluten intake, and other factors. It can develop at any age and sometimes becomes active after stressful events like surgery or childbirth.
You may have a higher risk for developing celiac disease if someone else in your family has it, or if you have Type 1 diabetes, Addison’s disease, Down or Turner syndrome, autoimmune thyroid disease, or microscopic colitis.
If untreated or undiagnosed, celiac disease can lead to other autoimmune disorders and serious conditions like malnutrition, nerve-related disorders, and intestinal cancers.
The best treatment is a gluten-free diet. Even tiny amounts of gluten can trigger an immune reaction that results in damage to the small intestine.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory disease in your digestive tract. It can affect different areas in different people. The inflammation can spread deep into the layers of the bowel and can occur in a continuous section or multiple, separate sections.
Crohn’s disease can develop gradually or suddenly. Like celiac disease, it can also go into remission.
The cause of Crohn’s is unknown but may be hereditary or an immune system response.
You’re at greater risk for developing Crohn’s disease if someone in your family has it. You may also be at greater risk if you’re under 30, Caucasian, or smoke cigarettes. Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDS) can also put you at risk as they can cause inflammation in the intestine.
Crohn’s disease can cause serious complications, including bowel obstruction, ulcers, malnutrition, and colon cancer.
There is no cure, but treatment can improve quality of life. Treatment could include medications, nutrition therapy, lifestyle changes, or surgery.
IBS is a common disorder of the large intestine where your body moves the contents of your bowel through your digestive tract too quickly or too slowly. It causes uncomfortable symptoms, which are often relieved by a bowel movement. Symptoms tend to come and go and may be related to triggers. Identifying and managing the triggers can help control the symptoms.
IBS is not an inflammatory disorder like Crohn’s, Celiac disease, and ulcerative colitis. But it has some similar symptoms, and, like the others, the cause is unknown.
Symptoms vary but tend to be long-term. They may include:
Symptoms are commonly triggered by certain foods or by stress. The cause of IBS is unknown but might be related to:
Although there is no cure for IBS, diet and lifestyle changes, medications, and treatment for mental health issues may improve symptoms.
Certain foods, medications, or emotional stress can trigger IBS. You’re more likely to develop it if you’re under 50, female, have a family history of IBS, or have mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
With ulcerative colitis, your immune system attacks the lining of the large intestine, causing inflammation and ulcers. It can attack different areas of the intestine. The severity of symptoms depends, in part, on the location.
There are four types, defined by the location of the inflammation:
The severity of the symptoms varies and can include:
The cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown but may be related to genetics, an overactive immune system, or environmental factors.
You’re at greater risk if you live in a northern climate, are under the age of 30, are Caucasian or of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, or have close relatives with ulcerative colitis.
Some of the complications caused by ulcerative colitis can be serious. Complications include perforated colon, increased risk of colon cancer, toxic megacolon (dangerous colon swelling), and others.
Treatment includes diet changes, medications, or surgery, depending on the severity of your case. Counseling and stress management can also help you manage the symptoms.
Some irritable bowel disorders cause inflammation that can lead to serious complications. If you have unexplained gastrointestinal symptoms, it’s essential to talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Getting a diagnosis early on can help you manage symptoms and avoid complications.
Don’t live with the discomfort of irritable bowel disease any longer – schedule an appointment now!
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