What is Crohn’s Disease and Colitis? Know the Symptoms of Each Disease

November is Crohn’s & Colitis Awareness Month and an important time to bring awareness to the condition that 10 million people worldwide currently have. Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis belong to the group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) and the two conditions share similar symptoms. However, they affect different areas of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s disease and colitis affect people from all ethnicities and can occur at any age. While it’s common to group these two conditions together, it’s important to understand how they differ.

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease was named after Dr. Burrill B. Crohn, the American gastroenterologist who first identified the condition along with his colleagues in 1932. Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation anywhere in the GI tract and most commonly occurs in the lower small intestine and the upper colon. Inflammation has the potential to spread, affecting healthy areas of the gut and penetrating the inner and outer lining of the intestinal layers.

In her freshman year of high school, Kate Bianco was diagnosed with #Crohns, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (#IBD). After some trial and error with medications, her condition improved. #PatientStory https://t.co/QbEGulLWDr
— Cedars-Sinai (@CedarsSinai) November 17, 2022

What is ulcerative colitis?

Crohn’s disease causes the intestine to have both healthy and inflamed sections. As opposed to this, ulcerative colitis is characterized by persistent colon inflammation. In contrast to Crohn’s disease, which can affect any part of the bowel wall, ulcerative colitis only affects the innermost layer of the colon. In ulcerative colitis, the ulcers in the colon may bleed.

6 ways to stay hydrated when you have #Crohns or #ulcerativecolitis 💦 https://t.co/Ybb3ZrxCQx
— HealthCentral (@healthcentral) November 15, 2022

Crohn’s disease vs. Colitis

Compared to Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis is more localized and typically affects the colon, rectum, and anus. The condition mostly starts at the rectum, spreading upwards and invading the inner lining of the bowel tissue. As inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease and colitis do share similar symptoms, which can make people misunderstand which condition they have.

Crohn’s disease symptoms

Diarrhea
Fever
Fatigue
Abdominal pain
Abdominal cramping
Bloody stool
Mouth sores
Reduced appetite
Weight loss
Pain near or around the anus

In severe cases, Crohn’s disease may also cause other symptoms that occur outside the intestinal tract, including:

Kidney stones
Inflammation of skin, eyes, and joints
Anemia
Delayed growth in children

Ulcerative Colitis symptoms

Increased frequency of bowel movements
Abdomen tenderness
Rapid weight loss
Bloody stool
Mucus in stool
Fever
Loss of appetite
Diarrhea
Joint aches and pains
Fatigue
Depression

Bloody stools or rectal bleeding is more common in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn’s disease. A false sense of urgency to move the bowels also is more common in people with ulcerative colitis. Due to Crohn’s disease-causing inflammation anywhere in the GI tract, mouth sores and sores around the anus are more typical with Crohn’s disease.

Treatment Options

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis also differ in treatment and medication. Corticosteroids, immune modifiers, and biological therapies are common treatment options for Crohn’s disease, while 5-aminosalicylates, sulfasalazine, corticosteroids, immune modifiers, and biological therapies are used to treat ulcerative colitis. Both conditions require maintenance therapy to reduce the chances of relapse.

Surgery may be necessary in cases of Crohn’s disease to repair fistulas and remove obstructions as well as anastomosis or resection procedures may also be performed. In ulcerative colitis, surgery may be required to remove the rectum or colon.

Learn more about Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis by visiting contacting Gastro MD

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