Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a set of autoimmune conditions impacting the digestive system. Inflammatory bowel disease includes many different conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and more. As an autoimmune condition, IBD occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy parts of the body, resulting in inflammation in the bowels, intestines, colon, and other digestive areas.
Inflammatory bowel diseases are some of the most common autoimmune diseases in the world, and tens of millions of people struggle with them. While most cases of IBD are mild and cause nothing more than irritation and some pain, other cases can be life-threatening. Therefore, it is important to see your doctor if you think you have IBD so that you can start a treatment plan as soon as possible.
Treatment for IBD will vary from person to person, depending on what part of the body the disease affects. In most cases, however, medications are the first course of treatment and can include the following.
The biggest risk that people have with IBD is inflammation in the digestive tract. This can include inflammation in the colon, intestines, stomach, and elsewhere. To combat inflammation, you will need to be prescribed anti-inflammatory medications, such as sulfasalazine and balsalazide.
Immunosuppressants are medications that suppress or slow down your immune system. Since IBD is caused by an overactive immune system, immunosuppressants can help get it back on track and minimize inflammation and irritation. Azathioprine and methotrexate are two common immunosuppressants used to treat IBD.
One of the biggest risks that people with IBD have is the risk of infection. Infections happen when inflammation in the digestive system leads to ulcers and internal bleeding. To combat these infections, metronidazole, ciprofloxacin, and other antibiotics may be prescribed.
Biologics are one of the newer therapy and medication options for treating inflammatory bowel disease. Rather than attacking the disease as a whole, biologics attack and break down proteins within the disease. This can reduce inflammation and mitigate the dangers of IBD. Infliximab and certolizumab are two commonly prescribed biologics for inflammatory bowel disease.
IBD can affect your body’s ability to absorb essential nutrients in the foods you eat. Therefore, you may need to take certain vitamins and supplements to ensure you get adequate nutrients.
On top of these medications, you may benefit from medications that reduce your risk of diarrhoea and pain. These are often available in the form of over-the-counter anti-diarrheal medications and NSAIDs, which are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. NSAIDs include things like Ibuprofen and Advil, whereas anti-diarrheal medications include methylcellulose and psyllium powder.
Another big risk that people with IBD have is that their bowels get easily blocked. To prevent this, you may need to be on a feeding tube occasionally. In addition to getting the nutrition you need in an easy manner, being on a feeding tube will give your digestive tract time to clear up.
Surgery will be performed differently depending on what type of inflammatory bowel disease you have. Regardless of your condition, however, surgery is typically performed to remove a damaged portion of your digestive tract. This can mean partial or total removal of the intestines, colon, stomach, and other parts. If too much of the damaged organ is removed, however, you will need a transplant or an artificial organ installed in its place.
While most cases of inflammatory bowel disease are fairly minor and do not cause too many issues, some cases are quite serious. It is important to seek a proper diagnosis and start treatment as early as possible to keep your condition from getting too severe. If treatment is unsuccessful or you simply do not start soon enough, you will likely need surgery to remove damaged portions of the digestive system.