The Problems of Irritable Bowel Disorder


by Bill Healey - Date: 2007-04-21 - Word Count: 546 Share This!

Do you have a friend or acquaintance that tends to avoid certain social situations such as dinner, parties, or bars? If they do choose to come out with you, do they seem to be choosey about what they eat or drink? There is a good chance that he or she may suffer from an inflammatory bowel disease and not just be a finicky eater.

Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD is a condition that causes ongoing inflammation of the intestines. The condition can affect only the large intestine such as ulcerative colitis does or any part of the entire digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus like Crohn's disease does.

Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease may include abdominal pain, frequent diarrhea that may contain blood or pus, fever, chills, weight loss, and fatigue. The condition may be mild or severe depending on the person affected and the severity. The inflammation can also affect other parts of the body, such as the eyes or joints, and may cause a form of arthritis.

Most people with inflammatory bowel disease can live a normal life and eat a same diet as you and me. They don't need to avoid any particular foods. However, the following suggestions may be helpful.

If you find that foods such as milk, alcohol, spicy foods, or foods high in fiber bother you, avoid them. A low-fiber diet may be helpful if a section of your small intestine is narrowed because of inflammation or scarring from Crohn's disease. Some people with inflammatory bowel disease may not be able to eat dairy foods, which contain lactose. Try to eat a diet that includes plenty of nutrients. Vitamin or mineral supplements usually are not needed as long as you eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. When symptoms are severe, your doctor may recommend supplemental nutrition, such as high-calorie liquid formulas. This may be needed especially for children whose growth is slow.

Leading doctors in the field of digestive health put together this comprehensive list of the ten most important questions to ask your doctor about inflammatory bowel disease:

Could any condition other than IBD be causing my symptoms? Do I have ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease? What parts of my digestive system are affected at this point? What medications do you recommend? How soon should I expect relief? What side effects from the medicines should I watch out for? What should do if I notice them? What should I do if my symptoms return? Which symptoms should I consider an emergency? Should I change my diet or take nutritional supplements? Do I need to make any other lifestyle changes? When should we have a follow-up appointment?

Inflammatory bowel disease may recur many times in a person's life at any point no matter what the trigger may be. It is treated with medications and sometimes with diet changes. If the disease is in remission, treatment may not be needed, but medications may help keep the disease in remission. A severe attack may often require that the person be hospitalized for treatment or in some cases, surgery.

Seek the opinion of your doctor before following of any diet treatment and regiment. Only a doctor can provide you with advice on what is safe and most effective for you.


Related Tags: irritable bowel, bowel disorder, irritable bowel disease, irritable bowel symptoms

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