BOWEL DISEASE

IBS (irritable bowel syndrome): is a disorder of the gastrointestinal tract.  Symptoms include recurrent abdominal pain or discomfort which is usually accompanied by alterations in bowel function - diarrhoea, constipation or a combination of both.  This can occur over months or years.

Crohns's disease:  Symptoms include abdominal pain, often in the lower right abdominal area, and diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, weight loss and possibly fever.  If bleeding is persistent, this may be serious as anaemia may result.

Ulcerative Colitis: The most common symptoms are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhoea but can also include, fatigue, loss of appetite, weight loss, rectal bleeding, as well as loss of body fluids and, therefore, nutrients.   Some people also suffer from mild symptoms. Others suffer frequent fever, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps.  Ulcerative colitis may also cause problems such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis), osteoporosis, skin rashes, and anemia.

Patients suffering from any one of these disorders may well need medical care for long periods of time.

If you saw a newspaper headline which stated "Crohn's Disease Patients Find Relief by Eating Cookies" you may think the editor was a little "kooky".  More >>>

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