Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for a group of autoimmune conditions that cause swelling and inflammation in the tissues of the digestive tract. Its symptoms may come on suddenly and cause intense stomach cramps and diarrhoea, among other issues. 

IBD is a lifelong condition but there are treatment options to help manage IBD symptoms and steps you can take to keep IBD from disrupting your life. 

The two main types of IBD include:

• Crohn's Disease: This disease results in sores in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It may affect any part of your GI tract but typically develops in the small intestines and the upper part of your large intestine. 
• Ulcerative Colitis: This condition involves inflammation and sores along the lining of the large intestine. It typically starts in the rectum and spreads to parts or all of your colon. 

What symptoms does Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have?

IBD symptoms may range from mild to severe, it comes and goes, with patients unable to always predict when it will happen. When that happens, patients may be suffering from an IBD flare and when symptoms go away after being treated, the disease is said to be in remission. 

Some common IBD symptoms include:

• Lower abdominal pain, may resemble stomach cramps
• Bloody stool
• Chronic diarrhoea
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight loss

What causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

IBD happens when your immune system mistakenly attack healthy tissues in your GI tract. Common triggers for IBD include:

• Certain food or liquids
• Smoking cigarettes
• Stress
• Antibiotics
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs 

What are the risk factors of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Some factors that may increase your risk of IBD include:

Age: Most people with IBD would have been diagnosed before aged 30. However, some people do not get IBD until their 50s or 60s.

Ethnicity: IBD has been noted to be more prevalent among the Indian/South Asian ethnic group as compared to other groups in Singapore.

Smoking: Smoking has been associated with Crohn's disease. 

Family history: One of the most significant risk factor. Studies show that 5-20% of people with IBD have a close family member who has IBD.

How do you manage Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Living with IBD is not always easy. Symptoms may flare up suddenly and then be in remission for weeks and months before coming back again. You may find yourself wondering when the next flare will hit. Sudden bouts of diarrhoea may leave you embarrassed or self-conscious. Thankfully, there are ways that may help you manage the condition:

• Eat properly: Identify the food and drinks that trigger your IBD. Talk to a dietician about meal plans to avoid your triggers while still getting enough nutrition.
• Track your symptoms: If you are able to pinpoint when you are more likely to have symptoms, you may be able to better plan your day. This includes taking note of restroom locations for when you need to go.
• Pack emergency kits: In event of an accident, consider carrying an emergency kit with spare underwear, panty liners, tissue paper and baby wipes. 
• Manage your stress: Stress can trigger IBD symptoms and learning ways to properly manage your stress may reduce or delay your symptoms.
• Quit smoking: Smoking has been linked to triggering IBD symptoms.

How is Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) diagnosed?

Blood Test
A complete blood count blood test will be done to check for signs of infection or anemia. These tests can also be used to check for levels of inflammation, liver function or the presence of infections that aren't active. 

Colonoscopy
A colonoscopy is done to examine the colon and rectum with a thin, flexible, lighted tube with a camera at the end. During the procedure, a small sample of tissue may be taken for a biopsy to determine if it's IBD or other forms of inflammation.

Imaging Tests
Colorectal imaging tests are done with ultrasound or CT scan to rule out serious complications.