Crohn's and Colitis: What's the Difference?
Did you know that most people who have Crohn’s or Colitis are diagnosed before they even turn 35?
1.6 million people have Crohn’s or Colitis. Most likely, you have heard of one of these two diseases or know someone who has one of them.
What’s the difference?
Crohn’s Disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It can affect any part of the GI tract. Crohn’s disease can lead to life-threatening complications, making it very important for those who have this disease to get treatment.
Professionals are unsure of what causes Crohn’s disease but it is believed to be an overreaction of the immune system and is thought to be a combination of your genetics, your environment, and your immune system.
We do know that Crohn’s can also affect your skin, joints, and eyes. It is not caused by the food you eat, however, patients can have flare-ups caused by eating certain foods (these foods vary from patient to patient).
Crohn’s is not a contagious disease.
Symptoms can include
Frequent recurring diarrhea
Rectal bleeding
Unexplained weight loss
Fever
Reduced appetite
Abdominal pain and cramping
Fatigue and a feeling of low energy
Mouth sores
Crohn’s disease can lead to Bowel obstruction, Fistulas, ulcers, malnutrition, and more.
Flare-ups can make it hard to keep a normal schedule.
Ulcerative Colitis
is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and ulcers in the large intestine (colon and rectum).
Like Crohn’s Disease, professionals are still unsure of what causes Ulcerative Colitis. But we do know that UC can also affect your skin, joints, and eyes.
We know that it is not caused by the food you eat, although those with UC can have flare-ups caused by eating certain foods (these foods vary from patient to patient).
It is thought to be a combination of your genetics, your environment, and your immune system. UC is believed to be an overreaction of the immune system.
UC is not a contagious disease.
Symptoms of UC can include:
Abdominal pain and/or discomfort
Fever
Weight loss
Reduced appetite
Rectal bleeding
Blood or pus in the stool
Reduced appetite
Frequent, recurring diarrhea
It is important to get treatment for this disease as prolonged symptoms can lead to severe dehydration, bowel injury, and more life-threatening complications.
The symptoms of UC can be different from person to person and might even change over time. People with this disease will vary between periods when the disease is active (flaring), and when it is in remission (This means having few or no symptoms).
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are chronic diseases and they do need treatment.
Good news!
There are many different types of therapies and medication available for both Crohn’s and Colitis patients and we’ve put together a few resources for you!
If you have an autoimmune disease, here is what you need to think about and do.
Nine Steps to Treating Autoimmune Disease
Check for hidden infections — yeast, viruses, bacteria, Lyme, etc. — with the help of a doctor, and treat them.
Check for hidden food allergens with IgG food testing. Two of the most common are dairy and gluten (the protein in wheat).
Get tested for celiac disease, which is a blood test that any doctor can do.
Get checked for heavy metal toxicity. Mercury and other metals can cause autoimmunity.
Fix your gut. For details, see my blog on irritable bowel syndrome.
Use nutrients such as fish oil, vitamin C, vitamin D, and probiotics to help calm your immune response naturally.
Exercise regularly: it’s a natural anti-inflammatory.
Practice deep relaxation like yoga, deep breathing, biofeedback, or massage, because stress worsens the immune response.
Tell your doctor about Functional medicine and encourage him or her to get trained
Give these steps a try — and see if you don’t start feeling less inflamed. If you start to treat the underlying causes of your illness, you will begin to experience vibrant health once more.
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The Shore Integrative Health Team