Understand the Signs and Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
4/7/2023
Many people experience the uncomfortable gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and typically think it’s going to be just a new part of life. Our gastroenterology doctors in Denver, CO want to make clear, however, that you do not have to accept this pain and discomfort. Support is available to you — and it is just around the corner. At Colorado Gastroenterology, we strive to help educate patients on their GI symptoms and offer treatment methods that can help improve their quality of life.
What is IBD?
IBD involves chronic inflammation of a person's gastrointestinal tract. Two conditions you’ve most likely heard of fall into this category — Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. While it might seem like irritating symptoms you simply have to live with, inflammation of the intestines can permanently damage the GI tract over time.
Though the actual cause of IBD is unknown, it’s often connected to an unchecked immune system. It is thought that an individual with this disease has an immune system that is not properly reacting to environmental triggers (bacteria and viruses) and has a family member who has IBD.
The most common signs and symptoms of IBD include but are not limited to:
- Unexplained weight loss
- Pain in the abdomen
- Exhaustion
- Bloody stool
- Diarrhea
- Constipation
How is inflammatory bowel disease handled?
After a diagnosis of IBD, our goal is to reduce inflammation of your intestines, thus alleviating your symptoms. There are many treatment options we can try and our goal is that, in the long run, you will experience prolonged freedom from discomfort. IBD treatment options may include:
- Supplements such as Vitamin D, iron, calcium, and more
- Anti-inflammatory medicine
- Dietary changes
- Anti-diarrheal medicine
Our gastroenterologists are here to help you find an ideal treatment regimen for your health. It might take a bit of investigation to determine what treatment will minimize your inflammation and symptoms; however, our specialists will work with you to find the proper treatment for you.
Get help for IBD near Denver, CO
Should you experience difficulty passing stool, loose and/or watery stool, stomach pain, or other difficult gastrointestinal symptoms on a regular basis, it might be due to inflammatory bowel disease. At Colorado Gastroenterology, our team of Denver gastroenterologists can help identify, treat, and manage IBD and the discomforting symptoms that come along with it. If you suspect you might have inflammatory bowel disease and would like to start living life with less worry and fewer symptoms, get in touch with your neighboring Colorado Gastroenterology location to request a consultation.