Inflammatory Bowel Disease Specialist

What is inflammatory bowel disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term that covers several kinds of diseases or medical conditions that can lead to inflammation and pain in your bowels. Two of the most common examples are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

What are the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease?

The two most common types of inflammatory bowel disease — Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis — share many of the same symptoms, including:

• Fever

• Fatigue

• Blood in your stool

• Diarrhea

• Reduced appetite and unintended weight loss

Your symptoms will depend on the severity of your inflammation as well as the area affected by the disease. Over time, more serious complications can include colon cancer, blood clots, bowel obstruction, malnutrition, and fistulas.

Who gets inflammatory bowel disease?

While the exact cause of inflammatory bowel diseases is unknown, there are a few factors that can increase your risk of developing the disease:

Age

You’re most likely to develop inflammatory bowel disease prior to age 30, though some patients don’t develop the disease until their 50s.

Family history

Inflammatory bowel disease often runs in families, so you’re at a greater risk if a parent or sibling also has the disease.

Cigarettes

Smoking cigarettes has been linked to the development of Crohn’s disease.

Environmental factors

Inflammatory bowel disease tends to occur in industrialized countries, so its thought that dietary factors — such as regular intake of refined foods or those high in fat — might be a concern when it comes to developing the disease.

How is inflammatory bowel disease treated?

Before treatment, your doctor at Gastroenterology on Gramercy Park will diagnose what’s causing your symptoms through a colonoscopy. By observing your colon, your provider will be able to determine the best course of treatment for your disease.

Gastroenterology on Gramercy Park specializes in the use of biologics for treating inflammatory bowel disease. Biologics are a medication made from a variety of naturally occurring substances, such as cells and microorganisms.

For treatment, your provider will treat you with immunosuppressants or biologic therapies. Biologics are a medication made from a variety of naturally occurring substances, such as cells and microorganisms. This treatment will affect your immune system and/or target the proteins responsible for the inflammation in your bowels.

If you’re suffering from inflammatory bowel disease and want to know more about treatment, call Gastroenterology on Gramercy Park or schedule a consultation online.