If you feel ill with fever, flu-like symptoms or respiratory illness, please call us to reschedule your appointment. Please Do Not Bring Children Under age 16 to Appointments.
If you feel ill with fever, flu-like symptoms or respiratory illness, please call us to reschedule your appointment. Please Do Not Bring Children Under age 16 to Appointments.
Gastroenterology Condition
Inflammatory bowel disease, sometimes referred to as IBD, is a group of disorders that cause chronic inflammation of parts of the digestive tract. Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of IBD. Symptoms can include severe diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, anemia, and fatigue. IBD treatment will vary depending upon which condition is diagnosed.
Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are forms of IBD.
Ulcerative colitis affects the inner lining of the large intestine (the colon), causing the tissues to become inflamed, leading to sores or ulcers. These ulcers tend to be long-lasting and may cause significant symptoms.
Learn more about Ulcerative Colitis
Crohn’s Disease is deep inflammation in all or some parts of the digestive tract, often spreading deeper into the layers of affected tissue. The most common areas affected in patients with Crohn’s disease are the colon and the last section of the small intestine, but other areas can be affected.
One possible cause of IBD is an immune system malfunction. The role of the immune system is to attack viruses, bacteria and other foreign organisms to protect the body. But when your immune system malfunctions, it attacks foreign organisms and the healthy cells in your digestive tract. This causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to painful symptoms such as persistent diarrhea, nausea and more.
Scientists have listed a few risk factors of IBD to help you prevent it or get early diagnosis and treatment.
About 2 million people in the U.S. have IBD, according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. It pays to know that IBD’s risk factors include:
IBD Symptoms can vary from mild to severe.
Because the symptoms for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can vary widely and range from mild to severe, working with your GI Specialist to determine whether or not you have either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s Disease is critical, so that the appropriate treatments can be provided and you can get back to your life and feeling better.
Endoscopic procedures are often used in IBD diagnosis.
Some of the tests and procedures you can expect as part of your diagnosis and treatment would include a physical exam and talking with your provider about your medical history and symptoms. Blood tests are most often obtained to look for infection, anemia and any other underlying conditions or signs of malnutrition. You may be asked to provide a stool sample to test for the presence of blood. Endoscopic procedures are often used in IBD diagnosis as well. These can include colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, upper endoscopy, and PillCam. X-rays, CT scans, and ultrasound may also be used. We perform endoscopic procedures in our Endoscopy Center located in Sandy, Utah, which allows you to get tested quickly, rather than waiting for an appointment at a hospital or other facility.
IBD treatment depends on which type of irritable bowel syndrome you have. Since any area of the digestive tract can be affected, meaningful treatment will depend on the findings of the diagnostic testing, what area of the tract is being impacted and ongoing nutritional concerns and overall health conditions that could arise from having IBD.
In the cases of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, reducing stress, adjusting the diet to attain adequate nutrition, infection prevention, anti-inflammatories and other important medications will be incorporated into a complete IBD treatment plan to help our patient feel their best for as long as possible. Working closely with your gastroenterology specialist to manage your condition will keep you on track and avoid progression of the disease for as long as possible.
Granite Peaks Gastroenterology serves the communities along the Wasatch Front. Our Board Certified Doctors and Certified PA GI Specialists include:
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