<!--StartFragment -->Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a collective term for Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. These are chronic inflammatory illnesses of the digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis can only occur in the colon, whereas Crohn's disease can occur anywhere in the digestive tract.
The symptoms of ulcerative colitis may include diarrhoea, blood and mucus in the stool, and abdominal pain. The symptoms of Crohn's disease may include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, fatigue, weight loss, blood in the stool, and symptoms in the anal region. Both illnesses typically have periods of relapse and remission that can last for weeks or even years.
For more information on IBD, contact your national association. The addresses can be found at the European Federation of Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) website.
For further reading: Höckerstedt, K., Färkkilä, M., Kivilaakso, E. & Pikkarainen, P. (1998). Gastroenterologia. Jyväskylä: Duodecim.
