Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

Inflammatory bowel disease is a general term for chronic inflammation that occurs in all or part of the digestive tract. Inflammatory bowel disease refers mainly to Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. One of the characteristic symptoms of enteritis is severe abdominal pain. Enteritis is weak and can be life-threatening if not treated properly. Inflammation of the bowel is a serious illness, so be aware of its symptoms and consult your doctor. Your doctor will recommend treatment that will help you manage the disease.

Steps

Part 1 of 4: Determination of inflammatory bowel symptoms

1. 

   Know if you're at risk for enteritis. The exact cause of inflammatory bowel disease has not been determined. However, according to doctors, there are several factors that make the disease worse. Knowing the risk of disease helps you detect, diagnose and treat diseases promptly.
   • Most people are diagnosed with enteritis before the age of 30. However, some people may not develop the disease in their 50s or 60s.
   • Whites, especially Ashkenazi Jews, are most at risk of inflammatory bowel disease. However, other races are also at risk.
   • You are at risk if you have a relative, such as a parent or sibling, has inflammatory bowel disease.
   • Smoking significantly increases the risk of Crohn's disease.
   • Using nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen sodium, and diclofenac sodium may increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease or worsen the condition.
   • Environmental factors, such as living in urban areas or northern climates and consuming more refined, fatty foods can increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease.

2. 

   
   
   Recognize the symptoms of Crohn's disease. The symptoms of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis may be similar, but there are some differences. Recognizing the symptoms of Crohn's disease helps you early diagnose and manage the disease. Not everyone develops severe symptoms, so be aware of different symptoms such as:
   • Persistent diarrhea, cramps, abdominal pain, fever, sometimes blood in the stool.
   • Loss of appetite and weight loss. Crohn's disease can also affect the joints, eyes, skin, and liver.
   • The most common complication of Crohn's disease is intestinal obstruction due to swollen and scarred tissue. Symptoms of intestinal obstruction are pain from cramps, vomiting, and flatulence. You may also have an intestinal fistula due to ulcers and pain.
   • People with Crohn's disease have a higher risk of colon cancer and need more testing than normal people.

3. 

   
   
   Know the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. As mentioned above, ulcerative colitis symptoms have some differences compared to Crohn's disease. Recognizing the symptoms of ulcerative colitis helps to diagnose and treat promptly.
   • Typical symptoms of ulcerative colitis are often bloody discharge, abdominal cramping and severe diarrhea.
   • Loss of appetite and weight loss are also common symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Besides, you may experience fatigue and bloating.
   • Most ulcerative colitis has mild symptoms. However, in some cases, severe cramps (abdominal pain), fever, bloody diarrhea and vomiting may occur.
   • Severe bleeding can lead to anemia in ulcerative colitis patients. In addition, patients may also suffer from skin damage, joint pain, liver disorders and eye inflammation.
   • Like Crohn's disease, people with ulcerative colitis are also at a higher risk of colon cancer and need regular physical exams.

4. 

   
   
   Closely observe bodily functions. Specially need to monitor the body and internal functions to detect inflammatory bowel symptoms. Symptoms like diarrhea or a fever that don't go away could be a sign of enteritis.
   • Watch for frequent diarrhea.
   • Check the toilet paper or the toilet bowl for blood in the stool.
   • Check your underwear or towels for signs of intestinal bleeding or leakage.
   • Many people with enteritis often experience persistent mild fever and night sweats.
   • Some women even delay their menstrual cycle if they have enteritis.

5. 

   Evaluate your appetite and weight. Watch for persistent loss of appetite and unwanted weight loss, especially with other symptoms of enteritis. See your doctor as this is a clear sign that you have enteritis.
   • Anorexia can be caused by abdominal pain, abdominal cramps, and inflammation. Loss of appetite can lead to unwanted weight loss.

6. 

   Pay attention to pain and soreness. With enteritis, you tend to experience severe and chronic pain in the abdomen and joints. If your stomach ache is not caused by other illness or if you are not physically active, chances are you have enteritis.
   • You may experience abdominal pain or cramping if you have enteritis.
   • Flatulence can be accompanied by pain and cramps.
   • Inflammatory bowel pain can occur in other parts of the body. Note if you have joint pain or eye inflammation.

7. 

   Skin examination. Check the skin for skin changes such as red blisters, ulcers, or a rash. These changes, if accompanied by other symptoms, are most likely a sign of enteritis.
   • Damage to the skin can lead to leaky skin disease - an infection that occurs on the skin.
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Part 2 of 4: Reception of diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease

1. 

   Go to doctor. See a doctor right away if you notice signs or symptoms of enteritis, or are at risk of illness. Early diagnosis provides prompt treatment and control.
   • Your doctor can diagnose enteritis after you've ruled out other possible causes for your symptoms.
   • Your doctor may run a variety of tests to diagnose enteritis.

2. 

   Get tested and diagnosed. If you suspect you have enteritis, your doctor will recommend testing after your physical exam and rule out other causes. Testing is the only way to diagnose inflammatory bowel disease.
   • You will be given a blood test to find out if you have anemia. Anemia is one of the most common side effects of inflammatory bowel disease. Blood tests also help identify signs of infection, infection or viral infection.
   • Your doctor may also order a stool test to check for blood in the stool.
   • Your doctor may also perform an endoscopy, such as a colonoscopy or an upper GI endoscopy, to examine your bowel. During the colonoscopy, the doctor inserts a small camera into part of the digestive tract. If there is inflammation or abnormality in the digestive tract, the doctor will perform a biopsy. This procedure is especially important in diagnosing the disease.
   • Your doctor may also order an X-ray, CT or MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan to check gastrointestinal tissue and detect complications of enteritis, such as perforation of the colon.

3. 

   Treat inflammatory bowel disease. If you diagnose you with inflammatory bowel disease, your doctor will prescribe medication, depending on the severity of the disease. There are many ways to treat and control inflammatory bowel disease.
   • Treat inflammatory bowel disease by reducing inflammation, which triggers the symptoms of the disease. There is no cure for enteritis.
   • Treat enteritis with medicine or surgery. Most cases of Crohn's disease require surgery.
   • Your doctor may prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs such as Aminosalicylates or Corticosteroids for short-term relief. These medications can cause side effects such as excessive sweating, insomnia, hyperactivity and excessive facial hair growth.
   • Your doctor may prescribe an immunosuppressant such as Cyclosporin, Infliximab or Methotrexate.
   • Your doctor may also prescribe an antibiotic such as Ciprofloxacin to control and prevent infection.

4. 

   Surgical enteritis. If medications or lifestyle changes don't work, your doctor may recommend surgery to control the disease. Surgery is the last resort treatment and can lead to an undesirable, though not long-lasting side effect.
   • For surgery for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, the doctor will remove some parts of the digestive tract.
   • You may need to wear a colostomy bag to collect intestinal preparations after surgery. Although living with a colostomy bag is very inconvenient, you can still function properly.
   • Nearly half of Crohn's disease cases require surgery. However, surgery can not cure the disease, prosthetic anal surgery can treat ulcerative colitis but also cannot cure some symptoms inside the body such as uveitis, arthritis, ...
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Part 3 of 4: Try natural remedies

1. 

   Make changes to your diet and nutrition. Some evidence suggests that making dietary changes and taking nutritional supplements helps control inflammatory bowel symptoms. In addition to medical therapy, your doctor may suggest that you change your eating habits and diet.
   • Your doctor may recommend a feeding tube or nutrient injection to rest your bowels and reduce inflammation.
   • Your doctor may also recommend a low-residue diet to prevent intestinal obstruction. Low-residue diets include low-fiber foods like yogurt, rich soups, white breads, pasta, and refined crackers. You should also avoid fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts and whole grain products.
   • Your doctor may also recommend iron, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B12 supplements to compensate for the loss of nutrients caused by inflammatory bowel disease.
   • Eat a small meal, low in fat and fiber, to reduce bowel inflammation.
   • Drink plenty of fluids to ease bowel inflammation. Water is the best choice to help keep the body moisturized.

2. 

   Consider alternative therapies. Not all alternative therapies are good, but they are more or less effective. Consult your doctor before using herbal or alternative therapy.
   • According to recent studies, alternative therapies like consuming a lot of soluble fiber or probiotics, drinking menthol tea, hypnosis or cognitive-behavioral therapy can help reduce inflammatory bowel symptoms. .

3. 

   Change living habits. Changing your lifestyle habits, from quitting smoking to avoiding stress, can help manage and ease inflammatory bowel symptoms.
   • Crohn's disease is worse if you smoke cigarettes. Smokers are more likely to have a relapse and need surgery again.
   • Stress relief can also help reduce inflammatory bowel symptoms. You can reduce stress by doing regular breathing and relaxation exercises or by meditating.
   • Regular and gentle exercise not only helps to reduce stress, but also helps normalize bowel function. Consult with your doctor to choose the most suitable exercises to help control inflammatory bowel disease.
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Part 4 of 4: Understanding inflammatory bowel disease

1. 

   Learn about inflammatory bowel disease. Since inflammatory bowel disease is a generic term for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, you must understand the difference between the two diseases. This helps you to recognize symptoms early for timely treatment.
   • Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. In contrast to ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. However, the last part of the small intestine, the ileum, or the first part of the colon are the most commonly affected sites.
   • Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are abnormal immune responses, however, each affects a different location. Ulcerative colitis causes chronic inflammation in the colon, which then spreads leading to ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, while ulcerative colitis only affects the colon.

2. 

   Join a support group or find a specialist. Inflammatory bowel disease can cause serious harm to you and your loved one. Therefore, you should join a support group for an inflammatory bowel disease or talk to your doctor or therapist to understand and manage the disease.
   • You can search on social media sites, in which many cases of people with inflammatory bowel disease share their own stories. In addition, you can also find local inflammatory bowel patient support groups.
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Advice

• The diagnosis can be different, depending on the type of inflammatory bowel disease you have, as symptoms can vary from person to person. Despite the great pain and suffering, many people with inflammatory bowel disease actively live by scientifically managing the disease and its associated symptoms.

Warning

• Do not treat inflammatory bowel disease without the help of a medical professional. Follow the instructions of a doctor who specializes in digestion and treatment for inflammatory bowel disease and related symptoms.