Learn About the Signs and Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
4/7/2023
Most adults today experience the uncomfortable gastrointestinal results of IBD (inflammatory bowel disease) and typically assume these symptoms are just a reality they will now live with lifelong. Our gastroenterology doctors in Louisiana want to make clear, however, that you don’t need to submit to this pain. Help is available — and it’s right around the corner. At GastroGroup and Endocenter, we strive to help patients with their GI issues and offer a variety of treatment methods that will get you back to enjoying your life.
What is inflammatory bowel disease?
IBD is the chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. There are two conditions that you’ve most likely heard of fall into this disease — Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. These conditions may seem like irritating symptoms you have to deal with can result in irreversible damage to the GI tract as years progress.
Although the precise cause of IBD is unknown, it’s generally related to a misfunctioning immune system. It is also thought that a person with this disease has an immune system that may not be responding to environmental triggers like viruses and bacteria properly and may have a close family member with inflammatory bowel disease.
The most common signs of IBD involve:
- Loose and watery stool
- Blood in the stool
- Fatigue
- Difficulty having a bowel movement
- Pain in the abdomen
- Unexpected weight loss
How is inflammatory bowel disease treated?
After a diagnosis of IBD, our goal is to cut down intestinal inflammation, diminishing as many of your symptoms as possible. There are several treatment methods we can try, and our goal is that, eventually, you will experience prolonged remission. Many of our suggested treatments include:
- Anti-diarrheal medications
- Anti-inflammatory medicine
- Vitamin D and other supplements, such as iron and calcium
- Dietary changes
Our Louisiana gastroenterologists at GastroGroup and Endocenter are here to help you to find a course of treatment that is ideal for your expectations. It may take a little bit of trial and error to determine the right treatment that can help lessen discomfort and GI inflammation; however, our team will be with you throughout the process to find the right treatment for you.
Get help for IBD in Louisiana
If you have symptoms like abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, or other difficult gastrointestinal symptoms on a daily or weekly basis, it may be inflammatory bowel disease and the disagreeable symptoms that come along with it. At GastroGroup and Endocenter in Louisiana, our experienced GI doctors want to help determine, detect, treat, and control IBD and the discomforting symptoms that are associated with it. If you expect you might have IBD and want to start living life with fewer worries and symptoms, please contact your closest GastroGroup and Endocenter location to request a consultation.