Know the Common Signs and Symptoms of IBD
4/7/2023
A number of people encounter the uncomfortable symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and imagine it's a reality they'll have to deal with for life. However, our GI doctors in Connecticut want to clarify that you do not need to suffer this ongoing discomfort. Assistance is available — and it may be closer than you think. At Connecticut GI, we want to relieve your GI issues and offer a range of treatments that can help get you back to enjoying life.
What is inflammatory bowel disease?
Simply put, inflammatory bowel disease is the chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Two conditions you've likely heard of fall into this category — ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. While having the disease might seem like a discomfort you have to live with, it can permanently damage the gastrointestinal tract over time.
Though the exact cause of this disease has yet to be determined, it’s generally linked to an unchecked immune system. It is also thought that a person with IBD has an immune system that may not react correctly to environmental triggers, such as viruses and bacteria, and has a family member with inflammatory bowel disease.
Common signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease include:
- Loose and watery stool
- Constipation
- Bloody stool
- Exhaustion
- Pain in the abdomen
- Unexplained weight loss
How is IBD treated?
After diagnosing inflammatory bowel disease, we aim to lessen intestinal inflammation and diminish your symptoms. There are a variety of treatment options we can try, and our goal is that, eventually, you will experience long-term freedom from discomfort. IBD treatments may involve:
- Vitamin D, iron, calcium, and other supplements
- Dietary changes
- Anti-inflammatory medicine
- Anti-diarrheal medicine
The specialists at Connecticut GI can help determine a treatment option that meets your needs. It may involve a little investigation to find the right treatment to decrease your symptoms and GI inflammation, but our team will work with you during the process to identify the ideal approach to care.
Get help for inflammatory bowel disease in Connecticut
If you have symptoms like abdominal pain, difficulty passing stool, loose and/or watery stool, or other digestive issues on a consistent basis, it may be a sign of inflammatory bowel disease. At Connecticut GI, our experienced gastrointestinal specialists can help detect, manage, and treat IBD and the unpleasant symptoms that come with it. If you think you might have inflammatory bowel disease and would like to start living life with less worry and fewer symptoms, please contact your nearest Connecticut GI location to schedule a consultation.