Learn about IBD
Inflammatory bowel disease or IBD is a chronic (on-going) inflammatory condition that affects the digestive system.
There are two main types of IBD:
- Ulcerative colitis
- Crohn’s disease
Both of these conditions have some similar and overlapping symptoms, but affect different parts of the digestive system.
This section will tell you more about:
- What IBD is
- The difference between ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
- What the general symptoms of IBD are
- What causes IBD
- What the outlook is for someone with IBD
pages in this section
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What is IBD?
There are two main types of IBD: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. They affect different parts of the digestive system and result in slightly different symptoms.
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What is ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation (swelling and pain) of the lining of the colon (large intestine) or rectum.
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What is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease is a chronic (persistent) inflammatory disease which can occur anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract - from the mouth to the rectum.