Inflammatory bowel disease: Causes, symptoms, and treatments

Nowadays, a celebration or a party is incomplete without alcohol, cigarettes, fried foods and late nights. Yes, at a certain age, your body is strong enough to combat the impact of these detrimental habits. However, if it becomes a lifestyle, then the influence of these toxins can be long-term and sometimes fatal. One such body part these toxins severely affect is the digestive system. The inflamed and exhausted digestive system can take it no longer, and your body may attack food particles instead of being used for energy. And God forbid if you have a family history of such a condition. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases have become a significant burden on the healthcare industry due to their chronic nature. They require constant management and years of treatment and yet are never fully cured.    

What is Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease is one such condition that is aggravated by unhealthy lifestyles and habits.  IBD is a chronic condition where the tissues in your digestive tract are inflamed for a long time and cause severe pain. 

Types of IBD

IBD encompasses two basic inflammatory disease entities - Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD). Although the diagnosis of both is difficult even with endoscopy, histology and symptomatology, physiologically, they can be differentiated as below :     

What Causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease?

Though not positively determined, researchers suggest three factors as inflammatory bowel disease causes : 

Role of Genes

It has been observed that every 1 in 4 people with IBD disease have a family history of it and hence are prone to suffer from such conditions more than the others. 

Immunological Response

In an average person, the immune system fights infections or foreign bodies by releasing antigens and antibodies. However, in patients with IBD symptoms, the immune system responds and attacks the food particles ingested, disrupting the digestive process.  

External Triggers

If you are a chain smoker, drink alcohol too often, or are under continued stress or even in depression, you will have a higher risk of suffering from IBD symptoms.

There is no substantial proof that IBD occurs due to any deficiency or due to some particular diet or food. Therefore, all you can do is maintain a healthy lifestyle and stay prepared for the future. Since IBD is a chronic long-term condition, you need to have a support plan to continue treatment for a long time. To do that, invest early in a health plan that will support you financially and give you access to advanced treatments and hospitals. Care health insurance has products developed to suit long-term needs and prevent your savings from draining out. 

IBD Symptoms

The symptoms are highly erratic and can be mild or severe. They may appear all of a sudden or gradually. When symptoms are imminent, you tend to have IBD flares, and when in remission, the symptoms disappear. 

In general, IBD symptoms include : 

• You may have persistent abdominal pain 
• Diarrhoea alternating with constipation and sometimes bowel urgency can also be experienced.
• Bloating and gas in the abdominal area.
• You may have a complete loss of appetite and hence might experience sudden unexplained weight loss.
• You might notice mucus and blood in the stool.
• More often than not, you will face problems of stomach upset or indigestion even after everyday meals.

IBD symptoms in females become severe before and during the menstrual cycle. Women with IBD will be more likely to suffer from severe menstrual cramps, headaches and menstrual pains. 

Although rare, some of these IBD symptoms can be seen in some instances. You will feel fatigued quickly and may have a high fever, itchy red eyes, and joint pains. Skin rashes and sores might appear, along with nausea and vomiting. 

IBD in itself is a chronic, painful disease. But it doesn't stop there. The complications of IBD disease can higher the risk of diseases like Colon (colorectal) cancer, anal fistula, anal stenosis or narrowing of anal canal, kidney stones, liver cirrhosis, osteoporosis, perforated bowel etc.

I am sure these names sound scary to you. If they do, then it is time for you to think ahead and get a comprehensive health insurance plan that includes pre-existing diseases and a sum insured recharge option for multiple hospitalisations. Treating IBD at its early stage is a better way to manage and control the condition before it transforms into a more complicated health hazard.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment:

IBD treatments are done based on their severity and symptoms. Medications often help with inflammatory symptoms. A few medicines used for IBD disease treatments are : 

1. Aminosalicylates are anti-inflammatory drugs that soothe the irritation on the intestine walls. 
2. Antibiotics for any further infection and abscesses.
3. Corticosteroids are given to suppress the immune system and manage flares.
4. Immunomodulators are used to calm an overactive immune system.
5. You may also benefit from antidiarrheal medication and some over-the-counter vitamins and probiotics.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment Surgically

1. As many as 7 in 10 people with Crohn’s Disease will ultimately need to be operated on when medications are unable to manage symptoms. Surgery is performed where the diseased segment of the GI tract is removed, and the healthier ends are joined to perform normally. But even post-surgery, this IBD can recur again in 10 years.
2. Post 30 years, 1 out of every 3 people require surgery for recovery from Ulcerative Colitis. The surgeon removes the colon and the rectum and connects the small intestine to the anus, along with an ileal pouch where stool collects and finally exits out of the anus. Though there will be no further recurrence of IBD symptoms, there may be issues with the ileal pouch in future.

The treatments are lengthy and troublesome, and there is no complete cure for IBD. The thought itself stresses that it may keep recurring even after an expensive surgery. There is no need to worry. Rather, check out Care health insurance plans with lifelong renewability, which will keep you covered at all phases of your life and will not have waiting periods for repeated surgery or treatments for the same disease of the same person.

Preventing Bowel Disease

It is disheartening but true that there are no preventive measures you can take to stop IBD. These tips can help you fight the symptoms and have long remission phases : 

1. Have smaller meals with a gap of two to four hours.
2. It would be best if you managed stress better with meditation and yoga to reduce its impact. 
3. Get restful sleep for 7 to 8 hours and avoid late nights.
4. Check for food items in your diet that may cause IBD flares. Some food allergies and intolerance can trigger symptoms of IBD. 
5. Change your diet to anti-inflammatory food, especially during flare-ups. Incorporate soft, bland foods that are less oily, greasy, or dairy-free to reduce inflammation and improve digestion.
6. Limit caffeine and alcohol intake and replace them with healthier options like water or detox drinks.
7. Quit smoking entirely by using nicotine patches or gums, exercising and meditation.

These may help you with IBD flares and to have a healthy lifestyle with fewer hospital visits. 

Wrapping Up!

IBD is a long-term and lifelong condition that needs proper management and care. Once you know how to control IBD symptoms, your life expectancy increases with more extended periods of remission. You might live without hospital visits, but some may need surgery. The best way to deal with such uncertainty is to prepare yourself financially and mentally by purchasing a health plan without delay. Care Insurance has options for health plans to suit your medical needs for preventive and institutional treatments. Choose a plan and pass on all your present and future worries to Care Health Insurance. 

Disclaimer: The above information is for reference purposes only. Kindly consult your general physician for verified medical advice. The health insurance benefits are subject to policy terms and conditions. Refer to your policy documents for more information.