Although Crohn’s disease and IBS both involve unusual bowel movements or diarrhea, excess gas, abdominal pain, and the inability to tolerate certain foods, the two conditions are very different.
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What is Crohn's disease?
Crohn’s disease (sometimes referred to as IBD) is a serious condition affecting the bowel. Although it is rarely fatal, Crohn’s disease can cause life-threatening complications.
Researchers are unsure what causes Crohn’s disease. Diet and stress may aggravate the condition, but they are not the sole cause.
Doctors assume that Crohn’s disease has to do with genetics, although many Crohn’s disease cases involve no family history with the condition.
Researchers have linked Crohn’s disease to the immune system, surmising that the condition is caused by the body trying to fight off a virus or bacterium and mistakenly attacking cells in the digestive tract, too.
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Inflamed or ulcerated intestines usually accompany Crohn’s disease.
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Symptoms may include weight loss, fever, and chronic diarrhea.
Other symptoms may include abdominal pain or a tender mass in the lower abdomen.
Crohn’s disease usually originates in the small intestine, but it may affect any part of the digestive tract, including the stomach, colon, and esophagus.
READ: Traveling With Ease With IBS
What is IBS?
On the other hand, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a fairly common condition affecting 25-45 million Americans.
The primary cause is not understood, but symptoms occur when the muscles in the colon contract more readily than normal.
IBS may be triggered by hormones, stress, food, or other illnesses.
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Symptoms of IBS include diarrhea, constipation, excess gas, abdominal pain, and unusually harder or looser bowel movements.
Treatments are available for IBS, and approximately 20-40 percent of all visits to gastroenterologists are due to IBS symptoms.
Rectal bleeding or unusually dark stool is not a symptom of IBS.
If you experience blood in your stool, you should seek medical evaluation as soon as possible. For more information, visit the Reporter’s Guide to Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
