- Possible causes
- What symptoms
- How the diagnosis is made
- What is the treatment
- What to eat
- Allowed foods
- Foods to Avoid
Inflammatory bowel disease refers to a set of chronic diseases that cause inflammation of the intestine, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, which have very similar symptoms, such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, weight loss, anemia or intolerances food, for example, but are considered distinct diseases.
Treatment consists of administering medication, adopting a specific diet and supplementing with vitamins and minerals. In some cases, surgery may also be necessary.
Possible causes
The specific causes of inflammatory bowel disease are not yet known, but it is thought that it may be related to genetic, immunological factors, intestinal microbiota and diet.
Thus, in people with inflammatory bowel disease, given certain foods or microorganisms, there is an abnormal activation of the inflammatory response, which causes damage to the intestinal cells, leading to the appearance of the characteristic symptoms of the disease.
Inflammatory bowel diseases can also be influenced by age and race, and the risk of developing them may increase with the use of cigarettes, use of hormonal contraceptives, use of antibiotics during the first year of life, gastroenteritis, diets rich in animal protein, sugar, oils, saturated fats.
What symptoms
Inflammatory bowel disease can manifest itself with symptoms at the gastrointestinal level or in other regions of the body, the following being the most common:
| Crohn's disease | Ulcerative colitis | |
|---|---|---|
| Gastrointestinal symptoms |
Abdominal cramps; Diarrhea that may contain blood; Constipation; Bowel obstruction Nausea and vomiting; Anal fissures, fistulas and plicomas; Urgency to evacuate; Tenesmus; Fecal incontinence. |
Diarrhea with the presence of mucus and blood; Abdominal cramps; Constipation; Canker sores. |
| Systemic / extra-intestinal symptoms |
Growth retardation in children and adolescents; Fever; Weight loss; Erythema nodosum; Photophobia, uveitis; Seronegative spondyloarthrosis; Ankylosing spondylitis; Sacroiliitis; Thrombosis; Autoimmune hemolytic anemia; Osteoporosis and bone fractures; Headache and neuropathies; Muscle diseases Depression. |
Tachycardia; Anemia; Fever; Weight loss; Uveitis; Seronegative arthritis; Ankylosing spondylitis; Sacroiliitis; Erythema nodosum; Gangrenous pyoderma; Thrombosis; Primary sclerosing cholangitis. |
The characteristic symptoms of Crohn's disease are very similar to those of ulcerative colitis, but some of them may be different because Crohn's disease can affect the entire gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus, while the affected areas of ulcerative colitis are fundamentally the rectum and colon. Get tested and know how to identify Crohn's disease.
How the diagnosis is made
The diagnosis usually consists of a clinical evaluation, endoscopy, histological, radiological exams and biochemical investigation.
What is the treatment
Treatment aims to induce and maintain the remission of the disease, improve the person's nutritional status and relieve symptoms.
Generally, the medications prescribed by the doctor may include anti-inflammatory drugs, such as corticosteroids and aminosalicylates such as mesalazine or sulfasalazine, for example, immunosuppressants such as cyclosporine, azathioprine or mercaptopurine, antibiotics such as ciprofloxacin or metronidazole and / or monoclonal antibodies, such as monoclonal antibodies and / or infliximab or adalimumab, for example.
In some cases, in Crohn's disease, it may be necessary to perform surgery to repair strictures or remove parts of the intestine when treatment with drugs is not effective.
People who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease are at a higher risk of suffering nutritional problems due to illness and treatment, so to maintain nutritional status in these cases, it may be necessary to follow a special diet and take dietary supplements with folic acid, vitamin D, vitamins B6, B12 and minerals and trace elements, such as calcium and zinc, for example. In addition, the use of probiotics and glutamine can help improve bowel function.
What to eat
The main objective of the diet for inflammatory bowel disease is to reduce inflammation of the intestine and improve absorption, relieving symptoms and preventing the appearance of new crises. The diet should be individualized and specific to each person, but there are foods that are generally tolerated and others that should be avoided, especially during crises:
Allowed foods
Some foods allowed in the diet are:
- Rice, purees, pasta and potatoes; Lean meats such as chicken meat; Boiled eggs; Fish such as sardines, tuna or salmon; Cooked vegetables such as carrots, asparagus and pumpkin; Cooked and peeled fruits such as bananas and apples; Avocado and olive oil.
Foods to Avoid
Foods that should be avoided, as they have a high risk of causing inflammation of the intestine, are:
- Coffee, black tea, caffeinated soft drinks and alcoholic beverages; Seeds; Raw vegetables and unpeeled fruits; Papaya, orange and plum; Milk, yogurt, cheese, sour cream and butter; Honey, sugar, sorbitol or mannitol; Dried fruits, such as peanuts, walnuts and almonds; oats; chocolate; pork and other fatty meats; shortbread and sweet cookies with puff pastry, fried foods, gratin, mayonnaise and industrialized frozen meals.
These foods are just some examples that should generally be avoided, however, the ideal is to consult a nutritionist to adapt the food to the body of each person, since there may be other foods that worsen the symptoms.
