Home Remedies and Herbs for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes two primary types of chronic conditions that cause all or part of the digestive tract to become inflamed. The two conditions considered to be inflammatory bowel diseases are:^{1 2}

• Ulcerative Colitis - Chronic inflammation and ulcers (sores) affecting the inner lining of the colon and rectum.
• Crohn’s Disease - Chronic inflammation affecting the tissues of the small or large intestine or both.

What Causes Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)?

Inflammatory bowel disease causes aren’t known at this time. Previously, researchers suspected that both types of IBD were caused by stress or diet. Now, it is believed that these are aggravating factors rather than direct irritable bowel disease causes.^{2 4} A possible cause of both Crohn’s Disease and colitis is an immune system malfunction. In healthy individuals, the immune system produces a response to attack any present bacteria and viruses. In an immune system malfunction, the body mistakenly attacks healthy cells.

This is possibly what occurs with IBD, where the body is mistakenly attacking the healthy cells of the digestive tract. [4]Other possible irritable bowel disease causes include genetics, such as a family history of a close relative with either type of IBD. [4]There are certain risk factors potentially associated with IBD, including:

• Being under 30 years old (the typical age range of diagnosis)
• Smoking cigarettes
• Regular use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications like Advil may increase the risk of developing IBD
• Living in urban and industrialized areas, which have certain environmental and dietary factors such as refined, high-fat foods

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Symptoms

• Pain, swelling and cramping in the stomach
• Recurring or bloody diarrhea
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Vomiting
• Anemia
• Constant, low-grade fever

References

1. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/basics/definition/con-20034908
2. http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/pages/introduction.aspx
3. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/basics/causes/con-20034908
4. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/basics/risk-factors/con-20034908
5. http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/inflammatory-bowel-disease/basics/symptoms/con-20034908