Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Why Do I Have These Symptoms?

W II ETIIFR A l'ATIEN1 IIA:~YMPtoms of inflammatory h(>Wcl Jiscasc (I RL)) is dependent on the acti v i I y anJ I he extent of involvement. Patient, in qu1escc111 states may h ave no ,ymptom~ at all, while, during exacerbation,, they may he severely ill. Most people wllh rnn, irrespeCll \'l' whcther the} ,uffer from C rohn\ disease or ulcerat 1ve colius, cxpcriem:e three major symptoms: Jiarrhea, abdtinunal pa111 and fever. These arc u~uall } as,oc iateJ with weight loss and anemia. The nature of the diarrhea nfren helps the phy,ician 11, locali:e the area of the bowel involved hy 1he 1nflamm,1tury process. T he l ypc of.ihdommal pain may also vary depending on the severity and the locm inn nf bowel inflammat ion. Sometime, pa111 baggravateJ hy eating. Thb may le.1J to decrease intake of food and weight lms. In children, growth may he delayed o r rcrnrded . (,row1 h spuns may be stnnulatcd hy 111creasing the dai ly caloric intake. Fever 1s always an 11npnrrant sign of active disease. It may he intermi11e111 or persistent, ranging frnm 38.5'' to 40"C, and may he accompanied by shaking S LEMIRE, MD, FACG