Inflammatory Bowel Disease Specialist

What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?

IBD describes a variety of conditions that cause chronic inflammation in your digestive tract. Two of the most common types of IBD include Crohn’s disease and colitis.

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is a condition during which you develop chronic inflammation in the lining of your digestive tract that can also spread into nearby tissue.

Colitis

Colitis, also known as ulcerative colitis, is an inflammatory condition that affects the inner lining of your colon and rectum, often causing ulcers to develop.

Inflammatory bowel disease can worsen over time without treatment and can even lead to life-threatening complications and disability.

What are the symptoms of IBD?

Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease vary from person to person and can range from mild to debilitating. In many cases, symptoms can appear then resolve for a period of time before returning.

The most common symptoms of IBD include:

• Pain
• Fever
• Bloody stool
• Chronic fatigue
• Abdominal cramps
• Changes in appetite
• Unexplained weight loss

It’s important that you schedule a diagnostic evaluation of these symptoms. While common in IBD, they may also indicate a more serious underlying gastrointestinal issue, like cancer.

How is IBD diagnosed?

To determine if IBD is the root cause of your symptoms, the team at Long Island Gastro may order blood testing to check for infection. You may also need diagnostic testing that provides your doctor with images of your gastrointestinal tract, such as:

• Colonoscopy
• Sigmoidoscopy
• Upper endoscopy

The team also offers wireless capsule endoscopy procedures that involve swallowing a capsule that contains a special camera. As the capsule travels down your gastrointestinal tract, it takes pictures to identify inflammation relating to Crohn’s disease.

How is IBD treated?

The treatment for IBD focuses on reducing inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract to ease pain and other symptoms. Your Long Island Gastro provider customizes a treatment plan to keep inflammation in remission for the long term. They may recommend:

• Antibiotics
• Pain relievers
• Anti-inflammatory medications

You may also benefit from medications that prevent your immune system from producing chemicals that irritate the intestinal lining.

In some cases, you may need surgery to correct the damage that results from chronic inflammation. Surgery may involve the removal of damaged tissue in your colon or digestive tract. Your surgeon will also need to reconnect the remaining healthy structures of the tract.

While treatments can’t cure IBS, your Long Island Gastro provider works closely with you to ensure your symptoms are under control, and your risk for chronic inflammation is reduced.

Schedule a consultation for IBS symptoms at Long Island Gastro by calling the office or requesting an appointment online today.