Home > Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine > Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Definition

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is the general name for ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The disease is characterized by swelling, ulcerations, and loss of function of the intestines.

Description

The primary problem in IBD is inflammation, as the name suggests. Inflammation is a process that often occurs to fight off foreign invaders in the body, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. In response to such organisms, the body's immune system begins to produce a variety of cells and chemicals intended to stop the invasion. These immune cells and chemicals, however, also have direct effects on the body's tissues, resulting in heat, redness, swelling, and loss of function. No one knows what starts the cycle of inflammation in IBD, but the result is a swollen, boggy intestine.

In ulcerative colitis, the inflammation affects the lining of the rectum and large intestine. It is thought that...