Inflammatory Bowel Disease Essay

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The anachronism IBD stands for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, the two main IBDs are Chron’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, both of which are considered to be primary autoimmune disorders. These occur when the immune system mistakenly targets and damages healthy tissue and cells. IBD symptoms and onset can occur at any time of life but most commonly present as a young adult, aged 15-30, although a later life peak between the ages of 50-70 has also been observed, at a much lower incidence. The common symptoms for these diseases are;
• Severe abdominal pain
• Bloody and frequent diarrhoea
• Dehydration
• Acute weight loss
• The urgency to defecate immediately after eating
• Loud stomach noises
• Bowel incontinence
• Fever
• Extreme fatigue

Although both Chron’s and UC have similar symptoms they are two distinctly different diseases. Chron’s disease can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the rectum. The tissues affected become inflamed and subsequently causes the intestinal wall to thicken and create scar tissue. This in turn causes faecal matter to move through the GI tract slowly, causing pain and in severe cases induce vomiting. The inflammation of the GI tract induces the production of excess water and salt, but because the lining is inflamed and swollen it is unable to absorb the excess liquid which leads to diarrhoea. Ulcers can develop in the lining and in some cases become much larger and eventually penetrate through the walls of the intestine. Bleeding occurs when the GI tract is swollen and ulcerated and the passage of food through the tract irritates and causes the tissue to haemorrhage.

Ulcerative Colitis is lesser known than Chron’s however the symptoms are just as severe, and in severe cases wors...

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...tact medical professional before getting vaccinations
• Avoid certain foods
• Ensure food is cooked thoroughly
• Avoid swimming and bathing in ponds, rivers and the sea
• Avoid hot tubs

This is not a comprehensive list, it merely gives an overview of the way an immuno-compromised person has to adapt their behaviours.
Lymphocytes target the healthy tissues and destroy them in the same way they would if the tissue was diseased. This can cause a wide a range of illnesses, such as Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis and Grave’s Disease. The term primary is used when the immune system components are genetically or inherently defective. Secondary autoimmune disorders occur when an outside influence such as disease, drugs or surgery triggers the immune system to behave incorrectly, AIDS, splenectomy and chemotherapy are some of the factors that can cause secondary autoimmunit

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