What are Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis?
Known collectively as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis affect 1 in 200 people. They are painful, medically incurable diseases that attack the digestive system. Crohn's disease may attack anywhere along the digestive tract, while ulcerative colitis inflames only the large intestine (colon). Symptoms may include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, fever and weight loss. Many patients require numerous hospitalizations and surgery. Onset is most common between the ages of 15 and 35 although the diseases are being seen at an increasing rate in children under the age of 18. For more information, visit www.ccfa.org/what-are-crohns-and-colitis