by Wood D

Diarrhea and belly pain are often the first signs of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). There may be times when a person does not have problems and other times when a person has flare ups.

An inflamed digestive tract may cause:

  • Diarrhea, often with blood or mucus in stool (poop)
  • Rectal bleeding
  • Belly cramps and pain
  • Nausea
  • Mouth sores
  • Sores around the anus (with Crohn disease)

Diarrhea and rectal bleeding may lead to:

  • Anemia—a lack of healthy red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body
  • Weight loss
  • Weakness and lack of energy

Inflammation in the body may cause:

  • Fever
  • Joint pain
  • Skin rashes
  • Eye pain or swelling
  • Kidney stones

References

Crohn disease in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/crohn-disease-in-adults. Accessed April 25, 2022.

Ulcerative colitis in adults. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: https://www.dynamed.com/condition/ulcerative-colitis-in-adults. Accessed April 25, 2022.

What is Crohn's disease? Crohn's & Colitis Foundation website. Available at: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-crohns-disease. Accessed April 25, 2022.

What is Ulcerative Colitis? Crohn's & Colitis Foundation website. Available at: https://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/what-is-ulcerative-colitis. Accessed April 25, 2022.

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