The Inflammatory Bowel Disease (EII), which includes the Ulcerative Colitis and the Crohn’s diseaseis a serious and chronic condition that is often confused with less serious diseases like him irritable bowel syndrome.
He Dr. Jorge De León RendónColoproctologist Surgeon and coordinator of the IBD Clinic of the General Hospital of Mexico “Dr. Eduardo Liceaga”, warns about the importance of an early diagnosis, since the delay can have serious health consequences.
Warning symptoms and diseases with which it is confused
One of the main challenges in diagnosing the disease is that its initial symptoms may seem common. However, Dr. De León emphasizes that the persistence of certain warning signs should never be overlooked.
“If a person has prolonged diarrhea, that is, for more than four weeks, if there is blood in the stool, if there is persistent abdominal pain or unexplained weight loss, these are not normal symptoms and the patient should see a specialist.”
The specialist warns that in a pilot study carried out in his clinic, they found that “70 percent of our patients had had a misdiagnosis before to reach the diagnosis of Inflammatory Bowel Disease”.
The most frequent misdiagnoses were irritable bowel syndrome or hemorrhoidswhen in reality the patient already had serious damage to the intestine.
Ulcerative Colitis vs. Crohn’s disease
It is essential to differentiate Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease from the well-known “nervous colitis” or irritable bowel syndrome. The main difference lies in physical damage that occurs:
When talking about inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease, Dr. De León clarifies that it refers to the “damage that is carried out by the disease within the lining or all layers of the intestine.”
These layers become damaged, ulcerated and, being deep, can reach blood vessels and cause bleedingabsorption problems and diarrhea.
Ulcerative colitis usually affects only the large intestine. While Crohn’s Disease can affect any site of the gastrointestinal tractl, from the mouth to the anus.
For your part, it is convenient that you know that the Nervous colitis oe Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a condition that no physical damage to the layers of the intestine, but is based solely on symptoms such as pain, bloating, diarrhea or constipation, without a long-term organic repercussion.
If IBD is not controlled, it is progressive and can lead to the need for hospitalizations, surgeries to resect segments of the intestine and, in the long term, to risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Consequences of having these diseases
Living with one of these active diseases significantly impacts the quality of life of patients young people from 20 to 30 years oldaffecting their social, work and mental environment. Dr. De León points out that it is not enough to treat the symptoms if the quality of life is not rescued:
“Living with the disease is living day by day with the uncertainty of what is going to happen when I get up in the morning, whether I will be able to go to work or not…”
The expert details that disease relapseswith 5, 10 or 15 daily evacuations and urgency to evacuate, mean that patients have to check the proximity of a bathroom at social gatherings or limit their work hours.
The economic and social consequencesyes They are severe. In the aforementioned pilot study, it was detected that “more than 50% of our patients they had lost their jobs secondary to the symptoms of the disease.” In addition, patients often suffer disorders of anxiety and depression.
What causes diseases?
These illnesses They are multifactorialwhere a genetically predisposed patient is combined with several environmental factors.
The specialist emphasizes that diet is the primary environmental factorespecially if it is high in ultra-processed foods, with additives, refined fats and sugars. These alter the intestinal microbiota and promote inflammation.
Environmental pollution, smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and the indiscriminate use of antibiotics in childhood also have an influence. Regarding diet, the specialist denies the spicy mythalthough it can worsen symptoms such as pain and distension if the disease is already active.
Where to get free treatment?
Regarding treatment, the main objective is to achieve remission and heal the intestinal mucosa so that the disease remains “off.”
Dr. De León highlights the advance of biological therapies, such as those aimed at Interleukin 23a protein that works as a “switch” that keeps inflammation active in the intestine.
By inhibiting it with medications such as Guselkumab, available in Mexico, a reduction of inflammationimproving the quality of life.
Yeah you do not have IMSS or ISSTEyou should know that these advanced therapies They are free at the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Clinic of the General Hospital of Mexicoeither for patients who are candidates and whose diagnosis is corroborated.
Dr. De León at the Inflammatory Bowel Diseases Clinic:
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