IBD facts

IBD - inflammatory bowel disease - is a chronic condition in which the lining of the digestive tract becomes inflamed and covered with ulcers.

The inflammation makes the lining of the gut hot and swollen, painful ulcers form and digestion becomes difficult. The inflammation and ulcers can occur anywhere in the digestive tract and sometimes at more than one site at a time.

Two of the most common types of inflammatory bowel disease are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Although both conditions are characterised by inflammation and ulceration, they are in fact different and their treatment can differ.

Both the large and small intestine can be affected by inflammation in Crohn's disease, which can extend deep into the intestinal lining. Only the large intestine is affected in ulcerative colitis.

Any part of the digestive system can be affected by Crohn's disease

Only the large intestine is affected by ulcerative colitis

	Crohn's disease	Ulcerative colitis
Number of people affected in the UK	30,000 to 40,000 (about 1 in every 1,600 people)	100,000 (about 1 in 600 people)
Area affected	Any part of the digestive system from the mouth to the anus	Large intestine only
Inflammation	All layers of the intestine may be inflamed	Only the lining of the intestine is inflamed
Treatment	Drug treatment and diet Surgery	Drug treatment Surgery

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