Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

Inflammatory bowel disease is a group of chronic disorders, mainly Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, in which the immune system drives ongoing inflammation of the digestive tract.

Ulcerative colitis affects the inner lining of the colon and rectum in a continuous pattern, while Crohn's disease can involve any segment of the gut in patches and through the full wall thickness. Shared symptoms include abdominal pain, persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, urgency, weight loss and fatigue, with flares alternating with periods of remission. It is distinct from irritable bowel syndrome, which does not involve visible inflammation.

Gastroenterologists diagnose it with colonoscopy and biopsy, imaging, blood tests and stool markers such as fecal calprotectin. Treatment aims to induce and maintain remission with anti-inflammatory, immunomodulating and biologic medications, sometimes with surgery. Cannabinoids have been studied for symptom outcomes in inflammatory bowel disease, but cannabidiol has not been shown to control intestinal inflammation.