Gastroenterology

Inflammatory bowel disease causes diarrhea for several reasons. See below to understand more. Active inflammation injures the intestinal lining and speeds transit, so less water and electrolytes are absorbed while the gut secretes extra fluid; ulcers, bile acid malabsorption, microbiome shifts, prior bowel surgery, and some medications can further trigger watery, urgent stools, and these details can influence which treatments and next steps are right for you.

Inflammatory bowel disease occurs when a genetically susceptible person’s immune system misfires against normal gut microbes after environmental triggers, causing chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. There are several factors to consider, including specific genes, shifts in the gut microbiome, and exposures such as smoking, diet, and antibiotics. Stress does not cause IBD but can worsen flares; see below for the complete explanation and how these details can influence testing, treatment choices, and when to seek care.

There are several factors to consider: in ulcerative colitis, inflammation injures the colon’s lining so it cannot absorb water, ulcers add fluid and mucus, and faster transit reduces absorption, together causing frequent, urgent, watery stools that may include blood. Important details about triggers, dehydration, and when to seek urgent care can influence your next steps, so see the complete explanation below to understand more.

Yes, inflammatory bowel disease usually shows on colonoscopy, which can reveal visible inflammation, ulcers, bleeding, and patterns typical of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease; biopsies taken during the procedure help confirm the diagnosis. However, there are exceptions such as remission, early disease, or Crohn’s limited to the small intestine where colonoscopy may appear normal, so additional tests may be needed. There are several factors to consider that can influence next steps; see below for important details.

Five symptoms that may indicate inflammatory bowel disease are persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, blood or mucus in the stool, ongoing fatigue, and unintended weight loss or poor appetite. There are several factors to consider. See below for important details that can influence what to do next, including how these signs differ from IBS, when to call a clinician or seek urgent care, and considerations such as nighttime symptoms, anemia, and growth delays in children.

There are several factors to consider: digestive symptoms often worsen with age due to slower gut motility, shifts in gut bacteria, reduced digestive secretions, medication effects, and immune changes, and may reflect IBS or, in some people, IBD. See below for the red flags that need prompt care such as blood in stool, unexplained weight loss, persistent pain, weeks of diarrhea or constipation, or new symptoms after age 50, and for practical next steps on evaluation, diet, medication review, and monitoring. These details can influence which actions you take with your clinician.

Yes, several foods commonly trigger IBS symptoms, including high FODMAP foods, fatty or fried meals, dairy if lactose intolerant, sugar alcohol sweeteners, caffeine, alcohol, and spicy foods. Triggers vary widely by person, so you do not need to avoid everything. There are several factors to consider; see below for how to identify your own triggers, which gentler foods may help, and when to seek medical advice about red flag symptoms and broader contributors like stress and medications.

There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Blood in stool with fatigue in women can be IBD such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s, but it also occurs with hemorrhoids or fissures, infections, iron-deficiency anemia, celiac disease, endometriosis, colon polyps, or colorectal cancer; persistent bleeding, worsening tiredness, dizziness, severe abdominal pain, fever, or a family history should prompt timely medical evaluation with blood and stool tests and possibly colonoscopy, with key details on next steps outlined below.

There are several causes to consider: blood in stool for several days can come from hemorrhoids or fissures, but also from infections, inflammatory bowel disease, diverticular bleeding, ulcers, or colorectal cancer, and the color and pattern provide important clues. Do not ignore ongoing bleeding; seek prompt care, especially with red flags like dizziness or fainting, black tarry stools, heavy bleeding or clots, severe abdominal pain, fever, dehydration, shortness of breath, or chest discomfort. What to do right now, when to go urgent, and how doctors evaluate and treat this are explained below.

Blood in stool may or may not occur in Crohn’s disease; it depends on where the inflammation is, how deep it goes, and how active the disease is at the time. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Because bleeding can also come from conditions other than Crohn’s and heavy or persistent bleeding needs prompt medical care, the complete details below can help you decide on the right next steps and when to contact a clinician.

Bloody diarrhea in older adults can be caused by ulcerative colitis, but infections (including C. difficile), ischemic colitis, diverticular disease, medication effects, hemorrhoids or fissures, and colorectal cancer are also common possibilities. There are several factors to consider, and self-diagnosis is risky. Proper evaluation often includes blood and stool tests and sometimes a colonoscopy; seek urgent care if there is severe pain, fever, black stools, dehydration, dizziness, or a history of heart disease. See below for key signs that point toward UC versus other causes, safe at-home steps while awaiting care, and when to act immediately.

Bowel inflammation in people 60 and older is common and can stem from IBD like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis, infections, reduced blood flow, medications, or microscopic colitis, and symptoms may be milder or atypical. There are several factors to consider to decide next steps. See below for key differences between IBD and IBS, red flags that need urgent care, the tests doctors use to diagnose it and rule out cancer, and treatment options tailored to older adults.

Yes, bowel diseases can cause full-body exhaustion, commonly from ongoing inflammation, anemia due to blood loss or poor iron absorption, nutrient deficiencies like low B12 or folate, disrupted sleep, and gut-brain effects. There are several factors to consider that can change your next steps, including fatigue that lingers even in remission and warning signs that need prompt medical care; see below for key details on causes, red flags, and tests and treatments to discuss with your doctor.

Yes, bowel diseases can cause low iron in women, most often with inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's and ulcerative colitis through chronic bleeding, poor absorption, and inflammation; celiac disease can also reduce iron, IBS does not directly cause it, and women are at higher risk due to menstrual loss and increased needs. There are several factors to consider, including which symptoms should prompt testing, when to see a doctor, and treatment choices like oral or IV iron and controlling the underlying condition, so see below for important details that could shape your next steps.

Yes, bowel inflammation can cause brain fog, especially in IBD, through gut brain immune signaling that can slow thinking and worsen during flares. There are several factors to consider; anemia or low B12 or iron, sleep disruption, medication effects, and microbiome changes can all contribute, and some people with IBS may notice fog for different reasons, so see below for red flags, what labs and treatments to discuss, and when to speak to a doctor since these details can change your next steps.

Yes, Crohn’s can cause blood in stool even when there is little or no pain, often due to mild or early inflammation, slow bleeding, or involvement of the rectum or colon. There are several factors to consider. See below to understand more. Any blood in stool deserves medical attention; track what you see and speak to a doctor promptly, especially if it recurs or is accompanied by fatigue, dizziness, anemia, weight loss, or changes in bowel habits, since pain is not a reliable gauge and tests may be needed.

Yes, Crohn’s disease can cause pain after meals, even after most or every meal, especially during flares or when strictures, ulcers, gas, or spasms are present. There are several factors to consider; see below for how timing after eating points to causes, common triggers, and what evaluations can help. Because persistent post-meal pain can mean active disease or complications, it should be addressed rather than “lived with”; see below for warning signs that need urgent care and the treatments that often relieve this pain.

Yes. Crohn’s can cause significant abdominal pain even when there’s no visible blood, because inflammation can extend deep into the bowel wall and trigger spasms or narrowing that hurt without bleeding. Absence of blood does not rule out active disease; seek prompt medical care for severe or worsening pain, vomiting, fever, weight loss, or signs of blockage, and see below for details on other symptoms, testing, and treatment options that could guide your next steps.

Yes, Crohn’s disease can cause severe tiredness. It is very common and can stem from inflammation, anemia, poor nutrient absorption, dehydration, poor sleep, pain, and some medicines, and it may occur even in remission. There are several factors to consider, and some are urgent, so see below for red flags, what tests and treatments can help, and when to contact a doctor.

Yes, hormonal changes can worsen bowel inflammation and IBS symptoms, especially with fluctuations in estrogen and progesterone, stress related cortisol elevations, and thyroid hormone imbalances. There are several factors to consider; see below for which hormones play a role, who is most affected, patterns that suggest a hormonal link, practical steps to manage flares, and the red flag symptoms that mean you should speak to a doctor.