INS & OUTS OF INFLAMMATION
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Ins and outs of inflammation
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INS & OUTS OF INFLAMMATION
DR. SIEGEL DTC:
Living with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis may mean living with symptoms at some point. I want to help you understand where your symptoms come from and what they’re trying to tell you. Knowing the role that inflammation plays in your symptoms can help when checking up with your doctor. Together, you and your doctor can work towards controlling the inflammation with a goal of achieving and maintaining remission.
Ins and outs of inflammation is explained in three sections. One: The source of your symptoms. Two: What can trigger your symptoms. And three: What active inflammation can lead to.
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The source of your symptoms
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THE SOURCE OF YOUR SYMPTOMS
DR. SIEGEL:
Both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, also known as IBD. As the name suggests, these conditions stem from inflammation, which is the source of your symptoms. If you have Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, you may go through periods when your disease is quiet and you experience few or no symptoms at all. However, these periods will likely alternate with times when the disease is active and you do experience symptoms. Those symptoms are the result of inflammation becoming active again. That’s why, even if you are taking medication, occasional symptoms need to be discussed with your doctor at all of your doctor check-ups. Your symptoms may be a sign of active disease and potentially damaging inflammation. The symptoms in both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can be unpredictable. They may come on suddenly, without warning. They may change in severity, or change altogether. You may go through long periods of remission with few or no symptoms and then, of course, have periods of flare-ups. It’s because of this unpredictability that it’s important to regularly check in on how you’re feeling and what symptoms you may be experiencing, and consistently check up with your doctor to get his or her expert opinion and insight. It might be useful to keep a symptom log on your phone’s notes or somewhere easily accessible, like a daily journal. This way, you can track your symptoms, no matter how minor, and be able to communicate about them later to your gastroenterologist.
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What can trigger your symptoms
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WHAT CAN TRIGGER YOUR SYMPTOMS
DR. SIEGEL:
In both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, inflammation may be present even when you are not experiencing symptoms. Regardless, it’s important you try to avoid triggers that could bring about or worsen your symptoms. But remember, symptoms may also return and occur even without a specific trigger.
So, what exactly is a trigger?
If you are living with inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, triggers are certain outside factors that could aggravate your symptoms. Triggers are different for different people. That's why it's important to check up with your doctor, work together to understand how triggers can influence your symptoms, and develop a plan to help avoid your triggers.
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Stress
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STRESS
DR. SIEGEL:
Stress may not be a direct trigger for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, but it certainly can make you feel worse. And while you’ll never be able to rid your life of stressful situations, it is possible to change your reaction to them so that your stressors don’t cause further distress to your digestive tract.
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Missed medications and incorrect dosing
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MISSED MEDICATIONS & INCORRECT DOSING
If you are taking medication on a regular basis for Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, it’s important you take your medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor, even if you are not currently experiencing symptoms. Missing doses can lead to a worsening of symptoms.
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Smoking
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SMOKING
DR. SIEGEL:
Cigarette smoking affects Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis differently. For those living with Crohn’s, smoking not only raises the risk of actually developing Crohn’s disease, but it can trigger flares. For those living with ulcerative colitis, smoking withdrawal can actually cause the return of symptoms. However, if you do currently smoke, please ask your doctor for advice on how you can stop.
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Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory and antibiotic drugs
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NONSTEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND ANTIBIOTIC DRUGS
DR. SIEGEL:
Some commonly used medications may lead to flares. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or (NSAIDs) such as aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen are possible triggers for flares. Antibiotics also change the balance of bacteria in your intestine and therefore could cause inflammation.
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Food
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FOOD
DR. SIEGEL:
Eating any particular food does not cause Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis. However, diet can certainly impact your symptoms and food triggers can vary from person to person. It’s best to avoid greasy and fried foods. For some people, foods high in fiber, such as fruits and vegetables and whole grains, can be problematic. Alcohol can also be associated with flareups. If a particular food causes problems, talk to your doctor or dietitian before eliminating it from your diet. If a food does not bother you, then it’s probably OK to eat.
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What active inflammation could lead to
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WHAT ACTIVE INFLAMMATION COULD LEAD TO
DR. SIEGEL:
If you are treating your Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, even occasional symptoms are signs that your disease may not be under control and you may have damaging inflammation. If the inflammation continues over time, it is possible that some of these potential complications could occur.
Checking in with yourself and consistently checking up with your doctor may help in your overall disease management.
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