Crohn’s Disease & Colitis

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Summary:

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis fall under the umbrella of IBD (not to be confused with IBS which stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Around 40,000 people are living with IBD in Ireland.

Both diseases cause ulceration of the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease can affect anywhere from the mouth to rectum (but most commonly affects the small intestine). Ulcerative colitis is restricted to the large intestine (colon).

Statistics:

Charities:

Charitable Organizations	Location	Est.	Services
Irish Society for Colitis & Crohn’s Disease (ISCC)	Dublin	1984	The ISCC offers a dedicated support telephone line managed by trained and dedicated ISCC volunteers along with information leaflets and advice. It’s also seen the introduction of the ‘Living Well with IBD’ self-management programme throughout communities in Ireland in 2018.

Not-Profit Groups:

Information:

Crohn’s Disease & Colitis

Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) are chronic diseases typified by inflammatory flares and periods of remission. They can be progressive diseases with complicated presentations that can lead to successive radical surgeries. Surgery often involves the removal of some or all of the small/large intestine and/or rectum, and can lead to the use of a stoma appliance. The peak incidence of these diseases is between the ages of 15 to 35, with a second peak incidence between the 50s and 70s. The diseases can be particularly aggressive in children with the ISCC reporting a 90% increase in cases of childhood IBD in Ireland between 2002 and 2012.

What is IBD?

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis fall under the umbrella of IBD (not to be confused with IBS which stands for Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Around 40,000 people are living with IBD in Ireland. Both diseases cause ulceration of the digestive tract. Crohn’s disease can affect anywhere from the mouth to rectum (but most commonly affects the small intestine). Ulcerative colitis is restricted to the large intestine (colon). There is currently no known cause or cure for IBD. The diseases affect the ability of the digestive system to function properly and most common symptoms include persistent diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal pain and cramping, bleeding, severe weight loss, chronic fatigue, and malabsorption of essential nutrients.

https://iscc.ie/facts/what-is-ibd/ [1]