Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

IBD is a name given to a group of chronic digestive diseases of the small and large intestines. Most often it is divided into two groups: Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's disease.

Many theories abound about the causes of IBD. It is clear that the condition is linked to an overactive immune response that leads to chronic inflammation (otherwise called an autoimmune disorder). This is whereby the immune system can't differentiate between good substances and foreign invaders. While genes seem to play a role in the development of Crohn's disease, cigarette smoking and intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) appear to significantly increase risk.