Crohn’s disease vs. ulcerative colitis: Differences and similarities – Medical News Today

Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease are both forms of inflammatory bowel disease. In both conditions, a persons intestinal tract regularly becomes inflamed.

These bouts of inflammation occur as a result of the bodys immune system reacting inappropriately to the bacteria that live in a persons gut.

However, there are some key differences involving where and how Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis affect a persons bowels.

This article looks at the key differences between ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease. It details their symptoms, describes the diagnostic criteria and treatment options, and considers the outlook for people with these conditions.

As one 2020 review explains, the main differences between ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease concern how they affect a persons bowels and which parts of the bowels they affect.

Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation of the colonic mucosa, the innermost part of a persons intestinal tract. By contrast, Crohns disease can affect any portion of the intestinal tract, including, but not limited to, the colonic mucosa.

Crohns disease typically affects a persons colon, or large intestine, as well as their terminal ileum. The terminal ileum is the part of the intestinal tract where the small and large intestines meet.

Doctors can classify ulcerative colitis in different ways, depending on which bowel parts the condition affects:

Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease are so similar that, in at least 10% of people, it may initially be difficult to distinguish between these two conditions.

According to UCLA Health, ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease have the following similarities:

Learn more about the similarities and differences between Crohns and ulcerative colitis here.

Although the symptoms of ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease can be very similar, some important differences do exist.

A 2020 review lists the following as common symptoms of ulcerative colitis:

These symptoms tend to worsen gradually. Many people with ulcerative colitis also find that their symptoms can improve for brief periods, though these will tend to worsen again later.

Other symptoms of ulcerative colitis are less common, arising for 1030% of people who have this condition. These symptoms are extraintestinal, meaning that they do not affect the individuals intestines. They include:

Learn more about the symptoms of ulcerative colitis here.

Another 2020 review lists the following common symptoms of Crohns disease:

Like ulcerative colitis, Crohns disease can also lead to extraintestinal symptoms, including:

Learn more about the symptoms of Crohns disease here.

The following symptoms are more common in Crohns disease than ulcerative colitis:

Persistent inflammation keeps healing in the bowel, causing scar tissue to form. The bowel then narrows, which is called a stricture.

A fistula is a channel or passageway that connects one internal organ to the outside of the body or another organ.

The diagnostic procedures for ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease are somewhat different. However, since the conditions are similar, people presenting with symptoms of either condition may need to undergo testing for both.

According to researchers, several doctors use several methods to determine whether someone has ulcerative colitis:

The following are diagnostic methods for Crohns disease:

Ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease have similar treatment methods.

Doctors treat ulcerative colitis with different medications, which may vary with the severity of the disease. These include:

In later stages, or if medications are not working, doctors may recommend a colectomy. This is a surgical procedure to remove a persons colon, or parts of it.

Learn about treatment for ulcerative colitis here.

With Crohns disease, doctors also have a variety of treatment options to choose from:

Learn about treatment for Crohns disease here.

Both ulcerative colitis and Crohns disease are lifelong conditions. Although treatment can help people manage their symptoms, there is no cure for either condition.

Researchers note that overall mortality for people with ulcerative colitis is identical to that of the general population. Nonetheless, people with ulcerative colitis are at an increased risk of developing colon cancer.

By comparison, researchers also point out that people with Crohns disease have a slightly reduced life expectancy in comparison with the general population.

Many people with Crohns disease develop depression as a result of their symptoms. If a person experiences stress as a result of an ulcerative colitis or Crohns diagnosis, they may benefit from exploring mental health resources.

Learn about mental health resources and how to access them here.

Crohns disease and ulcerative colitis are serious conditions that can have a sizable effect on a persons quality of life.

These conditions affect different parts of the bowels, but they cause some of the same symptoms, and doctors treat them in a similar way.

Anyone with signs of either condition should promptly seek the advice of a doctor, as an early diagnosis can make treatment more effective.

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Crohn's disease vs. ulcerative colitis: Differences and similarities - Medical News Today