In the human body, the bowel is composed of the large intestine (colon) and the rectum. After you eat a meal, the ingested food is passed along the bowel where nutrients are absorbed and excess waste is excreted through the rectum. Bowel diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome or bowel cancer, can interfere with your body's ability to digest food normally. If you develop any signs or symptoms of bowel disease, speak with your doctor as soon as possible for further evaluation and care.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a collective term used to describe two common bowel diseases: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The major difference between these two diseases is related to where symptoms develop along the bowel: ulcerative colitis only affects the top layer of the colon, while Crohn's disease can affect any layer of the intestinal wall. Though the exact cause of IBD is unknown, health professionals at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report that this condition may be caused by an abnormal immune response that leads to inflammation of the bowel. Mild to severe gastrointestinal symptoms of IBD include chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea or rectal bleeding. Unexplained weight loss, decreased appetite, joint pain, eye inflammation, anemia, kidney stones or skin lesions can also occur in patients with IBD.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects approximately 20 percent of adults in the United States, based upon estimates provided by the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, a service of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Though the cause of IBS is unknown, the NDDIC reports that researchers believe people with this condition may have an abnormally sensitive colon. Symptoms of this condition can include abdominal cramping, bloating or pain; constipation or diarrhea. Though the symptoms of IBS and IBD are similar, IBS differs from IBD in that it does not damage or inflame the intestinal tract.
Bowel Cancer
The abnormal growth of cancerous cells along the lining of the colon or rectum is a condition called bowel cancer. The National Cancer Institute estimated that approximately 150,000 people were diagnosed with some form of bowel cancer in 2009. Symptoms of bowel cancer can include diarrhea; constipation; or abdominal cramping, fullness, pain or bloating. You can also notice that your stools are abnormally narrow or contain excess blood or mucus as a result of cancer of the bowels. Fatigue, muscle weakness, pale skin, unexplained weight loss, nausea or vomiting may also be indicative of bowel cancer.
