What are Crohn's & Colitis?

Crohn's & Colitis, collectively known as IBD (or Inflammatory Bowel Disease) affect 1.4 million Americans. They are autoimmune conditions that cause inflammation in the digestive tract.

As autoimmune conditions, they are caused by one's own immune system attacking itself. People with Crohn's or Colitis can have a range of symptoms from mild to severe (and these symptoms can flare and wane over days and weeks). The most common symptoms are digestive problems, abdominal pain, intestinal bleeding, and the awkwardness from when your gut doesn't abide by anyone's rules but its own.

Like all autoimmune conditions, there is no cure. Your doctor typically doesn't have a great solution to the condition. Most patients go through a series of experiments trying to find a treatment that may work.

Wikipedia can fill you in on the rest.