Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Gastrocare of Southwest Ohio LLC

Gastroenterologists located in Hamilton, OH & Middletown, OH

Though inflammatory bowel disease affects only a little more than 1% of the United States population, diagnosis rates are on the rise. At Gastrocare of Southwest Ohio LLC in Monroe and Hamilton, Ohio, Dilip Bearelly, MD, is a leading gastroenterologist specializing in gastrointestinal conditions and offers advanced diagnostic testing and treatment for inflammatory bowel disease. To schedule an appointment for an evaluation, call the office or request one online today.

Inflammatory Bowel Disease Q & A

What is inflammatory bowel disease?

Inflammatory bowel disease refers to conditions that cause chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The most common conditions include:

Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that can cause inflammation in any part of your digestive tract but most often affects the small or large intestines. The inflammation can affect the deep layers of your digestive tissue.

Ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that only affects the large intestines. Unlike Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis generally only causes inflammation to the top layer of digestive tissue.

Though researchers aren’t certain of the exact cause of the chronic inflammation, it’s been theorized that the inflammation may develop because of a malfunction in your immune system that triggers your immune cells to attack the digestive tract.

Inflammatory bowel disease can develop at any age but is often diagnosed before age 30. You may be at greater risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease if it runs in your family.

What are the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease?

Symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease vary depending on the area of your digestive tract affected and the severity of the inflammation. Common symptoms include:

Abdominal pain and cramping
Diarrhea
Blood stools
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Fatigue

Your symptoms may develop gradually over time or come on suddenly and severely.

How is inflammatory bowel disease diagnosed?

Dr. Bearelly conducts comprehensive evaluations to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. Because no single test can diagnose inflammatory bowel disease, Dr. Bearelly may need to rule out other causes of your symptoms before he can provide a definitive diagnosis.

During your evaluation, Dr. Bearelly reviews your symptoms, medical history, and family history. He also conducts a physical exam and may request additional diagnostic tests to assist with his diagnosis, such as a blood test, stool test, and/or colonoscopy.

How is inflammatory bowel disease treated?

Dr. Bearelly develops personalized treatment plans to manage your inflammatory bowel disease based on the severity of your condition and symptoms.

The goal of your treatment plan is to reduce inflammation to ease your symptoms. With the right care, you can experience long-term remission. Your treatment plan may include:

Anti-inflammatory medication
Immune system suppressors
Antibiotics
Nutritional supplements
Nutrition therapy

If conservative measures fail to relieve your symptoms and inflammation, Dr. Bearelly can talk to you about surgery to remove the diseased portion of your bowel.

Because of advancements in diagnostic tests and tools, more and more people get the answers they need to explain their gastrointestinal issues.

For a comprehensive evaluation, call Gastrocare of Southwest Ohio LLC, or request an appointment online today.

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