29. Inflammatory Bowel Disease
One disease that can cause abdominal pain is IBD or Inflammatory Bowel Disease. It has no known causes but is believed to be due to the body’s abnormal immune response to the normal bacteria found in our guts.
IBD can come in two forms: Ulcerative Colitis, which is specific to the large intestine, and Crohn’s Disease, which can affect any part of the entire gastrointestinal tract. Patients with IBD are more likely to develop cancer and are more likely to pass on the gene that makes them susceptible, down to their offspring.
Symptoms of IBD include cramping abdominal pain in the right lower quadrant (UC) or around the navel (CD), irregular bowel movements, weight loss, joint pain, sweats, fatigue, and passage of mucus with blood.
