What is inflammatory bowel disease?

IBD defined: Earlier healthtap answers may help. Briefly ibd is a spectum of inflammatory diseases of GI tract. At one end of the spectrum is ulcerative colitis---a disease confined to the mucosal surface of colon. At the opposite end of the spectrum is crohn's disease--a transmural (full thickness) inflammation of any part of GI tract (from mouth to anus). Both are systemic & increase colon cancer risk.

Various: Inflammatory bowel disease is most commonly considered to be either crohn's disease which can inflame any part of the intestine from mouth to anus, or ulcerative colitis which can inflame the colon. Both can cause abdominal cramping pains, diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, rectal bleeding, etc.