Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a chronic (long term/ lifelong) inflammation or irritation of the stomach, small intestine and/or colon (large bowel). Inflammatory bowel disease should not be confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). There are two types or categories of inflammatory bowel disease, Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease. Patients can have either type but not both. Occasionally one type of inflammatory bowel disease is diagnosed and with further testing or time the disease may be re-diagnosed as the other type.
