themighty.com
71%
257
‘No, It’s Not the Same as IBS’: What I Wish Others Knew About Inflammatory Bowel Disease
For the millionth time … just kidding, kind of. If there is one misconception I hear most often when disclosing my ulcerative colitis (UC) to someone, it’s that they “can relate, since I have IBS.” On the surface, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) are similar in symptom presentation. They both impact the GI tract. However, there’s one big difference: inflammatory bowel disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that can cause harm to the GI tract, and IBS is a syndrome that comprises a handful of symptoms that don’t cause harm to the GI tract. So while the symptoms of each may look similar, IBD is chronic and often calls for a serious, ongoing treatment plan (but IBS can be difficult as well, so if you’re reading this and live with IBS, I totally feel for you!).