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6. IBS Is Type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
It’s easy to lump together different diseases that occur in one area of the body, especially when it comes to the intestines. However, although conditions like colitis and Crohn’s Disease might share certain symptoms with IBS, they are very different in nature.
Colitis and Crohn’s Disease are inflammatory bowel disorders: the walls of the intestines are chronically inflamed, setting the stage for ulcers, fissures, and a long list of uncomfortable symptoms that vary in severity. They can lead to other serious disorders (in some cases, cancer), while IBS — though extremely uncomfortable — does not feature the inflammation and tissue damage that causes other health problems.
Resources
EverdayHealth (Common IBS Misconceptions)IBS Treatment Center (4 Common Misconceptions about Irritable Bowel Syndrome)AboutHealth (Top 10 Myths About Irritable Bowel Syndrome)IFFGD (IBS in Men: A Different Disease?)Mayo Clinic (Colon Cancer/ Risk Factors)IBS and migraine headaches may have a link as recent research has found that about half of all IBS patients deal with frequent headaches.