Chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of conditions characterized by prolonged inflammation in the digestive tract, primarily including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Master of Science, Doctor Hoang Nam, from the Department of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Pancreatology at Tam Anh Cau Giay General Clinic, stated that inflammation often begins with atypical symptoms, which are easily mistaken for common digestive disorders, leading many individuals to be complacent or receive incorrect treatment.

Doctor Nam highlighted several signs that frequently cause confusion between these two conditions.

Abdominal pain is one of the most common symptoms of digestive diseases, but it is not specific, making it difficult to pinpoint the cause based solely on the sensation of pain. In reality, patients may experience only a dull, persistent ache in the lower abdomen or around the navel; however, some cases involve severe or cramping pain.

According to Doctor Nam, the key factor in determining the cause is not the pain's intensity but its progression and prolonged nature. Common digestive disorders primarily cause transient pain, which may worsen before and improve after bowel movements. In contrast, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases tend to cause persistent, recurrent abdominal pain that is less clearly related to bowel movements. The condition often includes bowel dysfunction, prolonged diarrhea, bloody stools, or weight loss.

Doctor Nam advises on diet and lifestyle to help limit the recurrence of inflammatory bowel disease. *Illustration: Tam Anh General Hospital*.

Prolonged bloating and abdominal distension due to digestive disorders are common symptoms after eating too quickly, consuming fatty foods, or indigestible items. If these symptoms appear frequently, accompanied by abdominal pain or changes in bowel habits (such as prolonged diarrhea or constipation), patients may be experiencing intestinal mucosal inflammation or malabsorption issues associated with inflammatory bowel diseases.

Persistent diarrhea can result from unhygienic eating habits or food allergies. This type of digestive disorder typically lasts for a short period, improving with dietary adjustments or supportive medication. Diarrhea caused by inflammatory bowel disease, however, abnormally persists for many weeks or recurs multiple times daily, featuring loose stools with mucus or blood – signs suggesting inflammatory damage to the intestinal lining. Inflammatory bowel disease symptoms do not fully respond to conventional treatments.

Alternating constipation and diarrhea are common in functional digestive disorders related to diet or stress, and they do not persist continuously.

According to Doctor Nam, if alternating bowel dysfunction persists for an extended period, accompanied by weight loss and fatigue, patients should seek medical attention promptly, as this could indicate impaired contractile and secretory function – a consequence of prolonged inflammatory bowel disease.

Doctor Nam recommends that patients experiencing persistent abnormal signs should seek examination for diagnosis. If detected in the early stages, chronic inflammatory bowel disease can be effectively managed with medication and lifestyle adjustments. Conversely, late detection allows inflammation to progress, potentially leading to dangerous complications.

Everyone should maintain a reasonable diet and lifestyle. Specifically: eating thoroughly cooked food and boiled water, increasing green vegetables and easily digestible foods, limiting greasy, spicy, or alcoholic items, reducing stress, and engaging in light exercise.

Ly Nguyen