What Inflammatory Bowel Disease is - Dr. Mutlu

My name is Ece A. Mutlu. I am one of the Associate Professors of Medicine here at Rush University. I run the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program and Clinic, and I am an M.D.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an autoimmune disorder of the intestines, which means that the body’s immune system which is designed to protect the body from microbes goes deranged and decides to attack the intestines and creates ulcerations and sometimes even creates holes in the bowel, which leads to symptoms of diarrhea, at times urgency to run to the bathroom, abdominal pain, and at times discomfort in the abdomen, fatigue, and numerous other symptoms associated with it such as weight loss. And sometimes there could be also symptoms outside of the bowel where the immune system goes deranged and decides to act against the joints, causing arthritis, as well as the eyes, causing pinkeye or red eye, which has a specific name called uveitis, it can attack the liver and various other organs as well.