What does an inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis mean? A physician explains

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an umbrella term for a group of chronic conditions that cause inflammation and swelling in the digestive tract. It primarily includes two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. While both involve inflammation, they affect different parts of the gastrointestinal tract and behave differently over time, explains Kellie Mathis, M.D., a colon and rectal surgeon at Mayo Clinic.