Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a collective name for a number of conditions such as Ulcerative Colitis (UC) and Crohn’s Disease (CD). It produces uncontrolled, chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. IBD is characterised as a chronic illness that is punctuated by disease exacerbation and remission; patients require an individual, multidisciplinary/multimodal approach to care. There is currently no permanent cure for either CD or UC, therefore treatment strategies focus on good symptom control, modification of the disease process and improving quality of life.

This article gives an overview of the condition and presents a personal patient experience.

Kathryn Foskett Senior Colorectal Clinical Nurse Specialist, The Hillingdon Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Middlesex
Kathryn.odey@thh.nhs.uk

Article accepted for publication: March 2013