Langley-1
Valerie Langley
Mrs. Thornton
ENC 1101- P.1
Essay # 3- Compare and Contrast
October 15, 2013
Ulcerative Colitis vs. Crohn's Disease
Thirteen-year old Caitlyn was so sick and in such pain that she could not compete in one of the most important events of her young life, a regional cheerleading competition. She would have gone no matter the pain, but she had lost control of her bowels and started losing weight rapidly. At this young age, she and her family were scared of the diagnosis that was to be long-time coming. Months in the hospital passed before they found she had Ulcerative Colitis. The disease has changed her life and her physicality forever. Most people have never heard of this disease or its "sister" disease, Crohn's disease. Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease are inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) that cause inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. When the GI tract is inflamed, it leads to improperly functioning organs and the job that needs to be done for optimum health is not completed.
Pyoderma gangrenosum, A medical condition which th...
Endoscopic image of ulcerative colitis affecting t...
Endoscopic image of severe Crohn's colitis showing...While Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's have a lot of similarities, they also have many differences; such as, the causes, symptoms, treatments and long-term effects.
Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn's Disease causes are almost identical. According to researchers, the causes are not well understood. The diseases could be hereditary or it could be genetic. Environmental factors could also play a role in the cause of them. Foreign substances can be a direct cause of the inflammation. Once this inflammation begins, the immune system often does not know how to stop it. This is when the symptoms of IBD start to unfold. In addition, both diseases are found to run in the family, so for example, if a relative has the disease, a family member's chances of getting the disease...