Yes, yes, I know, IBS and IBD are actually acronyms, not names. But if we change the name, it will change the acronym.
(NOTICE: This month's blog is a little more technical, but don't let that deter you. There is a point to the babble.)
For those who do not know, IBS is for Irritable Bowel Syndrome. IBD is for Inflamed Bowel Disease. Note the differences.
The first is a syndrome and the second is a disease. The first one is when a person's intestines are irritated. The second is when a person's intestines are inflamed. If a person's intestines are irritated, they are not inflamed. If a person's intestines are inflamed, the result is tissue damage, bleeding sores (ulcers), and weakening of the colon wall, possibly causing even more serious issues. In other words, if a person's intestines are inflamed, they are far beyond being irritated.
What, then, is the difference between a syndrome and a disease?
These are the definitions from UPMC Health Beat:
A syndrome is a collection of symptoms or signs frequently occurring together, which characterize a specific condition. Unlike diseases and disorders, a syndrome may not have a clear cause or pathophysiology, but it is recognized because of specific symptoms that tend to cluster together.
A disease is a condition that impairs the normal functioning of the body or mind. Various factors, including infections, genetic abnormalities, environmental issues, or lifestyle choices, cause it. Diseases have obvious symptoms and a recognizable cause, which makes them identifiable and treatable. A set of signs and symptoms typically characterizes them, and diseases affect a specific organ or system in the body.
Far too often, IBS and IBD get mixed up. Anyone who has talked about their ulcerative colitis or Crohn's to others has had someone come back and say, "Oh, I have that, too!" thinking their occasional diarrhea is the same as the extreme diarrhea, blood, and unrelenting pain of UC and Crohn's. And if you explain the differences, they feel like you are downplaying their experience and may even get offended.
Which is frustrating because they will then often downplay your experience as not being as bad as you say because, "a little diarrhea, now and then, isn't that bad."
As if it was only that! I think we would all gladly take only that!
There are articles, more articles, still more articles, and yet more articles on the differences between IBS and IBD. Last year I even posted this wonderful chart I found on the differences. But why are there so many articles?
Because people can't keep them straight.
How to fix this? Change the name.
We can keep Irritable Bowel Syndrome, IBS. But how about changing the name of Inflamed Bowel Disease, IBD, to something that doesn't start with the same two letters . . .
How about Bowel Inflamed Disease? The acronym would be BID. It is now no longer similar to IBS. Then it would be more clear that IBS and BID are not the same thing.
Would it help? I don't know, but I'd sure like to try it.
What do you think? Should we start a petition or something?
“How to tell the difference between IBS vs. IBD and why it matters” page.
© Colitis Senioritis 2025
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