Digestive Health Inflammatory Bowel Disease Signs and Symptoms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Symptoms of ulcerative colitis and symptoms of Crohn's disease are different By Amber J. Tresca facebook twitter linkedin Amber J. Tresca is a freelance writer and speaker who covers digestive conditions, including IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 16. Learn about our editorial process Amber J. Tresca Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS on August 24, 2020 facebook twitter linkedin Jay Yepuri, MD, MS, is a board-certified gastroenterologist and a practicing partner at Digestive Health Associates of Texas (DHAT). Learn about our Medical Review Board Jay N. Yepuri, MD, MS on August 24, 2020 Print The two main forms of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)—Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis—have several signs and symptoms in common, but they are very different conditions. One of the main differences between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is the location of the disease. Crohn's disease can affect the digestive tract anywhere between the mouth and the anus, while ulcerative colitis only affects the large intestine (or colon). A second important difference is that in Crohn's disease, inflammation involves all layers of the intestinal wall, and ulcerative colitis affects only the inner lining. Another key difference between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis is the presence of comorbid (or associated) conditions. Strictures, fistulas, and fissures tend to be more common in Crohn's disease, while toxic megacolon is more common in ulcerative colitis. Distinguishing between the two forms of IBD can be difficult at times, but knowing the difference between the two is extremely important for treatment. Here you will find a list of symptoms of ulcerative colitis and symptoms of Crohn's disease. leezsnow / Getty Images Signs and Symptoms of Crohn's Disease The signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease can include: Intestinal Symptoms Abdominal pain and cramping Bloating/distension Blood in the stool Granulomas Loss of appetite Mucus in the stool Persistent diarrhea Ulceration in the digestive tract Non-Intestinal Symptoms Delayed growth and sexual maturation in children Eye irritations Fever Fissures Weight loss Worsening of symptoms during menses Associated Conditions Anemia Anxiety Arthritis Depression Fissures Fistulas Liver complications Osteoporosis Skin irritations Strictures Signs and Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis The signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis can include: Intestinal Symptoms Abdominal pain and cramping Bloating/distension Blood in the stool Loss of appetite Mucus in the stool Persistent diarrhea Ulceration in the digestive tract Urgency to move the bowels (tenesmus) Non-Intestinal Symptoms Delayed growth and sexual maturation in children Eye irritations Fever Joint pains Weight loss Worsening of symptoms during menses Associated Conditions Anemia Anxiety Arthritis Colon cancer Depression Liver complications Osteoporosis Skin irritations A Word From Verywell While IBD has many potential signs and symptoms, not every person with IBD experiences all of them. The magnitude of the symptoms can be highly variable; one person may experience extreme diarrhea but another may cite pain as being their most problematic symptom. Because IBD is also associated with many extra-intestinal manifestations, it's important to take new symptoms seriously and get them evaluated. Something that seems small at the time could develop into a bigger problem if it's not managed properly. For that reason, keeping a solid relationship with a gastroenterologist and other healthcare professionals is Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! We're providing tips on how to take better care of your gut. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Mattar MC, Lough D, Pishvaian MJ, Charabaty A. Current management of inflammatory bowel disease and colorectal cancer. Gastrointest Cancer Res. 2011;4(2):53-61. Ha F, Khalil H. Crohn's disease: a clinical update. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2015;8(6):352-9. doi:10.1177/1756283X15592585 Byrne G, Rosenfeld G, Leung Y, et al. Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Can J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2017;2017:6496727. doi:10.1155/2017/6496727 Lima CA, Lyra AC, Mendes CMC, et al. Bone mineral density and inflammatory bowel disease severity. Braz J Med Biol Res. 2017;50(12):e6374. doi:10.1590/1414-431X20176374 Kuriyama M, Kato J, Takemoto K, Hiraoka S, Okada H, Yamamoto K. Prediction of flare-ups of ulcerative colitis using quantitative immunochemical fecal occult blood test. World J Gastroenterol. 2010;16(9):1110-4. doi:10.3748/wjg.v16.i9.1110 Elsherif Y, Alexakis C, Mendall M. Determinants of Weight Loss prior to Diagnosis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Retrospective Observational Study. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2014;2014:762191. doi:10.1155/2014/762191 Rogler G. Chronic ulcerative colitis and colorectal cancer. Cancer Lett. 2014;345(2):235-41. doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2013.07.032 Huang BL, Chandra S, Shih DQ. Skin manifestations of inflammatory bowel disease. Front Physiol. 2012;3:13. doi:10.3389/fphys.2012.00013 Additional Reading Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. "What Is Crohn's Disease?" http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/ 2014. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America. "What is Ulcerative Colitis?" http://www.crohnscolitisfoundation.org/ 2014. Sachar DB, Walfish AE. "Crohn's Disease (Regional Enteritis; Granulomatous Ileitis or Ileocolitis)." The Merck Manual May 2013. Sachar DB, Walfish AE. "Ulcerative Colitis." The Merck Manual May 2013.