Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition involving inflammation within the digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are examples of specific IBDs.  Ulcerative colitis involves the part, or the entire colon and Crohn’s disease may involve the colon and/or small intestine and possibly the stomach.  Symptoms of IBD can range from gastrointestinal complaints like diarrhea, urgency, blood in the stool, and abdominal pain to more systemic complaints like weight loss, fatigue, and reduced appetite. The cause of IBD is thought related in part to heredity, as well as a possible autoimmune reaction to an infection that leads to chronic inflammation.