Inflammatory bowel disease mimics many other similar diseases and disease processes. Before entering into a course of powerful drugs which may cause further distressing symptoms, patients may want to rule out the following similar problems.
Intestinal tuberculosis caused by bacterial disease. Symptoms are almost indistinguishable from IBD, but treatment is very different.Endometriosis of the bowel pieces of the endometrium (womb lining) can attach themselves to the intestine and cause many similar symptoms to Crohn's.
Diverticultis an inflammation of one or more of the diverticula (pouches) in the wall of the large intestine.
Lymphoma cancer in the lymph nodes can result in liver enlargement. Gastrointestinal and bone problems can result.
Some drugs can cause IBD. For instance, NSAIDs cause ileal and colonic inflammation, sulphasalazine can cause symptoms which mimic Crohn's. Gold salts used to treat rheumatoid arthritis have also been associated with Crohn-like symptoms.
Food allergy dairy, yeast and wheat can all cause varying degrees of bowel inflammation.