{"id":36462,"date":"2021-07-05T09:10:04","date_gmt":"2021-07-05T13:10:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=36462"},"modified":"2026-01-28T13:51:24","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T18:51:24","slug":"ulcerative-colitis-vs-crohns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/ulcerative-colitis-vs-crohns\/","title":{"rendered":"Ulcerative colitis vs. Crohn’s: Compare causes, symptoms, treatments, & more"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hypoxia vs. Hypoxemia causes<\/a> | Prevalence<\/a> | Symptoms<\/a> | Diagnosis<\/a> | Treatments<\/a> | Risk factors<\/a> | Prevention<\/a> | When to see a doctor<\/a> | FAQs<\/a> | Resources<\/a><\/p>\n

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn\u2019s disease are two major types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Both conditions are marked by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, which can lead to symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Chronic inflammation typically arises as a result of the immune system\u2019s response to bacteria in the gut or other environmental triggers, such as certain foods.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ulcerative colitis<\/span><\/a> is characterized by inflammation in the colon, or large intestine. <\/span>Crohn\u2019s disease<\/span><\/a> is characterized by inflammation that can develop in any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus, although it primarily affects the small intestine. In ulcerative colitis, inflammation remains in the inner lining of the colon while in Crohn\u2019s disease, inflammation can spread to deeper layers of the bowel wall. In addition, continuous inflammation is found throughout the colon in ulcerative colitis whereas inflamed areas, or skip lesions, may be found in between patches of healthy tissue in Crohn’s disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Continue reading to learn more about key differences and similarities between ulcerative colitis and Crohn\u2019s.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Causes<\/h2>\n

Ulcerative colitis<\/span><\/h3>\n

The exact cause of ulcerative colitis is <\/span>unknown<\/span><\/a>. Inflammation develops when the body\u2019s own immune system incorrectly responds to bacteria, viruses, or fungi found in the colon, which leads to healthy tissue damage. Ulcerative colitis is considered to be an autoimmune, inflammatory disorder that can be triggered by environmental and genetic factors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Crohn’s<\/span><\/h3>\n

The exact cause of Crohn\u2019s disease is also unknown. The immune system attacks intestinal flora, which then leads to inflammation of the colon and damage to intestinal tissue. Like ulcerative colitis, Crohn\u2019s is linked to environmental and genetic factors. However, genetics may play a larger role with Crohn\u2019s than with ulcerative colitis. Those who have a family history of Crohn\u2019s may be more likely to develop the disease than those without an affected relative.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ulcerative colitis vs. Crohn’s<\/span><\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Ulcerative colitis<\/b><\/td>\nCrohn’s disease<\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
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  • The exact cause is unknown but potential causes could be attributed to genetics and environmental factors.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n
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