The NHShas told Brits to look out for a range of key symptoms which could point to two conditions. It has highlighted potential warning signs of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis - with approximately 25,000 people diagnosed with either condition every year in the UK.

Such inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) can cause severe stomach pain and diarrhoea, and are caused when the immune system attacks the bowel, causing it to get inflamed. Brits have been told to consult a GP if they have diarrhoea which lasts for more than seven days, stomach pain or bloating that won’t go away or keeps coming back, blood or mucus in their poo, or experienced weight loss without trying.

A new tweet from the NHS reads: “Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are Inflammatory Bowel Diseases that can cause gut inflammation and painful ulcers.

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“Symptoms can mimic other conditions, so don’t self-diagnose. See your GP if you're worried.”

People are more likely to get IBD if one of their close relatives has it, and treatment depends on the symptoms - with some patients requiring trips to hospital. They can include steroids to ease the symptoms, along with symptoms to remove part of the below if the condition is severe enough.

Earlier this week, one social media influencer, who posts on TikTok as letstalkcrohns, outlined five things he wished he had known before he was diagnosed with Crohn's Disease.

He began by saying: "Flare-ups aren't just urgent bathroom visits or stomach pain. I didn't expect to have joint pain, fatigue, fever, or brain fog. It's a whole body thing and not just your gut."

He continued: "People will assume that you don't look sick, and this is so frustrating. Just because it's invisible doesn't make it any less real."

For the next tip, he aimed to bust myths around diet, saying: "I used to think that just avoiding trigger foods would be enough, but stress, poor sleep, [and] over-exertion all play a massive part in your well-being."

Charity Crohn's and Colitis UK revealed half a million people are being let down by the NHS and diagnosed far too late. For 1 in 7 adults, a diagnosis is only made when their symptoms become severe enough to necessitate an emergency hospital visit.

Many endure years of progressively worsening debilitating side effects before receiving any answers, with 25,000 people diagnosed annually. Crohn's and Colitis Awareness Week runs from Monday, December 1, to Sunday, December 7. Find out more at crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/