Crohns Disease

Crohn's disease symptoms and treatment

Crohn’s disease is in a group of diseases known as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). Other diseases in this category include colitis and Behcet’s syndrome. Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a related but far less serious condition.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease is a chronic disorder of the digestive (gastrointestinal tract), characterized mainly by inflammation of the small intestine. It can occur in both men and women and may afflict people of all ages, though it is most commonly diagnosed in those 20 to 30 years old.

Crohn’s Disease Symptoms

The symptoms of Crohn’s disease include abdominal pain, diarrhea, blood in the stool, ulcers, reduced appetite and weight loss. These symptoms can range from mild to severe depending on what stage of the disease you are in (i.e., how active it is), and they may come on gradually or all at once.

Crohn’s is marked by periods of remission and recurrence. Sufferers may go for long periods of time in between seeing any signs of the disease, which causes some people to believe that they are not actually sick. This is part of what makes diagnosing Crohn’s so tricky. Because flare-ups can be infrequent, many people do not go see the doctor.

Even if medical attention is sought, however, diagnosis can still be difficult because the symptoms of Crohn’s are similar to those of colitis and IBS.

Crohn’s Disease Treatment

Crohn’s disease does not have a cure, so the best thing that sufferers can do is properly manage the symptoms they have.

There are many different types of treatments that doctors prescribe in order to manage Crohn’s disease. The most common include anti-inflammatory drugs, immune system suppressors and antibiotics, as well as other medications. Many doctors will also instruct those stricken with Crohn’s disease to stick to a Crohn’s disease diet. Foods are not known to cause Crohn’s disease, but spicy foods or sauces, heavy grains, dairy products and alcohol may worsen symptoms during a flare-up.

In some extreme cases, doctors will operate in order to treat the symptoms. This is usually only a last resort, when medications and dietary restrictions fail to control or alleviate symptoms, and it is not a cure.