Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel illness. It causes intestinal irritation, ulcers, and bleeding. It usually affects the ileum, the small intestine’s tip. However, Crohn’s illness can impact the mouth to the anus. The etiology of Crohn’s disease is unknown, however, it appears to run in certain families.
Some study ties Crohn’s disease to an overzealous and incorrect immune response to normal intestinal microorganisms, causing intestinal damage.
Signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease
The following are some of the most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease:
- Diarrhea
- Cramps and discomfort in the abdomen
- Rectal bleeding is a common occurrence.
- Anemia
- Loss of weight
- Fatigue and sluggishness
- Nausea
- Fever
- Sores in the mouth
- Sores, abscesses in the anal area
Diagnosing Crohn’s
Your doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, as well as do a physical exam.
These include:
- Blood tests
- Stool test
- Barium x-rays (upper GI series, small bowel follow-through, or barium enemas) to detect gastrointestinal inflammation
- CT or MRI scans to detect gastrointestinal or organ anomalies
- Rectal and lower colon flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Colonoscopy to evaluate the colon and small intestine lining
- Upper endoscopy/enteroscopy of esophagus, stomach, and small intestine
- A 2-4 mm sample of the gastrointestinal lining is biopsied.
Treatment
Medication, surgery, and nutritional supplements can help treat Crohn’s disease. The goal is to reduce inflammation, improve nutrition, and ease discomfort.
There is no known cure for Crohn’s disease, however various therapies can help reduce recurrences.
- In order to treat Crohn’s disease:
- inflamed area
- the condition’s severity
- complications
a person’s reaction to earlier therapy
Some may go months or even years without symptoms. Experts call this remission. However, recurrences are common.
Because remission times vary, it’s difficult to gauge therapy effectiveness. It’s hard to estimate how long remission will last.
Surgery
Extremely serious Medications may be ineffective in treating Crohn’s disease, which can lead to consequences such as:
- A stricture
- An obstruction
- Unusual connections between the gut and other organs or tissues, such as the bladder and vagina
In some instances, surgical intervention may be a possibility. Your surgeon will remove the damaged piece of your intestine and reattach the two healthy ends of your intestine together.
Summary
Crohn’s disease is a chronic, or long-term, an ailment that affects the digestive tract and causes it to become inflamed.
Crohn’s disease can be extremely painful and have a negative impact on a person’s quality of life. There are problems associated with Crohn’s disease that are potentially lethal.
A person suffering from Crohn’s disease can control their symptoms with medicine, stress reduction, and counseling. When it comes to managing Crohn’s disease, surgery may be necessary for some instances.