Crohn’s disease is a type of irritable bowel disease that affects any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth till the anus. It causes inflammation and affects different areas of the digestive tract in different people. However, it most commonly affects the small intestine and the colon. Crohn’s disease can be quite painful and sometimes leads to life-threatening complications. About 78000 Americans suffer from this disease.
Symptoms
The symptoms of Crohn’s disease usually range from mild to severe. The most common symptoms are Diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain with cramps, blood in the stools, fatigue, weight loss and reduced appetite. Besides painful symptoms, severe Crohn’s disease also causes complications such as obstruction of the intestines, fissures, the formation of scar tissue, fistulas and abscesses. Sometimes, Crohn's disease can cause symptoms outside the gastrointestinal tract and affect the joints, the eyes and the skin.
Causes
Crohn’s disease is caused by interaction of various factors such as genetics, immune system and environmental factors. The most prominent cause, according to researchers, seems to be an overreaction of the immune system that leads to chronic inflammation of the intestines; this continuous inflammation causes damage to the digestive tract, leading to Crohn’s disease.
Treatment
There is no medication or surgical procedure that is able to cure Crohn’s disease. Treatment options are used with the intention of helping with the symptoms, maintaining remission and preventing relapse. Medication is prescribed depending on whether the symptoms are mild, moderate or severe and where in the digestive tract is the disease most active. Anti-inflammatory drugs are usually the first line of treatment in Crohn’s disease. These include antibiotics, aminosalicylates, corticosteroids and immune modifiers. Over the counter medication such as antidiarrheals, pain relievers and nutritional supplements are also also prescribed in addition to the other medicines. In some cases, the disease doesn’t respond to medication and surgery needs to be performed to correct the complications of the disease. However, surgery is not a cure and in many cases the there is a relapse of the disease.
Crohn’s disease usually affects people in the age group of 15 to 35 years and is seen more prominent in people developed countries. Men and women are both equally affected.
Disclaimer: The information in no way constitutes, or should be construed as medical advice. Nor is the above article an endorsement of any research findings discussed in the article an endorsement for any of the source publications.
References:
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