Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in the small intestine. Crohn’s disease usually occurs in the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. The inflammation extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The inflammation can cause pain and canmake the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea.

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Crohn’s disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and to another type of IBD called ulcerative colitis.

People with Crohn’s disease may feel well and be free of symptoms for substantial spans of time when their disease is not active.

Cause
The most popular theory about the cause is that the body’s immune system reacts to a virus or a bacterium by causing ongoing inflammation in the intestine.

People with Crohn’s disease tend to have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities area cause or result of the disease. Crohn’s disease is not caused by emotional distress.

Symptoms
The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain, often in the lower right area, and diarrhea. Rectal bleeding, weight loss,and fever may also occur. Bleeding may be serious and persistent, leading to anemia. Children with Crohn’s disease may suffer delayed development and stunted growth.

Diagnosis
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines. Crohn’s disease can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome and to another type of IBD called ulcerative colitis.

A thorough physical exam and a series of tests may be required to diagnose Crohn’s disease. Tests may include:

• Blood tests
• An upper gastrointestinal (GI) series to look at the small intestine
• A colonoscopy

If these tests show Crohn’s disease, more x-rays of both the upperand lower digestive tract may be necessary to see how much is affected by the disease.

Treatment
Treatment for Crohn’s disease depends on the location and severity of disease, complications, and response to previous treatment. The goals of treatment are to control inflammation, correct nutritional deficiencies, and relieve symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Treatment may include drugs, nutrition supplements,surgery, or a combination of these options. At this time, treatment can help control the disease, but there is no cure.

Some people have long periods of remission, sometimes years, when they are free of symptoms. However, the disease usually recurs at various times over a person’s lifetime.

Treatment options for patients with Crohn’s disease may include one or a combination of the following:

• Drug Therapy
• Nutrition Supplementation
• Surgery

Last Updated: December 03, 2007