Understanding Crohn’s Disease
Do you have severe diarrhea with abdominal pain? It is perhaps time to seek medical attention as your condition could be a case of Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. It is known to cause fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition.
The inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease may impact a lot of areas of the digestive tract.
Usually, the inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease spreads to the different layers of the bowel tissue. This disease can be debilitating and painful. Sometimes, it may lead to life-threatening complications.
There is no known cure for Crohn’s disease, however, certain therapies may help relieve signs and symptoms and could also lead to long-term remission. With certain treatments, people with Crohn’s disease can live fairly normal lives.
In most cases, only a small portion of the small intestine called the ileum, is affected. In others, the disease impacts the colon, which is part of the large intestine. However, in most people with Crohn’s disease, it is the small intestine and the colon are affected.
With this disease, the signs and symptoms may range from mild to severe. The disease may come gradually, or it may also come suddenly without warning. It is possible that a patient will not experience any symptoms for a long time or go into remission.
Key symptoms of this disease may include blood in the stool; mouth sores, weight loss, reduced appetite, and pain around the anus due to an inflammation of the tunnel and into the skin.
Inflammation of the joints, skin, eyes, liver, and bile ducts may also be a symptom of Crohn’s disease.
It is best to see your doctor if you have these symptoms especially when you have diarrhea that does not go right away.
No one knows why people have Crohn’s disease. It had been thought diet and stress were the causes of this disease. Doctors now know that diet and stress may aggravate the disease but they don’t cause Crohn’s disease.
It is possible that Crohn’s disease may be caused by a malfunctioning immune system and heredity.
Aside from family background, smoking is a risk factor for Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease may lead to bowel obstruction, ulcers, and fistula.
There are cases when the fistula may be infected and form an abscess that could be life-threatening. If not treated, it may lead to anal fissure, malnutrition, and colon cancer among others.
If the signs and symptoms are present, it is best to see a doctor.