Crohn's Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease has several types, and Crohn’s disease is one of them. It’s considered a common condition that largely impacts the intestines in addition to causing other effects.

Crohn’s disease

It’s a common inflammation in the bowels (different from ulcerative colitis). It could affect any part of the digestive system, starting with the mouth to the anus opening, but it often affects the end of the small intestines and the beginning of the large intestines.

Types of Crohn’s disease:

• Ileocolitis: The most common type. It affects the end of the small intestines, which is called the ileum, and the colon.
• Ileitis: It only affects the ileum.
• Gastroduodenal Crohn’s disease.
• Jejunitis: Inflammatory patches in the upper half of the small intestines, called the jejunum.
• Granulocolitis: Affects only the colon.

Causes of Crohn’s disease

The cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, but it’s thought that there are several factors that trigger it and cause the immune system to attack the body, and they include:

• Genetics.
• Age: It only occurs at ages 20-30.
• Smoking.
• Stress.
• White race.
• Appendectomy, but that doesn’t mean not having it when it’s necessary.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease

The symptoms might develop gradually or suddenly. Moreover, a flare of symptoms could occur, which means that patients with Crohn’s disease go through the symptoms for a period of time and then go through a remission period. The symptoms include:

• Chronic and persistent diarrhea.
• Abdominal pain and cramps.
• Loss of appetite and weight loss.
• Blood in the stool.
• Mouth ulcers.
• Fever and fatigue.
• Abscesses from infections around the anal canal.
• Sudden need to defecate.

Also, these indigestive symptoms could occur, including:

• Inflammation and pain in the joints.
• Rash, blisters, or ulcers on the skin.
• Eye inflammations, such as uveitis and episcleritis.
• Inflammation of bile ducts.
• Osteoporosis.
• Kidney stones.

Complications of Crohn’s disease

• Anal fissures.
• Fistulas, which is an abnormal tunnel formation between the intestines and the anal canal, bladder, vagina, skin, or others.
• Abscesses (pus-filled packets) in the digestive system.
• Malnutrition.
• Anemia.
• Growth problems in children.
• Colon cancer.
• Blood clots.

Diagnosis of Crohn’s disease

• Physical examination.
• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests and endoscopy.
• Stool tests.
• Biopsy.

Treatment of Crohn’s disease

The treatment aims to relieve the flare symptoms or prolong the remission period, and it includes:

• Specific medications for Crohn’s disease that relieve the condition and accompanying symptoms.
• Surgery in severe cases, in which a part of the colon, fistulas, and blockages are removed.

Prevention of Crohn’s disease

The flare periods and symptoms can be reduced by:

• Managing stress and sleeping well.
• Avoiding foods that trigger the symptoms, and they differ between people.
• Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen, diclofenac, aspirin, etc.
• Following a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly.