CROHN’S DISEASE

Crohn’s disease is a gastrointestinal disorder that causes swelling or inflammation in the digestive tract. This is a painful disease & can sometimes be life threatening. Different people tend to have different areas of the GI tract. There is no cure for Crohn’s disease. However, there are many treatment approaches that can bring about relief to the patient.

Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease

Symptoms of Crohn's disease can range from mild to severe. In most cases, symptoms develop suddenly & without warning. In some cases, the symptoms may develop gradually. There are also likely to be periods of remission when the patient has no symptoms at all.

• Diarrhoea
• Fever
• Persistent fatigue
• Blood in stool
• Pain in abdomen
• Abdominal cramps
• Mouth sores
• Reduced appetite
• Weight loss

When the condition is severe, the patient may experience symptoms like:

• Kidney stones
• Inflammation of liver or bile ducts
• Iron deficiency
• Delayed growth or sexual development
• Inflammation of joints, skin or eyes

Causes & Risk Factors

• Age: Crohn’s disease has mostly been seen in younger people around the age of 25.
• Family History : Risk of developing this disease is much higher if the patient has a patient, or sibling with this disease.
• Tobacco : Smoking is one of the controllable risk factors of Crohn’s disease.
• Use of NSAIDs: While Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory drugs do not cause Crohn’s disease, they can lead to inflammation of the bowel that makes Crohn’s disease worse.

Complications

• Bowel Obstruction
• Ulcers
• Fistulas
• Anal Fissure
• Malnutrition
• Colon Cancer
• BloodClots in the arteries & veins

Diagnosis

• Blood tests: To look for anemia & Inflammation
• Stool tests: To detect blood in the GI Tract
• Endoscopy: To get better understanding of the upper GI Tract
• Colonoscopy: To examine the large intestine
• CT Scan & MRI Scan : They can help see specific areas of the tissues & organs
• Biopsy: Biopsy can help get a closer look at the intestinal tract tissue.

Treatment

While a cure for Crohn’s disease is yet to be found, there are many treatment modalities that can help manage this disease better. A few treatment options include:

• Medications
• Anti-inflammatory Drugs
• Immunomodulators
• Antibiotics
• Biologic Therapies
• Surgery
• Diet Modifications