Crohn’s disease comes with everyday struggles. Making plans, traveling, enjoying social activities, going to work each day—every typical day-to-day activity involves this disease. You feel fine one minute and are heading to the emergency room the next.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease of the gastrointestinal tract (GI), which means that your body’s immune system is attacking and damaging your bowel and gastrointestinal system. Together with ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s is one of the two main inflammatory bowel diseases. While ulcerative colitis is limited to just the colon, Crohn’s can affect your whole GI tract, from the mouth to the anus.
Common Symptoms of Crohn's Disease
Symptoms of Crohn’s disease come and go and can vary minute to minute. Each person experiences Crohn’s symptoms a little differently. Some people go for years without having any symptoms, while other people have flare-ups frequently. Your Chron’s disease might present with:
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Blood in your stool
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Frequent, recurring diarrhea with watery bowel movements
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
Other parts of your body, like your joints, skin, mouth or eyes, might be affected, too.
Who's at Risk for Crohn's Disease
No one knows exactly what causes Crohn’s disease, but some risk factors include:
- Age: While Crohn's disease often begins between the ages of 15 and 35, it can affect people of any age.
- Ethnicity: Caucasians and people of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish descent have the highest risk.
- Genetics: Crohn's tends to run in families. If you have a close relative, such as a parent, sibling or child, with the disease, then that puts you at greater risk.
- Living Conditions: Crohn’s disease, like ulcerative colitis, is more common in developed countries, urban areas, and northern climates.
Diagnosing Crohn's Disease
A combination of tests may be used to confirm a diagnosis of Crohn's disease. Your doctor will likely begin with a full physical exam and discuss your symptoms with you. Additional tests, like the following, may also need to be done:
- Blood tests: Test results point to potential problems like anemia and inflammation.
- Stool test: A stool test can help your doctor detect blood in your GI tract.
- Endocscopy or colonoscopy: Your doctor may request scopes to get a look at the inside of your upper gastrointestinal tract or your large intestine.
- Imaging: CT scans and MRI scans allow your doctor to see specific areas of your tissues and organs.
- Biopsy: Your doctor may take a tissue sample, or biopsy, during your endoscopy or colonoscopy for a closer look at your intestinal tract tissue.
Treating Crohn's Disease
Even though there is currently no cure for Crohn's disease, various treatment options can be combined to reduce the inflammation that triggers your signs and symptoms. The goal of treatment is to induce remission and then maximize your chances of staying in remission.
Treatment options may include:
- Medication
- Minimizing stress
- Nutrition therapy
- Probiotics or prebiotics
- Surgical procedures to repair or remove affected portions of your GI tract
- Supplements
You can also work to minimize your Crohn’s related flare-ups by exercising more, meditating or doing yoga, seeking out counseling and joining a support group. All of these will help you minimize your stress, which will in turn, minimize your symptoms.
Diet modifications like eating less salt, fiber, fat and lactose while consuming more calories may also help alleviate symptoms during a flare-up. Reduce the amount of greasy, fried foods you eat. Eat smaller meals. Avoid carbonated and caffeinated beverages. Eat bland, soft foods. Most importantly, be sure you’re drinking plenty of water.
Maintaining proper nutrition is vital to your successful management of Crohn’s disease. You may even consider asking your doctor about taking a vitamin supplement to make sure you aren’t suffering from any deficiencies.