Crohn’s Disease: Essential Facts You Should Know

Understanding Crohn’s Disease

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), a condition where the immune system attacks the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, affects millions of people in the United States. The two most common types of IBD are ulcerative colitis, affecting about a million Americans, and Crohn’s disease, which impacts approximately 700,000 more.

What is Crohn’s Disease?

In both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, the immune system attacks the GI tract, causing inflammation. However, while ulcerative colitis only affects the innermost layer of the GI tract, Crohn’s disease can penetrate all layers.

Crohn’s Disease Triggers

The exact causes of Crohn’s disease are not well understood, but factors such as heredity and abnormal immune functioning are suspected. People with Crohn’s are more likely to have a close relative with Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS), but many do not.

Some factors believed to influence the development of Crohn’s include:

Antibiotics
Autoimmune response
Bacterial infections
Birth control pills
Eating spicy or acidic foods
Food allergies
Genetics
High-fat diet
Hormone fluctuations
Lactose intolerance
Pollution
Regular use of NSAIDs
Sedentary lifestyle
Smoking cigarettes
Stress

Types of Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is further classified by which part of the GI tract is inflamed. The five most frequently recognized types include:

Gastroduodenal: Inflammation occurs in the stomach and the duodenum, the uppermost part of the small intestine.
Granulomatous colitis: Inflammation of the large intestine only.
Ileitis: Inflammation of the small intestine only.
Ileocolitis: Inflammation affects both the small and large intestines.
Jejunoileitis: Patchy inflammation that occurs in the upper half of the small intestine, also known as the jejunum.

Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease can occur at any age, but it is most commonly diagnosed between ages 15 and 35. Patients diagnosed as preteens may have a more intense experience, and additional symptoms may emerge, such as sores on the skin or in the mouth. Individuals diagnosed after the age of 60 are more likely to have granulomatous colitis, affecting only the large intestine.

The inflammation from Crohn’s can trigger a wide range of gastrointestinal symptoms, which often vary depending on the type of Crohn’s disease the patient is experiencing. Loss of appetite and abdominal pain after eating are common symptoms of Crohn’s disease involving the gastroduodenal region, ileum, and jejunum. However, granulomatous colitis and ileocolitis are more likely to trigger diarrhea and rectal bleeding.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease may include any of the following:

Abdominal cramping
Abdominal pain
Anal fissures or fistulas
Anemia
Bloating
Constipation
Diarrhea
Fatigue
Fever
Inability to pass gas
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Oral or anal lesions
Rectal bleeding
Red eyes
Skin tags (often on the buttocks)
Ulcers
Vomiting
Weakness
Weight loss

Complications and Diagnosis

If left unmanaged, Crohn’s disease can lead to dangerous complications, including infected abscesses, malnutrition, and toxic megacolon. It is essential to rule out other disorders that require different treatments, such as diverticulitis, colon cancer, GI infections, and food allergies, which can mimic Crohn’s.

If you or someone you love is experiencing symptoms of Crohn’s disease, contact a medical professional for evaluation. To initially diagnose your condition, your physician is likely to recommend blood and stool tests. Depending on the results, they may follow up with X-rays, contrast tests, endoscopies, or biopsies.

Treatment Options

While there is no current cure for Crohn’s disease, there are several options available to slow the progress of the disease and reduce the number of symptoms experienced. Let’s explore some of these options:

Nutrition and Diet

A high-fat diet is often associated with the development of Crohn’s disease, and spicy or high-fiber foods may also aggravate the condition. Reducing the amount of these foods in your diet may diminish symptoms. Including foods with anti-inflammatory properties, such as leafy greens, berries, and green tea, may lessen the severity of symptoms.

Medications

Acetaminophen is safe to use for mild pain associated with Crohn’s disease. It is important to note that other NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and aspirin, may make symptoms worse.

Other medications include:

Amino-salicylates: Contain 5-amino-salicylic acid, often recommended to treat mild cases of inflammation.
Corticosteroids: Recommended for people with moderate-to-severe symptoms, these repress the immune system but may increase the chances of developing other infections and illnesses.
Immunomodulators: Severely depress the immune system and can take several weeks to take effect. This medication is typically reserved for severe cases of IBS, as it can trigger serious side effects.

Bowel Rest

Resting your bowels may help control a severe Crohn’s flare-up by reducing the GI system’s workload. Your doctor may recommend a liquid diet for a few days to give your bowels time to heal at home. In certain situations, intravenous nutrition or a feeding tube at the hospital may be suggested.

Surgery

Crohn’s disease that doesn’t respond to other treatments may require surgery. Possible surgical procedures include removing polyps, tumors, or fistulas, widening the intestines, repairing intestinal perforations, or resecting the small or large intestine.

The Takeaway

Crohn’s disease is a poorly understood autoimmune reaction that causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. The inflammation causes pain and interferes with the process of digestion. Symptoms of Crohn’s disease can range from a mildly upset stomach to severe malnutrition. The condition isn’t curable, but it is manageable.

Those afflicted with this disorder don’t have to suffer in silence and shouldn’t manage their disease alone. Depending on the severity of the condition, your doctor might recommend medications, dietary changes, or bowel rest. On rare occasions, surgery is required to relieve symptoms.