Crohn's Disease: How To Recognize It

Crohn's disease is a chronic disease which causes inflammation of the digestive tract. This inflammation can occur anywhere from mouth to anus, but the most common areas affected are the small and large intestine. About 1 in 1500 people suffer from Crohn's disease and it occurs slightly more often in women than men. It is a condition characterized by times of activity and remissions. The severity of symptoms, and how frequently they occur, varies from person to person, with the first episode often being the worst. Many people have very mild symptoms and so the disease can remain undiagnosed for years.

In Crohn's disease the lining of part of the digestive tract becomes swollen and painful. Ulcers may form which can then bleed, or on healing, can leave scar tissue that narrows the tract and cause a complete blockage. Sufferers will often experience pain, its location depending on the exact site of the inflammation. If the intestine is affected the pain will occur in the lower right abdominal area and is sometimes mistaken for appendicitis.

Diarrhea is a very common symptom of the disease and is often mixed with blood or pus. People will feel an urgency to go to the toilet, and many will also experience tenesmus, a feeling of needing to go to the toilet but having nothing to pass when you get there. General health can deteriorate as sufferers become anaemic due to heavy bleeding, or deficient in some vitamins and minerals since they are unable to absorb food properly. This causes weight loss and severe tiredness.

Crohn's disease is suspected in people who have displayed its most common symptoms for more than three weeks, these include weight loss, diarrhea and pain. Various tests are then performed to confirm the diagnosis. These will include blood and stool samples, examination of the small or large intestine be endoscope , barium X-rays and biopsies taken from the area affected.

Following diagnosis, there are a variety of treatment options. Medication is prescribed, depending on the extent and severity of the disease. For mild symptoms, a group of drugs called 5-aminosalicylates are used to calm the inflammation and reduce its effects. For more severe symptoms, steroids are often given and these can prove to be highly effective. However, because of their side effects, steroids are not commonly given over a long period of time. Drugs such as antibiotics are sometimes needed to fight infection, and dietary supplements,e.g. iron,may be given to people who have become debilitated through the disease.

For a large majority of people with the illness, there may be times when medication alone is not enough. Sometimes a strict diet is required for a short time to rest the digestive system. Often people will require hospitalization and even surgery to remove a very affected part, or a blockage or abscess in some part of the gut.

Despite the above, most people with Crohn's disease are able to live normal lives. Research continues into finding a cure for the condition and finding new and more effective treatments. There is hope that some of theses new treatment drugs will be available in the next decade.