About Chron's Disease

Crohn's disease is an autoimmune digestive disorder that affects the gastrointestinal tract, causing swelling, pain and discomfort and loose stool. While there is no known cause for Crohn's disease at this time and it is noncontagious, scientists have discovered that there is often a genetic history of the disease within a patient's family. Crohn's disease tends to be more prevalent in people of Jewish descent and less likely to occur in black people. Cigarette smokers may also increase their chances of developing Crohn's disease.
At this time there is no cure for Crohn's disease, and treatment generally consists of dietary restrictions, symptom monitoring and measures designed to prevent irritation of the condition.

Symptoms

• The symptoms of Crohn's disease closely resemble the symptoms of ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, and can often be misdiagnosed. Symptoms may include painful stomach cramping, diarrhea and/or bloody stool, unexplained weight loss, gas and bloating. From time to time, patients develop mouth sores, blocked bowels, tears in the anal lining and openings between the organs. Young children diagnosed with Crohn's disease often experience delayed growth.

Diagnosis

• If a patient displays signs of Crohn's disease, a series of medical tests must be performed to diagnose the disease. Testing may include bloodwork, stool analysis, gastrointestinal X-rays and a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. The physician will look for signs of anemia in the bloodwork, which may suggest intestinal bleeding. Stool samples will be examined for blood or infection. Gastrointestinal X-rays will reveal swelling in the intestines, and a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy is used to examine the colon.

Complications

• A number of health risks and complications are associated with Crohn's disease, including bowel obstruction, perforation and hemorrhaging. Individuals may also suffer from malnutrition and my require the assistance of a dietitian to plan healthy meals. An increased risk of intestinal and colon cancer exists due to constant irritation and swelling. Some patients may require surgery to remove abscessed and infected bowel passages.
  Women who suffer from Crohn's disease may experience complications during pregnancy because of gastrointestinal discomfort and the combination of medications required by patients could be harmful to the fetus. It may also be more difficult for a woman with active Crohn's disease to conceive.

Treatment

• There are three types of treatment generally associated with Crohn's patients: nutritional therapy, medication and surgery. Some patients may need to employ the help of a professional dietitian to create a manageable diet to acquire not only the necessary nutrients, but to also regulate digestion. Drug therapies may include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, steroids, corticosteroids, immune system suppressors and anti-diarrheal medications. There are also a number of experimental drugs on the market. At this time, it is difficult to gauge the effectiveness of medication therapies due to the long periods of remission that some Crohn's patients experience.
  In the event that nutritional experimentation and drug therapy do not control the symptoms of Crohn's disease, surgery may be the only recourse. Surgery is not a cure for Crohn's disease, and it is likely that many who suffer from Crohn's will need between two and three surgeries during the course of their lifetime.

Cure

• There is no known cure for Crohn's disease. However, people who suffer from Crohn's often go through long periods of remission, which allow them to lead a relatively normal life. Foundations like the American Crohn's and Colitis Foundation and the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease conduct regular research in the hope of finding a cure.