Extraintestinal Manifestations of Crohns Disease

Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel condition that is normally associated with digestive health, specifically in relationship to the intestinal tract, can also cause symptoms throughout the body. In this sense, Crohn's disease resembles other autoimmune conditions, in which the immune system attacks the body itself. Because Crohn's disease can affect a sufferer throughout the body, it is important to know about these other Crohn's-related symptoms.

Types

• Many children do not present with classic abdominal/intestinal symptoms of Crohn's, showing instead as an early symptom retardation in growth. Crohn's also causes three different types of inflammation of the eye (episcleritis, scleritis, and uveitis), according to Drs. Paul E. Evans and Darrell S. Pardi. Evans and Pardi also report that Crohn's is associated with two types of joint inflammation: short term and limited, and chronic and acute. Similarly, it has been noted that inflammatory bowel disease puts sufferers at increased risk for osteoporosis. Erythema nodosum, a skin condition marked by painful red nodules that appear along with a flare up of the disease, is also associated with Crohn's disease.

Identification

• Aside from children who experience stunted growth as an early symptom, the more familiar symptoms of Crohn's (weight loss, diarrhea) are more likely to indicate a diagnosis with the disease. Crohn's is often difficult to diagnose, and a diagnosis is normally reached through a group of tests for conditions like anemia, increased white blood cell count, an upper GI exam, and colonoscopy or other visual test (according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearing House).

Effects

• As in other inflammatory conditions, Crohn's-related symptoms can cause pain due to swelling in various parts of the sufferer's body. Generally speaking, however, the extraintestinal manifestations of the condition are less widely spread than other symptoms and for the most part respond well to treatment.

Time Frame

• There are two major periods during which people are diagnosed with Crohn's. For many people, symptoms lead to diagnosis first in the teens or twenties; there is another group of people who are diagnosed after the age of 50. The age at which the condition develops is linked to the kinds of symptoms present, with, for instance, young children presenting with slowed growth while aging adults experience weight loss.

Prevention/Solution

• There is no cure for Crohn's disease, and treatment generally involves targeting individual symptoms. Many extraintestinal symptoms of Crohn's improve with treatment for other aspects of the disease. Several inflammation conditions of Crohn's are treated with forms of steroids.