|  | Conditions Treatments | Diseases

Can Crohn's Disease Be Inherited?

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory disease that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from the mouth to the anus. Genetics may play a factor in whether a patient develops the disease. Symptoms may vary and treatment options are limited to controlling symptoms.

  1. Causes

    • Doctors currently don't know what causes Crohn's disease. It has been postulated that the disease may be caused by a bacterial infection, but there is currently no proof of this. Though diet may factor into controlling symptoms, it is not currently believed that diet causes the disease.

    Function

    • An abnormal immune system is the chief result of Crohn's disease. In a healthy patient, the immune system normally only activates in response to a threat. But patients suffering from Crohn's disease have literally had their body turn against itself. The immune system is constantly activated with no cause. The result is inflammation and ulceration of the GI tract. Though the inflammation is normally limited to the bowel system, any part of the GI tract can be affected.

    Symptoms

    • The most common symptoms are diarrhea (up to 10 to 20 times a day), abdominal cramps and weight loss. Less common symptoms include mouth ulcers, bowel blockages and anal tears. Flareups can occur during times of stress, hormonal changes and due to smoking.

    Genetic Factors

    • Because susceptibility to immune-deficiency disorders have genetic markers, Crohn's disease has been shown to run in families. First-generation relatives, such as siblings, have shown a tendency to develop the disease to a larger degree than distantly related cousins. A patient who already has a sibling with the disease is 30 times more likely to develop it themselves.

    Prognosis

    • Crohn's disease is a chronic disease. A patient suffering from the disease will experience periods of health followed by flareups. These flareups can be controlled by maintaining a healthy lifestyle including smoking cessation, a good diet and avoiding stressful situations, which naturally lower your body's natural immunity.

Diseases - Related Articles