Criteria for Diagnosis of Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is classified as a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with symptoms such as fever, abdominal pain and fatigue. The disease may affect the stomach, small intestine and the ileum (found in lower intestine). The criteria for a diagnosis of Crohn's disease may include a physical examination with blood tests and radiologic tests.

Symptoms

• Some patients with Crohn's disease have mild symptoms, including abdominal swelling with tenderness or moderate fatigue. Other Crohn's patients may have severe symptoms, such as chronic fevers, eye inflammation and joint pain.

Physical Examination

• A physician may perform a detailed physical examination by touching your abdomen for signs of distress, checking your rectal opening, and watching for paleness. Your physician may order blood work or radiologic tests as a criteria for confirming Crohn's disease.

Blood Tests

• Specialized blood tests may help confirm inflammatory conditions, such as Crohn's disease. One specialized blood test is a blood chemistry profile for measuring specific organ functions, including liver and nutritional deficiencies.

Radiologic Tests

• Radiologic tests may be ordered to provide an internal view the body for confirming diagnosis. For example, Crohn's patients may have a colonoscopy performed to view the lower intestines, which may show signs of inflammation, such as redness and swelling.

Treatments

• Treatments for mild symptoms may include drug therapy, such as prescribed antidiarrheal medications to reduce bowel movements. Crohn's patients with severe symptoms may be prescribed stronger drugs, such as corticosteroids for short periods to reduce inflammation.

Warning

• Crohn's disease requires effective medical treatment to reduce complications, such as chronic anemia and rectal abscesses. A physician may prescribed a treatment plan, including nutrition, medications and lifestyle changes based on the severity of symptoms.