Crohn's Disease
What is Crohn's Disease ?
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes swelling and irritation of the tissues, called inflammation, in the digestive tract. This can lead to belly pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss, and malnutrition.
Inflammation caused by Crohn’s disease can affect different areas of the digestive tract in different people. Crohn’s most commonly affects the end of the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. The inflammation often spreads into the deeper layers of the bowel.
Crohn’s disease can be both painful and debilitating. Sometimes, it may lead to serious or life-threatening complications. There’s no known cure for Crohn’s disease, but therapies can greatly reduce its symptoms and even bring about long-term remission and healing of inflammation. With treatment, many people with Crohn’s disease can function well.
Symptoms
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Belly pain and cramping
- Blood in the stool
- Rashes
- Mouth sores
- Reduced appetite and weight loss
- Pain or drainage near or around the anus
- Loss of appetite
- Arthritis or joint pain
- Eye inflammation
Cause
The exact cause of Crohn’s disease remains unknown. Previously, diet and stress were suspected, but now healthcare professionals know that these factors may aggravate, but don’t cause, Crohn’s disease. Several factors likely play a role in its development. Genes. More than 200 genes have been associated with Crohn’s disease. However, researchers aren’t exactly sure what role they play in the condition. Having one or more of these genes may make someone more likely to get Crohn’s disease. Immune system. Bacteria, viruses, or other environmental factors may trigger Crohn’s disease. For example, certain bacteria in the gut microbiome are suspected to be associated with Crohn’s disease, but it is unknown if these bacteria cause Crohn’s disease. When the immune system tries to fight off an invading microorganism or environmental triggers, an atypical immune response causes the immune system to attack the cells in the digestive tract, too.
Risk Factors
Risk factors for Crohn’s disease may include Family history. People with a first-degree relative, such as a parent, sibling or child, are at higher risk to have the disease. As many as 1 in 5 people with Crohn’s disease has a family member with the disease. Age. Crohn’s disease can happen at any age, but it’s more common to develop the condition when you’re young. Most people who develop Crohn’s disease are diagnosed before they’re around 30 years old. Ethnicity. Although Crohn’s disease can affect any ethnic group, white people have the highest risk, especially people of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish descent. However, the incidence of Crohn’s disease is increasing among Black people who live in North America and the United Kingdom. Crohn’s disease also is being increasingly seen in the Middle Eastern population and among migrants to the United States. Cigarette smoking. Cigarette smoking is the most important controllable risk factor for developing Crohn’s disease. Smoking also leads to more-serious disease and a greater risk of having surgery. If you smoke, it’s important to stop. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines. These include ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), naproxen sodium (Aleve), diclofenac sodium and others. While they do not cause Crohn’s disease, they can lead to inflammation of the bowel that makes Crohn’s disease worse.
When to see a Doctor
See a healthcare professional if you have ongoing changes in your bowel habits or if you have any symptoms of Crohn’s disease, such as Belly pain. Blood in the stool. Nausea and vomiting. Diarrhea lasting more than two weeks. Losing weight without trying. Fever in addition to any of the above symptoms.