Redness, swelling, and sores along your GI tract are an indication that you might be suffering from Crohn’s disease. This disease falls in the category of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD.
Crohn’s disease is a long-term illness. You may find some relief after a few days of pain and discomfort, but it comes back. In most of the cases, this illness affects the ileum or small intestine. In some cases, it affects both the small and large intestines.
Severe cases of this disease may result in inflammation along your entire digestive tract, including your mouth, your esophagus, stomach, the first part of the small intestine, the ileum, the colon, the rectum, and the anus.
Causes of Crohn’s disease
Experts do not know what causes Crohn’s disease. It may be due to a virus attack that invokes the immune system to show an inflammatory response. Observations suggest that most of the people with Crohn’s disease had issues with their immune systems, but still it is hard to tell if they had this disease due to issues with their immune system. Stress doesn’t seem to be a reason for Crohn’s disease.
Who is at the risk of Crohn’s disease?
This disease can happen at any age, but it most often affects people aging between 15 and 35. It can also happen to children and older adults. Both men and women can have this problem.
You are at the risk of having Crohn’s disease in the following scenarios.
- You have a family history of Crohn’s disease.
- You have an eastern European background.
- You live in a developed country.
- You smoke frequently.
Symptoms of Crohn’s disease
Crohn’s disease symptoms vary from person to person.
- Pain in the abdomen
- Diarrhea
- Weight loss
- Rectal bleeding
- Joint pain
- Fever
- Vomiting
- A cut or tear in the anus
- Rashes
Sometimes, Crohn’s disease may reside in your body without showing any symptoms for quite some time. That’s when it is nearly impossible to know if you have this disease.
Diagnosing Crohn’s disease
The above-mentioned symptoms should be seen as red flags, and you should treat them as possible signs of Crohn’s disease. Following are the tests that can help your doctor know if you have Crohn’s disease.
- Your doctor will recommend blood tests if they are suspicious about Crohn’s disease in your body. If there are fewer red blood cells, you may be suffering from Crohn’s disease.
- Your doctor may take samples of your stool. The test results will be ready in 2-3 days.
- Upper endoscopy involves monitoring of your esophagus, stomach, and upper part of the small intestines. Your doctor may also take a small tissue sample if needed.
- Your doctor may want to take several x-rays images of your intestines. A CT scan is the most appropriate option in this regard.
Treatment of Crohn’s disease
There are multiple treatment options for Crohn’s disease. Your doctor may choose an option based on the severity of your issue. If you are facing a severe form of Crohn’s disease, your doctor may want to remove the diseased tissues. If a significant amount of tissue structure needs to be removed, your doctor will give an ostomy, which means there will be an opening in the abdomen to allow the intestinal diversion to evacuate bodily waste. Less severe cases can be treated with medications.
