Crohn’s disease is a chronic disease which causes inflammation of the digestive tract. This inflammation can occur anywhere from mouth to anus, but the most common areas affected are the small and large intestine. About 1 in 1500 people suffer from Crohn’s disease and it occurs slightly more often in women than men. It is a condition characterized by times of activity and remissions. The severity of symptoms, and how frequently they occur, varies from person to person, with the first episode often being the worst. Many people have very mild symptoms and so the disease can remain undiagnosed for years.
The symptoms are caused by the inflammation of the wall of the affected parts of the digestive tract. When the disease flares up these become red and swollen and often cause pain. The site and severity of the pain can vary, but it is often felt in the lower right side of the abdomen and can be mistaken for appendicitis. Ulceration of the lining of the gut can occur and you will then see blood in your feces.
Diarrhea is a very common symptom of the disease and is often mixed with blood or pus. People will feel an urgency to go to the toilet, and many will also experience tenesmus, a feeling of needing to go to the toilet but having nothing to pass when you get there. General health can deteriorate as sufferers become anaemic due to heavy bleeding, or deficient in some vitamins and minerals since they are unable to absorb food properly. This causes weight loss and severe tiredness.
Diagnosis of Crohn’s disease is normally given after a number of tests and investigations have been carried out. If a patient has been showing signs of the disease such as weight loss, pain and diarrhea for three or more weeks, their doctor will normally take stool and blood samples, arrange for endoscopic examinations and barium x- rays, and may also have biopsies taken, in order to confirm the diagnosis.
Once diagnosed, the treatment prescribed depends on the extent and severity of symptoms. Medication can often calm the inflammation, keep the symptoms down, and reduce the likelihood of relapse. If symptoms are severe, a course of steroids may be given for a few weeks. In about 70% of cases, the symptoms improve within four weeks of starting steroids. However, as steroids can cause side effects, they are not generally used as a long-term treatment. Another group or medicines known as 5-aminosalicylate medicines can be used as an alternative to steroids for mild to moderate symptoms. These drugs can be given as oral tablets or as rectal suppositories. Other medications are prescribed as needed; antibiotics for additional infection, vitamin supplements and iron for nutritional deficiencies, diarrhea treatments if this is a major problem.
If symptoms are particularly bad and cannot be controlled with medication, a strict diet may be prescribed for a few weeks, after which a normal diet can gradually be resumed. However in some cases, surgery may be required to remove the affected part of the digestive tract or to treat complications of the disease such as obstructions or abscesses. About 80% of people with moderate symptoms will require surgery at some time or another.
Despite the above, most people with Crohn’s disease are able to live normal lives. Research continues into finding a cure for the condition and finding new and more effective treatments. There is hope that some of theses new treatment drugs will be available in the next decade.