What Is Crohn's Disease?
An inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which chronic inflammation causes damage to the gastrointestinal tract, typically the small intestine and/or the colon. There is no medical or surgical cure for Crohn's disease at the present time.
Types of Crohn's
- Ileitis (inflammation of the last part of the small intestine, the ileum)
- Colitis (inflammation of the colon)
- Ileocolitis (inflammation of both the ileum and the colon)
- Perianal disease (abscesses and fistulas near the anus)
- Less common forms are Crohn's disease of the upper gastrointestinal tract (stomach and duodenum) and the jejunum (middle part of the small intestine)
- The disease may be associated with inflammation in other organs, such as the eyes, skin, joints, and liver
Symptoms
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Rectal bleeding
- Fever
- Weight loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Abscesses (boils) near the anus
- Mouth sores
- Joint pains
Causes
Crohn's disease is a complex disease with many interacting causes:
- Genetics – inherited genes that increase the risk of Crohn's disease
- Environmental triggers – cigarette smoking, intestinal infections, diet, stress and use of certain medications
- Abnormal immune system – glitches in the body's immune system that make it react too strongly to environmental triggers
Making the Diagnosis
- Blood tests
- Stool tests
- Colonoscopy and upper endoscopy with biopsies
- CT scan
- MRI scan
- Capsule endoscopy