What is Crohn's Disease?
Crohn's disease is an autoimmune illness that results in chronic inflammation of the digestive system. It is one of a similar group of conditions called inflammatory bowel disease. The most common symptoms of Crohn's are abdominal pain and diarrhea. Crohn's can be difficult to distinguish from another type of inflammatory bowel disease called ulcerative colitis. The symptoms are almost identical, but the way they affect the digestive tract is different. While technically Crohn's can be present anywhere in the digestive tract, it is most commonly found in the small intestine. In contrast, ulcerative colitis is only found in the colon. Crohn's disease affects the entire wall of the intestine, while ulcerative colitis affects only the lining. Finally, the inflammation caused by Crohn's is patchy, but the inflammation due to ulcerative colitis is continuous. Symptoms of Crohn's include:- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Diarrhea, sometimes alternating with constipation
- Rectal bleeding
- A sense of urgency about going to the bathroom
- Feeling like you keep needing use the bathroom, even after you have already done so
- General symptoms of illness, such as fever, weight loss, and fatigue
- Medications, including immunosuppressants, biologics, antibiotics, and aminosalicylates
- Special diets, both bland to avoid triggering flares and high in nutrition to prevent deficiencies
- Surgery to remove sections of severely diseased intestine, which can reduce symptoms for a period of time
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