Crohn’s Disease: Meaning, Diagnosis and Overview

What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohns Disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system (also known as the gastrointestinal tract or gut). Inflammation can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the back passage, but most commonly occurs in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).
It is a condition that occurs when your bodys immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue (autoimmune disorder).

Recovery Time

The symptoms usually get resolved within few days or weeks by proper treatment. As it is a chronic condition there is no cure for Crohns disease. The condition is marked by periods of improvement followed by flare-ups of symptoms.

Diagnosis

After a physical exam and medical history the doctor may suggest any of these tests to know the severity of the infection.
  • Barium X-rays of the small intestine or colon.
  • Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy
  • Biopsy
  • Stool analysis

FAQs prepared by doctor

1. What is Crohns disease?
Crohns Disease is a condition that causes inflammation of the digestive system (also known as the gastrointestinal tract or gut).

2. It affects which part of the digestive system?
Inflammation can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the back passage, but most commonly occurs in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).

3. What are the foods to be avoided in crohns?
Caffeine in coffee, tea and other beverages, fresh fruits and uncooked vegetables, high-fiber foods (such as fiber-rich breads, cereals, nuts and leafy greens), high sugar foods, skins, seeds, popcorn, high fat foods, spicy foods, raw foods, prunes, beans, large food portions, in some cases dairy products, ice-cold liquids (even water), and too much of any type of liquid.

4. What to do when one sis suffering from crohns?
One shall eat five or six small meals a day rather than two or three larger ones and drink plenty of liquids. Eliminate foods that worsen the symptoms

5. When shall one call a doctor?
Consult a doctor if one has severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, Fever with or without chills, Nausea and vomiting, Skin sores or lesions and rectal bleeding. Anal pain or drainage and Fistulas (usually around the rectal area, may cause draining of pus, mucus, or stools)requires immediate consultation.

6. What are their complications?
Perforation occurs in 1.2% of patients, usually in the ileum leading to toxic condition. The peritonitis of free perforation, especially colonic, may be fatal. Intraabdominal and pelvic abscesses occur in 10.30% of patients with Crohns disease at some time in the course of their illness. Other complications include intestinal obstruction in 40%, massive hemorrhage, malabsorption, and severe perianal disease.



Crohns syndrome, regional enteritis, IBD, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, intestinal stenosis, flatulence, pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema nodosum, bowel obstruction, Crohn’s Disease doctor question answer, Crohn’s Disease facts,