Crohn's disease is a type of "inflammatory bowel disease," or "IBD." There are several different types of IBD, with Crohn's disease and
ulcerative colitis being the most common. They all cause chronic inflammation in the digestive tract. The cause of these inflammatory bowel diseases is not known. Researchers estimate that up to 2 million people in the United States have some form of inflammatory bowel disease.
Crohn's disease can affect people of all ages, genders, and ethnicities. While it is often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 30, it can begin at any age. Caucasians are more often affected than African Americans and Asians. Crohn's disease is also more common in people of Jewish descent. Men and women are equally affected by the disease, and it seems to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn's disease have a blood relative with some form of IBD, most often a brother or sister.
The Digestive System and Crohn's Disease
If you have Crohn's disease, your
digestive system still works in the same way to push food along as it is digested. However, the intestines have become irritated and inflamed. This inflammation usually occurs in patches along the digestive tract, with sections of healthy tissue in between.
The inflammation affects more than one layer of the wall of the digestive tract, and it can cause the intestines to empty more frequently -- resulting in
diarrhea. The intestines may also be swollen or have sores, which can cause pain as food is moving through.
The inflammation is also chronic, meaning that it lasts for a long time and keeps returning.
Crohn's disease can develop anywhere along the digestive tract, from the inside of the mouth to the anus. But, most commonly, it is found in the ileum (the last part of the small intestine) and/or in the
colon. Nearly half of all cases involve both the small and large intestine. About 20 percent of cases are in the colon (large intestine) alone. Lesions near the anus occur in about one-quarter to one-third of people with the disease, but are rarely the only site of Crohn's disease.
When just the end of the small intestine is affected, it's called "ileitis" or "regional enteritis." When both the small intestine and the colon are involved, it's called "ileocolitis." And when only the colon is involved, it's called "Crohn's colitis" or "Crohn's disease of the colon."
A lot of research has been done to identify the exact cause or causes of Crohn's disease. However, to date, scientists still are not sure why someone develops it. They do think that several factors are probably involved. Some of these include:
- Genetic problems
- Certain types of infections
- A problem with the immune system
- The environment.
While research scientists do not yet know exactly what causes Crohn's disease, it isn't thought to be caused by stress,
anxiety, or the foods you eat.
Symptoms of Crohn's Disease
Crohn's disease is an illness that often involves periods of remission and relapse, where symptoms get better and then return. There are several factors that seem to influence the symptoms a person will develop. Some of these factors include:
The most common symptoms affecting the
colon are
diarrhea and pain. For Crohn's disease that affects the small intestine, symptoms often include fatigue, weight loss, and abdominal discomfort on the right side. Diarrhea is less common with cases of Crohn's disease that only affect the small intestine.
There are a number of other symptoms that can occur with Crohn's disease. Some of these will occur because of problems in the intestines; others will occur because the disease can also affect other areas of the body. For example,
arthritis,
osteoporosis (
see Crohn's and Osteoporosis),
kidney stones, and gallstones can all occur as a result of Crohn's disease. Depending on the type of Crohn's disease, a person may also be at increased risk for cancer (
see Crohn's Disease and Cancer).
(Click Crohn's Disease Symptoms for more information on symptoms of this condition, including serious symptoms that may occur with the disease.)
Crohn's disease can be hard to diagnose because it can share a lot of signs and symptoms with other digestive conditions, such as
ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome. Therefore, in order to make a diagnosis, the healthcare provider will usually ask a number of questions and perform a physical exam looking for signs of Crohn's disease. He or she may also recommend several tests. Some of these tests include:
(Click Crohn's Disease Diagnosis to learn more about these specific tests, along with conditions that share similar symptoms with Crohn's disease.)
Treatment
The treatment that a healthcare provider recommends for a patient will depend on factors such as:
- The location and severity of the disease
- The complications a person has
- The response to previous Crohn's treatment.
The goals of Crohn's treatment are to control inflammation, correct nutritional deficiencies, relieve symptoms (such as abdominal pain [or stomach pain],
diarrhea, and
rectal bleeding), reduce flare-ups, and delay the need for surgery.
Treatment options for Crohn's disease may include:
Researchers continue to look for treatments that may someday cure this disease.
Progression of Crohn's Disease
Since there is no cure for Crohn's disease, natural or otherwise (
see Natural Cures for Crohn's Disease), Crohn's disease usually requires lifelong treatment. By seeing your healthcare professional for regular exams and treatment, and taking an active role in relieving your symptoms, you may be able to keep Crohn's disease from interfering with your daily life.
How Does Crohn's Disease Differ From Ulcerative Colitis?
While Crohn's disease and
ulcerative colitis are both types of inflammatory bowel disease, they do differ. Some differences include:
- Which parts of the digestive tract are inflamed
- Whether the inflammation is continuous or occurs in patches
- How deep the inflammation goes into the intestinal wall.
Because of these differences, a person with Crohn's disease may also have different symptoms and be at risk for different complications (
see Complications of Crohn's Disease).
