Crohn’s Disease is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that attacks people in different ways. It’s not the kind of issue many are likely to talk much about due to the debilitating symptoms and how it affects lives.
Because Crohn’s disease involves such a large swath of the gastrointestinal tract, the symptoms one may experience will be heavily determined by where the attack is centered. This is a large part of why certain people may experience varying degrees of symptoms, or none at all.
Some Basic Facts About Crohn’s Disease
This chronic inflammation of the GI tract is not contagious, and its cause is unknown. Some researchers suspect it stems from a certain bacteria.
Sadly, there is no cure for IBD. One can only manage the symptoms as best they can with the care of Digestive Health Services.
The disease can affect the digestive system anywhere from the mouth to the anus. Where the issue is centered determines the resulting symptoms. In addition, the kind of symptoms depends on the location, the extent, and the severity of the inflammation.
Crohn’s usually presents itself between the ages of 15 to 35. The signs normally develop slowly, but can come on suddenly as well. Even in the same person symptoms are likely to vary over time.
Extreme complications include obstruction of the small intestine, intestinal rupture, ulcers in the colon, inflammation of the lower back and spine, hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice, and cancer.
The Common Symptoms Of Crohn’s Disease
There are many common symptoms of IBD, and they can vary from person to person. They include the following:
- Diarrhea and the urgent need to go can vary from mild to severe.
- Rectal bleeding and bloody stools
- Abdominal pain and cramping with bloating
- Fatigue is common due to dehydration from diarrhea
- Nausea and loss of appetite
- Constipation
- Weight loss from lack of appetite and difficulty absorbing nutrients
- Fever occurs during flare ups
- Mouth sores as IBD becomes a systemic inflammation
Dividing Up The Symptoms
Crohn’s Colitis is confined to the colon and usually involves abdominal pain, bloody stools, diarrhea, and ulcers in and around the anus.
Crohn’s Gastroduodenal disease flares in the beginning of the small intestine and stomach. creating abdominal pain, diarrhea, weight loss, nausea and vomiting.
Crohn’s ileocolitis is the most common type of the disease affecting the end of the small intestine and the colon.. Pain occurs in the right or middle abdomen with bloody stools, diarrhea, severe weight loss and cramping.
Crohn’s ileitis affects the end of the small intestine close to the colon with many symptoms similar to ileocolitis. Abdominal pain and diarrhea are the most common symptoms with severe cases to include an inflammatory abscess of the abdomen.
Crohn’s Jejunoileitis affects the upper half of the small intestine. Typical symptoms are mild to severe pain and cramping, especially after eating, and diarrhea.
Call Digestive Health Services if you suspect you may have symptoms related to Crohn’s Disease.
Sources:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/crohns-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20353304
https://www.crohnsandcolitis.com/crohns/disease-symptoms
https://www.everydayhealth.com/crohns-disease/guide/symptoms/
