What is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in which abnormal immune activity causes inflammation in the digestive tract. It most commonly affects the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract. Symptoms often come in flares, with periods of remission in between.
Symptoms/Complications
Common symptoms include diarrhoea, abdominal cramping or pain, and weight loss. Other symptoms can include fatigue, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, anaemia, and sometimes problems affecting the joints, skin, or eyes. Over time, Crohn’s disease can lead to complications such as fistulas, abscesses, bowel narrowing or blockage, anal fissures, malnutrition, and a higher risk of bowel cancer in some patients.
Diagnosis
There is no single test for Crohn’s disease. Doctors usually diagnose it using your medical and family history, a physical examination, and medical tests such as blood tests, stool tests, colonoscopy or endoscopy with biopsy, and sometimes CT, MRI, or ultrasound scans.
Management
Treatment aims to reduce inflammation, control symptoms, prevent flare-ups, and keep the disease in remission. Management may involve a combination of dietary support, medications, and sometimes surgery.
- Dietary & Lifestyle Modifications
People with Crohn’s disease are generally advised to choose healthy foods and drinks and to work with their doctor on an eating plan. Some patients may need changes in what they eat and drink, dietary supplements, or help identifying trigger foods with a food diary. Smoking should be avoided because it can increase the risk of flare-ups. - Symptomatic Medication Therapy
Doctors may use medicines to help with symptoms and complications, such as acetaminophen for mild pain, loperamide for severe diarrhoea in selected cases, and antibiotics for infections or complications such as abscesses and fistulas. - Anti-Inflammatory Medication Therapy
Many patients need medicines that reduce inflammation and help bring on or maintain remission. These can include corticosteroids for short-term use, immunosuppressants, biologics, and other newer targeted medicines in some cases. - Surgery
Surgery does not cure Crohn’s disease, but it can treat complications and improve symptoms. It may be recommended if medicines are not working well or if there are problems such as obstruction, severe fistulas, or badly damaged sections of bowel. Procedures may include removing the affected part of the bowel or creating a stoma in some cases.
Outlook
Crohn’s disease is usually a lifelong condition, but many people do well with the right treatment and follow-up. Symptoms and severity vary from person to person, and many patients have alternating periods of flare and remission.