Crohn’s Disease is a long-term, constantly recurring disease of the intestinal tract (esophagus, stomach, small bowel, colon and rectum). It primarily occurs in the last segment of the small bowel (ileum) and the main part of the large intestine (colon).
The disease starts out as microscopic areas of inflammation. The bowel lining then develops open sores and becomes thick. Eventually, the bowel may narrow. What causes the changes in the bowel is still unknown.
Crohn’s Disease can be seen in men and women of all ages however, it most often begins in younger people and Jewish people.
Symptoms depend on where the disease appears within the intestinal tract. When it appears in the last segment of the small bowel (ileum), pain can come and go in the lower-right abdomen. Sometimes, the pain is similar to what someone might experience if they have appendicitis. If Crohn’s Disease occurs in the colon, an individual can experience diarrhea, fever, fatigue and weight loss.
A stool sample and blood tests are used to diagnose Crohn’s Disease, along with X-rays of the colon and small intestine as well as a visual examination of the lining of the lower bowel and rectum. A colonoscopy is usually the best way to diagnose Crohn’s when it’s in the colon.
Crohn’s is normally treated with a high dose of steroids or cortisone given either in a pill or an enema. Afterward, the dose is lowered and may even be stopped. Once the disease is under control, anti-inflammatory drugs are given orally or in the rectum to keep the disease in remission.
Patients who have Crohn’s have immune systems that are overly active. Therefore, patients are often prescribed medications that suppress the immune system. Antibiotics are also used to treat Crohn’s because patients with the disease are often prone to bacterial infection.
