Crohn’s Disease
- Posted on: Feb 14 2018
Crohn’s disease causes inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. It can be confused with ulcerative colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, but Crohn’s disease is unique to itself. At Ogden Clinic GI at McKay, we can diagnose and treat your Crohn’s disease.
What is Crohn’s Disease?
The inflammation with Crohn’s disease is usually found in the small intestine (the ileum) but can occur in any area of the gastrointestinal tract (GI), which stretches from the mouth to the anus. Like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease causes swelling of the intestines.
What are the symptoms of Crohns’ disease?
Symptoms of Crohn’s disease vary depending on where in the GI the disease occurs, along with the severity. People with Crohn’s can have periods of severe symptoms followed by periods of remission that can last for weeks or even years.
These are typical symptoms:
- Chronic diarrhea, often bloody and containing mucus or pus
- Weight loss
- Fever
- Abdominal pain and tenderness
- Feeling of a mass or fullness in the abdomen
- Rectal bleeding
In severe cases, the patient can have severe inflammation and obstruction of various parts of the GI due to swelling and scar formation. This can lead to serious problems such as bowel perforation, abdominal distension, severe pain, and fever. Crohn’s disease can cause other parts of the body to become inflamed including the joints, eyes, mouth, and skin. It may also lead to the development of gallstones and kidney stones.
What causes Crohn’s disease?
It was long thought that Crohn’s disease was an autoimmune disease, but that has changed. Although not understood, it is thought that Crohn’s doesn’t involve the immune system attacking the body itself, but rather a case of the immune system attacking the harmless virus, bacteria, or food in the gut. These attacks cause inflammation and resulting symptoms.
How is Crohn’s treated?
After diagnosing your Crohn’s disease, treatment from the team at Ogden Clinic GI at McKay may involve drugs, nutritional supplements, surgery, or a combination of these treatments. The goal is to reduce inflammation; to relieve symptoms of pain, diarrhea, and to bleed; and to eliminate nutritional deficiencies caused by the disease.
Do you have any of the symptoms of Crohn’s? Call the team at Ogden Clinic GI at McKay, 801.475.3680, and let’s check it out.
Posted in: Crohn’s Disease
