What is Crohn’s disease?It is the type of IBD that causes inflammation in the digestive tract and leads to diarrhea, malnutrition, weight loss, and severe abdominal pain.

This disease causes inflammation in the digestive tract, and has the capability to affect any part but mostly it involves the inflammation of the small intestine and colon. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are types of inflammatory bowel disease. No cure is available for Crohn’s disease but it can be controlled by preventive measures and flare of symptoms can be eased by treatment.

Causes of Crohn’s disease: (1)

Doctors are not sure about the cause of Crohn’s disease. Some researcher says that it is an autoimmune disease. Here are several thoughts that could play role in developing Crohn’s disease;

  • Genes- you are more likely to develop this disease if you are living with a family member suffering from this disease.
  • The problem in the immune system- defense system of the body attacks the digestive system by mistake
  • Smoking can also cause Crohn’s disease.
  • A previous bug in the stomach
  • Abnormal balance of bacteria in the gut.

No evidence is present to suggest that what diet can cause Crohn’s disease.

Risk factors of Crohn’s disease.

Here are a few things that are likely to cause Crohn’s disease;

  1. Genes: it is an inherited disease as the researchers suggest. According to the survey, about 20% of patients with this disease have relatives suffering from this illness. Ashkenazi Jewish is at higher risk of developing this disease.
  2. Age: Crohn’s disease can affect people of all ages, but mostly it is the illness of young people. Most people are diagnosed with Crohn’s disease before the age of 30. But this disease can happen at the age of fifty, sixty, or seventy, or maybe later.
  3. Smoking: one of easiest risk factor can be controlled. Smoking is more likely to develop Crohn’s disease and make it severe. Smoking makes Crohn’s disease worst that you might require surgery.
  4. Medications: NSAIDs such as ibuprofen and naproxen may not cause Crohn’s disease but continuous use of such medications can cause Crohn’s disease worst because they cause inflammation in the bowel.
  5. The world around you: if you are living in an urban area or industrial area you are more likely to develop Crohn’s disease.
  6. Diet: if you are taking lots of high fat and processed food, the risk of developing this disease is higher.
  7. Infection: bacteria such as mycobacterium aviumparatuberculosis and E.Coli are also linked with causing Crohn’s disease as they cause a similar condition in cattle as well.

Variations of Crohn’s disease:

Based on what area is infected of the digestive system, Crohn’s disease is divided into five types that are:

  1. Ileocolitis: it is the most common type of Crohn’s disease that involves inflammation of the colon and small internal also called terminal ileum.
  2. Granulomatous colitis or Crohn’s colitis: it usually affects your colon.
  3. Gastroduodenal Crohn’s disease: it usually affects the first part of the small intestine in the stomach also called the duodenum.
  4. Ileitis: it usually affects the ileum.
  5. Jejunoileitis: this type of inflammation is caused in the upper part of the small intestine that is called the jejunum.

Sign and symptoms of Crohn’s disease

Signs and symptoms of this disease vary depending on the part of the gut that is infected. Pain felt on the right side of the abdomen is the most common symptom of Crohn’s disease. Symptoms may include:

  • Pain: level of pain depends on the part of the gut that has inflammation. Usually, pain is felt on the right side of the abdomen.
  • Ulcers in the gut: when raw areas of the gut bleed it is causes ulcers. The patient will notice the blood in the stool if raw areas are bleeding heavily.
  • Mouth ulcers: it is the most common symptom of Crohn’s disease
  • Diarrhea: mild to severe diarrhea is common in Crohn’s disease. Sometimes pus, mucus, or blood is seen in the stool. In Crohn’s disease, the patient urges to go to the washroom but comes up with nothing.
  • Fatigue: patient always feel tired and may feel fever during fatigue
  • Altered appetite: loss of appetite and low appetite are the most common symptoms.
  • Weight loss: this is due to loss of appetite
  • Anemia: This condition is caused due to loss of blood.
  • Rectal bleeding and anal fissures: pain and bleeding are at the anus due to cracked skin.

Other possible symptoms of Crohn’s disease are:

  • Arthritis
  • Uveitis is the eye inflammation
  • Rash and inflammation of the skin
  • Inflammation of liver and bile duct
  • Delayed growth in children
  • Delayed sexual development in children.

Treatment of Crohn’s disease: (2)

No specific cure is present for Crohn’s disease, but some recurrences can be minimized with the help of certain medications. Treatment for Crohn’s disease involves medication, nutritional supplements, and sometimes surgery is required. The aim of treating such patients is to control the inflammation, relieve pain and symptoms and improve the quality of life.

Treatment for Crohn’s disease depends upon the following factors:

  • Where the inflammation is located
  • How much the disease is severe
  • Complications associated with it
  • Response of patient to previous treatments given to reduce recurring symptoms.

Some people experience no symptoms for a long time even for years and this is called remission. But still, there will be recurrences. It is hard to know that how much the treatment is given is effective as remission periods may vary. It is not possible to detect that how long the remission period will last.

Medications for Crohn’s disease:

  • Anti-inflammatory drugs: to reduce the inflammation, the doctor would suggest mesalamine.
  • Cortisone or steroids: corticosteroids are drugs that contain these medications.
  • Antibiotics: bacterial overgrowth can develop due to fistula and previous surgery. Such conditions are treated by antibiotics such as cephalosporins, sulphonamide, tetracyclines, and metronidazole.
  • Antidiarrheal and fluid replacement: when inflammation is treated somehow, diarrhoea is not a big problem to treat. But sometimes patients need mediation to treat diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

Biologics:

Biologics that are given for Crohn’s disease are:

  • Infliximab
  • Adalimumab
  • 6-mercaptopurine
  • Methotrexate
  • Imuran
  • Certolizumab

Surgery:

When medications fail to reduce the symptoms, then mostly surgery is recommended. Surgery can relieve the symptoms and correct other complications associated with this disease.

 

References:

  1. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/crohns-disease/
  2. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/151620#causes