Have you ever imagined that your body, which works tirelessly, could be sending you mysterious messages you just cannot understand? Can you imagine that these messages might stem from a hidden war inside your digestive system that you know nothing about? Here, we are talking about Crohn's Disease; a disease you may have not heard of before, so here are some facts you should know about it.
What is Crohn's Disease?
It is a chronic disease that affects the digestive system, causing inflammation in its tissues. The inflammation can extend along the digestive tract, starting from the mouth till the anus; however, it most commonly targets the end of the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. Statistics indicate that around 6-8 million people worldwide suffer from this disease.
What Causes Crohn's Disease?
The reason behind this disease is not clear; doctors believed that diet and stress were the main cause. Now, it has been proven that they can worsen the disease, but they are not the main cause. Doctors believe that the cause may be genetic, in addition to being an abnormal immune response.
Usually, the immune system attacks the germs that enter the body, causing an inflammation that is a sign the body is fighting the germs. Once the threat is gone, the immune system calms down and the inflammation subsides. When there is a defect in the immune response, the immune system excessively attacks the body's own cells and even the beneficial| bacteria in the gut, causing inflammation in the digestive tract tissue, leading to Crohn's disease.
What are the Symptoms?
Your digestive system sends out many warning signals when developing Crohn's disease. For example, symptoms may develop gradually or may occur suddenly, ranging from mild to severe. Some people may experience symptoms continuously, while others face them intermittently. Here are the most common symptoms:
- Digestive system-related symptoms: diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, blood in the stool, mouth ulcers, poor appetite and weight loss, and fistulas—which are small tunnels that can form under skin near the anus, causing pain and discharge.
- Non-digestive symptoms: inflammation of the skin, eyes, and joints, inflammation of the liver or bile ducts, kidney stones, and anemia. The symptoms in children include delayed growth or delayed sexual development.
What happens if the symptoms are left untreated?
If Crohn's disease is left untreated, it may lead to serious complications, such as: intestinal obstruction, tearing of the tissue lining the anus or the surrounding skin causing anal fissures, malnutrition and poor absorptions of essential nutrients, in addition to colon cancer, osteoporosis, and blood clots in the veins and arteries.
How is this disease diagnosed?
There is no one specific test that can confirm Crohn's disease, so doctors perform several procedures, such as:
- Laboratory tests to detect inflammation, such as blood tests, kidney function tests, and stool analysis.
- Imaging tests to check what is happening inside the digestive tract, such as colonoscopy or CT scans.
How to treat and live with the disease?
Crhon's disease is managed by controlling symptoms through medications and changes in the lifestyle and diet.
- Medications
Treatment aims at reducing inflammation and suppressing the activity of the immune system, which relieves the symptoms and prevents complications. This is achieved when using pain killers, anti-diarrheal medication, antibiotics, immune system suppressants, and anti-inflammatory medications.
Surgery can help treat complications and reduce symptoms when medication are not effective; for example, in case of intestinal obstruction, the damaged part of the intestine can be removed.
- Change your Lifestyle
Following a healthy routine can help reduce stress and depression, which can worsen the symptoms of Crohn's disease. You can exercise regularly, do relaxation exercises, and use different breathing techniques such as deep, slow, and steady breathing.
- Change your Diet
Diet plays an important role in calming the digestive system through the following:
- Reducing the intake of dairy products to help improve symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and bloating.
- Eating five or six small meals a day instead of two or three large ones.
- Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water.
- Avoiding caffeine, which stimulates the intestines and can worsen diarrhea.
- Avoiding carbonated drinks, which can lead to excess abdominal gases.
- Since Crohn's disease affects how the body absorbs nutrients from food, it is essential to take vitamins for the body's health.
- Quitting smoking, as it can increase the risk of developing the disease or worsen the symptoms in those who are already suffering from the disease.
Crohn's disease is considered a challenge for those who live with it, but it can be managed by controlling its symptoms effectively. As we continue to learn more about the disease, we hope that science will find a complete cure for the disease.
References
mayoclinic.org
medlineplus.gov
my.clevelandclinic.org
nhs.uk