What is Crohn’s Disease?

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a relapsing and remitting form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes gastrointestinal inflammation with symptoms of diarrhea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and the passage of blood or mucous through the rectum.

Causes of Crohn’s

Chron’s disease affects about 780,000 Americans. The causes of Crohn’s disease are not fully understood, but there are things we do know:

• Men and women are equally affected by Crohn’s disease.
• Though Crohn’s disease can occur at any age, it is most prevalent in adolescents and adults between the ages of 15 and 35.
• Diet and stress may aggravate Crohn’s disease but do not cause the disease.
• Research shows hereditary, genetic, and environmental factors contribute to the development of Crohn’s disease.

Signs and Symptoms

Crohn’s disease can affect each patient differently, but there are common signs and symptoms. Patients will likely experience periods when symptoms are most active, called flares, followed by a period where you may not notice any symptoms at all. 

Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. While symptoms vary, there are common symptoms of inflammation of the GI tract:

• Persistent diarrhea
• Rectal bleeding
• Urgent need to move bowels
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• A sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation
• Constipation, which can lead to bowel obstruction

Crohn’s disease is located in the GI tract, but it can also affect the overall health of your body and cause other medical issues like:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Low energy and fatigue
• Delayed growth and development in children

In severe cases, Crohn’s disease can lead to severe complications:

• Fissures – tears in the lining of the anus
• Fistulas – abnormal connections between organs
• Stricture – a narrowing of the intestine as a result of chronic inflammation

Treatment

Treatment for Crohn’s disease and other IBD disorders can include the use of medication, alterations in diet and nutrition, and surgical procedures to repair or remove affected portions of your GI tract.

Be sure to contact our Investigative Clinical Research studies center in Annapolis Maryland online at icrmd.com or call us at 410-224-4887.