Crohn’s disease is a long-term inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can occur throughout the digestive tract (esophagus to anus). Most commonly it happens at the ileum (end of the small intestine).
Crohn’s disease can occur at any age. Most commonly it occurs in adolescents and over 60 years. Most patients develop the disease before the age of 35.
Experts assume that a hereditary predisposition and environmental influences play a role. Presumably, the barrier function of the intestine is impaired.
Smoking enhances the risk of Crohn’s disease.
Signs and Symptoms
Crohn’s disease attacks the digestive tract and causes inflammation there. The following symptoms may occur:
- Chronic diarrhoea, sometimes with blood
- abdominal pain, because of intestinal colic
- loss of appetite
- weight loss
Crohn’s disease usually occurs only in adolescents or in people over 60 years. In some cases, it may affect children and cause the following symptoms:
- growth delay
- An inflammation of the joints
To diagnose Crohn’s disease, the attending physician performs a clinical examination, a biological exam (non-disease specific), and a bowel radiograph.
Before taking the exams listed above, the patient’s medical history takes place to examine the following symptoms and symptoms:
- Repetitive cramping and abdominal pain associated with diarrhea;
- Lesions in the anal area;
- The occurrence of similar cases in the family;
- Isolated or complete inflammation of the joints, eyes or skin.
Treatment and Management
The primary purpose of treating Crohn’s disease is to alleviate the symptoms (diarrhea, cramps, abdominal pain) and reduce inflammation.
In case of complications such as bleeding, fistulas, bowel obstruction and moderate success of drug treatment, surgery can be performed.
The following medications can be used to reduce symptoms:
- Antidiarrheal drugs like loperamide to relieve the abdominal pain.
- Anticholinergics, for lowering abdominal cramps and relieving pain.
- Codeine and opium tincture to reduce the pain and have an anti-diarrhea effect.
- The composition of methylcellulose and psyllium, which cure the stool and help in the prevention of anal irritation.