What Is Crohn’s Disease? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
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Crohn's disease is a chronic digestive disorder that causes inflammation and damage in the digestive tract.
The disease belongs to a group of conditions called inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
There's no cure for Crohn's disease, but there are many treatments to help manage its symptoms.
Types of Crohn’s Disease
There are several different types of Crohn’s disease, categorized by the area of the digestive tract affected.
Ileitis This form of Crohn’s disease affects only the ileum.
Crohn’s colitis Also known as granulomatous colitis, this form of the disease affects only the colon.
Rare forms of the disease include gastroduodenal Crohn’s, in which both the stomach and the beginning of the small intestine (duodenum) are affected, and jejunoileitis, which involves patches of inflammation in the upper half of the small intestine (jejunum).
Signs and Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease
No two people experience Crohn’s disease in exactly the same way.
Your symptoms will depend on what areas of your bowel are affected, as well as how advanced your disease is and how well your treatments are working.
Most people with Crohn’s disease experience inflammation in both their small intestine and their large intestine (colon), which often causes diarrhea and abdominal pain or cramping.
Other common digestive symptoms include rectal bleeding, nausea or loss of appetite, an urgent need to defecate, and constipation.
Crohn’s disease can also cause weight loss, fatigue, damage to the bile ducts, and symptoms outside the digestive system, like joint pain, red or itchy eyes, and inflamed or bumpy skin.
Causes and Risk Factors of Crohn’s Disease
The exact causes of Crohn's disease are unknown.
Experts believe a combination of genetic and environmental factors contribute to a person's risk of the disease.
Some risk factors for Crohn's disease include:
How Is Crohn’s Disease Diagnosed?
The first step to a Crohn’s disease diagnosis is a complete medical history, a physical exam, and a series of tests to rule out other conditions that may cause similar symptoms. These include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), lactose intolerance, and ulcerative colitis.
During a physical exam, a physician will check for bloating, swelling, and painful or tender spots in your abdomen. Depending on the results, your doctor may order blood tests, stool tests, colonoscopy, upper GI (gastrointestinal) endoscopy, wireless capsule endoscopy, and imaging tests like X-rays and computerized tomography (CT) scans. All of these can help diagnose Crohn’s.
Duration of Crohn’s Disease Flares
A period of time in which symptoms of Crohn’s are severe is called a flare. The length of a flare varies widely from person to person, but generally, can last anywhere from a couple of days to several months.
If a flare is left untreated, it can cause lasting complications and permanent damage, so it’s important to work with your doctor on a treatment plan. Severe flares can be life threatening.
For an individual with Crohn’s, a period of time with no symptoms is called remission, which can last for several days, weeks, and even years.
The goal of treatment for Crohn’s disease is to decrease inflammation in the intestines and achieve and maintain remission.
Treatment and Medication Options for Crohn’s Disease
Treatment for Crohn’s disease usually involves a number of different drugs.
Some of these drugs are meant to prevent flares of your disease — periods in which your symptoms return or worsen. Others are prescribed to reduce inflammation and treat symptoms when a flare takes place.
You may also be prescribed antibiotics to treat symptoms or complications due to a bacterial infection.
For some people with Crohn’s disease, a time will come when medication alone won’t be enough, and surgery will be required.
Surgical treatments may include removing a diseased area of the intestines, opening a narrowed or blocked area, or surgically draining abscesses.
Most surgical treatments allow people with Crohn’s to live symptom-free for a number of years.
Alternative therapies can also help to reduce symptoms and maintain remission.
Learn More About Treatments for Crohn's Disease
How Can Your Diet Affect Crohn’s Disease?
There’s no single diet that helps all people with Crohn’s disease.
You may find that certain dietary changes reduce uncomfortable symptoms during flares, such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea.
Foods that commonly trigger symptoms include whole grains, nuts and seeds, raw fruits and vegetables, spicy foods, fatty or greasy foods, dairy products, and caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.
If you experience malnutrition due to Crohn’s disease, you may also need to focus on getting enough of certain nutrients in your diet.
When your symptoms are at their worst, it’s often helpful to focus on easy to digest meals and snacks.
Complications of Crohn’s Disease
The ongoing inflammation and injury to the bowel wall that define Crohn’s disease can lead to a number of complications.
Most of these complications affect the digestive system, but some may take place in other areas of the body.
One common digestive complication is an intestinal blockage, which happens when inflammation and scar tissue build up and constrict an area of the intestines.
Other digestive complications may include tears in your anus, pockets of infection, malnutrition, and even colon cancer.
People with Crohn's have an elevated risk for certain liver problems, including fatty liver disease, hepatitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a condition characterized by inflammation to the bile duct system of the liver.
Less commonly, Crohn’s disease can cause complications in other areas of the body, such as mouth, joint, skin, and eye problems. It can also cause problems during pregnancy.
Research and Statistics: How Many People Have Crohn’s Disease?
Studies show that the condition has become more common in the United States and certain other countries, for reasons that aren't fully understood.
Men and women are equally likely to be affected.
Related Conditions and Causes of Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s is a form of irritable bowel disease, an umbrella term used to describe disorders that involve chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. The other main type of IBD is ulcerative colitis, a condition characterized by chronic inflammation and ulcers in the lining of the colon and rectum.
It’s also important not to confuse an inflammatory bowel disease like Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The two conditions sound similar and even share some of the same symptoms, but are very different.
While scientists are working to better understand the exact cause of IBD, it’s generally believed that the body mistakes normal bacteria in the gut for an enemy. As a result of the body’s natural defenses, this causes chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. In contrast, there are no physical changes to the digestive system with IBS.
Resources for People With Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease can be physically and emotionally exhausting, and it can sometimes feel like no one else knows what you’re going through.
At the same time, you may have questions about the best way to treat or manage your disease, or wonder if you could benefit from participating in a clinical trial.
Fortunately, a number of resources are available for information, emotional support, and even amusement related to Crohn’s disease.
Check out our list of websites, organizations, articles, and blogs related to Crohn’s. You can learn more about your treatment options, read about other people’s experiences with Crohn’s, and find out more about getting involved in research or advocacy.
The Takeaway
Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition that leads to inflammation and damage in the digestive tract. It affects everyone differently, but common signs and symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and cramping. People with Crohn’s disease may also experience constipation or an urgent need to defecate, as well as nausea, rectal bleeding, and a loss of appetite. The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, but a family history of the condition may increase your risk of developing it. Treatment usually involves medication to prevent flares and reduce inflammation. Dietary changes may also reduce uncomfortable symptoms such as bloating and diarrhea. Common trigger foods among people with Crohn’s disease include spicy foods, dairy foods, raw foods, and fatty foods. Work with a doctor to find out what your trigger foods are, so you can better manage your condition and reduce your flares and symptoms.
Learn More About Crohn’s Disease Resources
Additional reporting by Jordan M. Davidson.
Common Questions & Answers
While no two people will experience Crohn's disease in the same way, most have diarrhea and abdominal pain or cramping. Other common symptoms include rectal bleeding, nausea, loss of appetite, an urgent need to use the bathroom, and constipation.
Weight loss, fatigue, joint pain, red or itchy eyes, and inflamed or bumpy skin may also occur.
There is no single diet for Crohn's disease. Since every person with Crohn’s is unique, it’s best to speak to your doctor about which foods you may need to avoid. For example, people with scarring of the ileum may want to avoid fibrous foods or nuts and seeds, which are often difficult to digest.
During a flare, when symptoms are at their worst, it may be helpful to stick to bland, soft foods.
The first step in testing for Crohn’s is a physical exam, a full medical history, and tests to rule out other conditions, including lactose intolerance, irritable bowel syndrome, and ulcerative colitis.
Based on the results of your history and physical, further testing to diagnose Crohn’s can include blood tests, stool tests, colonoscopy, upper GI endoscopy, wireless capsule endoscopy, and imaging tests.
The ongoing inflammation that comes with Crohn's can lead to a number of complications. One common digestive issue is an intestinal blockage, which occurs when inflammation causes scar tissue to build up and constrict an area of the intestines. Other complications include abdominal abscesses, anal and vaginal fistulas, anemia, and malabsorption of essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients.
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Sources
- Crohn’s Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
- What Is Crohn’s Disease? Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
- Crohn Disease — Causes. MedlinePlus.
- Causes of Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
- About Crohn’s. National Human Genome Research Institute.
- Overview of Crohn’s Disease. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
Resources
- Definition and Facts for Crohn's Disease. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. September 2017.
- Genetics Initiative. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
- Learning About Crohn’s Disease. National Human Genome Research Institute. September 27, 2011.
- Types of Crohn’s Disease and Associated Symptoms. Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.
- Causes of Crohn's Disease. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.
- Overview of Crohn's Disease. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.
- Crohn's Disease — Causes. MedlinePlus. August 18, 2020.
Ira Daniel Breite, MD
Medical Reviewer
Ira Daniel Breite, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He is an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he also sees patients and helps run an ambulatory surgery center.
Dr. Breite divides his time between technical procedures, reading about new topics, and helping patients with some of their most intimate problems. He finds the deepest fulfillment in the long-term relationships he develops and is thrilled when a patient with irritable bowel syndrome or inflammatory bowel disease improves on the regimen he worked with them to create.
Breite went to Albert Einstein College of Medicine for medical school, followed by a residency at NYU and Bellevue Hospital and a gastroenterology fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Working in city hospitals helped him become resourceful and taught him how to interact with people from different backgrounds.
Lindsey Konkel
Author
Lindsey Konkel is an award-winning freelance journalist with more than 10 years of experience covering health, science, and the environment. Her work has appeared online and in print for Newsweek, National Geographic, Huffington Post, Consumer Reports, Everyday Health, Science, Environmental Health Perspectives, UCSF Magazine, American Association for Cancer Research, and others.
She previously worked as an editor and staff writer at Environmental Health News. She holds a master’s degree in journalism from NYU’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program and a bachelor’s degree in biology from College of the Holy Cross.
Konkel lives in Haddon Township, New Jersey, with her husband, daughter, three cats, and dog. When she isn't writing, she handles social media and content marketing for a small veterinary clinic she started with her husband, Neabore Veterinary Clinic.