Over time, Crohn's disease can lead to other complications, including bowel obstruction, ulcers, fistulas, anal fissures, malnutrition, and other health problems. It can also increase your risk for blood clots and colon cancer. Having these symptoms doesn't automatically mean you have Crohn's.
“Medicine may work to heal inflammation, but it doesn't work on scar tissue,” says Rubin. The longer the disease goes untreated, the more dangerous the symptoms become, heightening the risk of numerous complications, hospitalizations, disability, time off from work, surgery, and a decreased quality of life.
It may go undiagnosed for years, because symptoms usually develop gradually and it doesn't always affect the same part of the intestine. Other diseases can have the same symptoms as Crohn's disease. But doctors can diagnose Crohn's by doing a test that looks at the inside of the intestine and doing a biopsy.
Crohn's disease can lead to serious complications, including: Abscesses: Infected pus-filled pockets form in the digestive tract or abdomen. Anal fissures: Small tears in the anus (anal fissures) can cause pain, itching and bleeding.
One cause of Crohn's disease may be an autoimmune reaction—when your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body. Experts think bacteria in your digestive tract can mistakenly trigger your immune system. This immune system response causes inflammation, leading to symptoms of Crohn's disease.
Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. It is a progressive condition, which means that it tends to worsen gradually. But symptoms can sometimes disappear for weeks or even years.
Does Crohn's Disease or Ulcerative Colitis get worse with age? Both conditions can change as you age, but not necessarily for the worse. For some people, their condition may improve over time due to a treatment plan that works for them. For others, it may worsen or stay the same.
Do You Poop a Lot With Crohn's? Some people who have Crohn's disease will go to the bathroom more often than people who don't live with a digestive disease. In severe Crohn's disease, diarrhea could occur many times a day. For some people with Crohn's disease, stools are infrequent.
A Crohn's flare usually involves diarrhea, often with mucus and sometimes with blood. Many people also have low-grade fevers. Other symptoms, which range from mild to severe, may include: Abdominal pain or cramps.
According to research, the average life expectancy of an individual with Crohn's is shorter compared to those who do not have Crohn's. The average life expectancy for females is 78.4 years and for males, it is 75.5 years.
People Most at Risk of Developing Crohn's Disease
Studies have shown that the disease is most prevalent in adolescents and adults up to 30 years of age as well as in White people and Ashkenazi Jews. In recent years, the prevalence of Crohn's disease among Asians and Hispanics has also significantly increased.
Crohn's disease is painful because inflammation in the digestive tract leads to symptoms such as abdominal cramping, severe diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Some people who suffer from Crohn's also experience joint pain, which can occur alongside digestive flares.
Living with Crohn's disease can be difficult at times, but there's no reason you cannot have a normal life if your symptoms are well controlled. There's no special diet for adults with Crohn's disease, but children may sometimes need a special liquid diet to control their symptoms. Aim to have a healthy, balanced diet.
Sometimes people with Crohn's disease need surgery. One type of surgery is the creation of a colostomy or an ileostomy, to bring a part of the intestine to the abdomen wall. The procedure creates an opening at the abdomen, called a stoma, so waste can drain into a bag instead of through the anus.
Intestinal endoscopies are the most accurate methods for diagnosing Crohn's disease and ruling out other possible conditions, such as ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease, or cancer. Intestinal endoscopies include the following: Colonoscopy.