Most commonly, Crohn's affects your small intestine and the beginning of your large intestine. However, the disease can affect any part of your digestive tract, from your mouth to your anus. Learn more about your digestive system and how it works.
Crohn's disease can also cause problems in other parts of the body. Among these problems are low iron (anemia), osteoporosis, arthritis, and gallbladder or liver disease.
An intestinal obstruction is the most common complication of Crohn's disease. An obstruction usually results when a buildup of scar tissue narrows a section of the colon, making it difficult for the stool to pass. Doctors call these narrowed passages “strictures.”
Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) affects the bile duct system of the liver. It is uncommon in people with Crohn's: Less than 3% of people with Crohn's have it. But it can be very serious. Inflammation causes scarring within the bile ducts and can lead to liver damage.
The pain that Crohn's patients feel tends to be crampy. It often appears in the lower right abdomen but can happen anywhere along the digestive tract. “It depends on where that inflammatory process is happening,” says Nana Bernasko, DNP, gastroenterology expert with the American Gastroenterological Association.
Crohn's disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system. Inflammation can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the back passage. But it mostly occurs in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, foods high in fiber and fat, dairy products, and carbonated beverages such as soda can trigger a flare-up. The best option is to stick to fresh fruits and vegetables, along with lean meats, says Dr. Sultan.
Crohn's disease have unfavorable effects on kidney functions due to malabsorption and dehydration such as acute kidney failure, calcium oxalate-uric acide stones and electrolyte abnormalities.
Crohn's Life Expectancy: What's the Cap to It? 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.
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.
A common symptom of Crohn's disease is fatigue, which can occur during flare-ups of the condition and periods of remission. A range of factors can cause this fatigue, including the body's response to inflammation, anxiety about Crohn's disease, anemia, nutritional deficiencies, and pain that affects sleep.
But Crohn's disease doesn't always cause weight loss. Sometimes, it causes the scale to go up. One study found that 40 percent of people with Crohn's had a body mass index in the overweight or obese range. It's not clear exactly why some people gain weight with Crohn's, but there are a number of possible causes.
While several treatments are available to manage symptoms and reduce inflammation, there is currently no known cure for Crohn's disease.
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.
Crohn's disease does not usually follow a set pattern. Typically, there are no recognizable stages that the condition moves through, and it is not always possible to predict how it will progress. A person with Crohn's disease will usually have flare-ups and periods of remission.
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.
DB Silent disease is disease that does not have the overt symptoms that make a patient feel poorly. This is a fairly well-established concept in medicine. Perhaps the best example of a correlate to silent Crohn's disease is silent ischemia in the context of heart disease.
Gastroenterologists almost always recommend a colonoscopy to diagnose Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. This test provides live video images of the colon and rectum and enables the doctor to examine the intestinal lining for inflammation, ulcers, and other signs of IBD.
A person with Crohn's disease may notice a yellow coating on their stools. This coating is mucus, which helps the stools pass through the intestines, and it is no cause for concern if there are no other new symptoms.