Signs and Symptoms of Chrohn’s Disease: What is it like to have Crohn’s disease?

What is a Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in the digestive tract. This can cause several problems such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss etc. Inflammation caused by Crohn's disease may affect various areas of the digestive tract.

The inflammation may spread into the layers of the affected bowel tissue. This can cause painful and debilitating feeling. Sometimes it may lead to life-threatening complications.

The specific reasons as to why Crohn’s disease occurs are unclear. Most researchers believe it is the result of a combination of factors. These factors may involve an interaction of these things: genetic or hereditary factors, environmental triggers, such as certain drugs, pollutants and chemicals, excessive antibiotic use, diet and eating habits, and infections, your immune system that sometimes starts fighting healthy tissues. Research is being done to understand better how these factors are related and cause the disease.

Read Also: Diet Plan for Crohn’s Disease.

Chrohn’s Disease Symptoms: How do you know that it is Chrohn’s?
In some people with Crohn's disease, only the last segment of the small intestine is affected. In some other patients, the disease affects the colon. The most common areas affected by Crohn's disease are the last section of the small intestine and the colon.

Signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease can vary from mild to severe. They usually appear gradually, but can sometimes be sudden. There are times when you have no signs or symptoms (remission), and there are times when there are crohn's flare ups.

Read More:  What is a Flare up in Crohn's Disease?

When the signs are active, they may include such as:

• Diarrhea
• Cramping in the abdomen
• Blood in your stool
• Inflammation of eyes and joints
• Inflammation of the liver or bile ducts or other GI organs as the disease affects other regions
• Mouth sores
• Reduced appetite 
• Fever
• Fatigue
• Abdominal pain
• Unexplained weight loss
• Pain or drainage near or around the anus due to inflammation 
• Inflammation of skin
• Delayed growth in kids
• Delayed sexual development in children

When to see a doctor

You should meet your doctor if you have continued changes in your bowel habits or if you have any of the common signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease such as abdomen pain, weight loss, frequent fever, ongoing diarrhea, etc.

Coping up with the disease
Coping with a chronic illness such as Chrohn’s is not easy. Many people are diagnosed with the condition in their young adulthood. They have to follow a specific diet since a young age. As a result, it may sometimes cause social isolation and fear of rejection. This may develop stress in them.

It is important to cope with the disease well and stay healthy in the community physically as well as emotionally. You should try to let the people in your family and friend network that you have the condition but it never essentially cause stress. Avoid using antidepressant medication. It’s not a good idea to remain depressed too. You should try to use certain social therapies your doctors may recommend. Also, keeping your engaged in physical activities and exercises is helpful in Chrohn’s.


About Author:
Sarita Thomas, is a senior microbiologist and is associated with DiseaseFix as a researcher. DiseaseFix develops health information modules for patients and provides a unique platform to allow access of reliable information of a variety of types for diseases.