The Ways Through Which Crohn's Disease Reveals Itself

The term 'inflammatory bowel disease' is often used in describing chronic, inflammatory disorders that usually affect both the small and the large intestines. A prime example of this problem is Crohn's disease. Depending on where it occurs, Crohn's disease goes by three other names: If the affected part is the colon, the condition is called Crohn's colitis; if it takes place in the last part of the small intestine before the colon (ileum), the disease is known as ileitis; and if it involves both the colon and the ileum, Crohn's disease is referred to as ileocolitis. Of the three, ileitis is the most common.

What adds to the trouble about Crohn's disease is that no one has yet fully ascertained the cause of this vexatious disease. According to some medical experts, it may be caused by a bacteria or a virus. For some others, the disease may be caused by an altered reaction involving the immune system. Crohn's disease usually appears between the ages 10 and forty.

An X-ray result of the condition will reveal an inflamed bowel which looks dense and engorged. This appearance is due to the small ulcers that have entered the tissues of the intestine. What happens here is that the intestine is made narrow by the inflammation, resulting to cramping and pain that are often severe. Most common in this condition is diarrhea, which may have mucus and blood.

The symptoms of Crohn's disease may not appear, at first, to have any relation with the disorder, especially since a number of the body's systems may be involved. Some of the symptoms that are ordinarily linked to Crohn's disease include canker sores, ulcers, and skin lesions. Other symptoms that are often associated with the disease are eye disorders and hindered growth, as well as muscular pains. In some cases, the symptoms may cause much anxiety that can, in turn, result to mental or emotional disturbances.

Crohn's disease has no known cure. Treatment efforts usually focus on the alleviation of the person's symptoms and in fighting any secondary disease that may consequently develop. It may be necessary for the doctor to perform a series of tests, at regular intervals of time, to check on whether the disease is becoming manifest or how it is developing. To lessen inflammatory flare-ups, the doctor normally prescribes certain antidiarrheal preparations; or he may even recommend the use of certain steroids for brief courses. Many doctors are hesitant to recommend surgery since Crohn's disease is noted for being an obstinate condition - it has a pertinacious tendency to recur.

A person afflicted with Crohn's disease most certainly goes through so much trouble. But for all the pain and suffering it causes, Crohn's disease is not usually a life-threatening condition. Apart from this reassurance, sufferers should take solace in the fact that the medical field does not stop in developing newer, more advanced treatment methods. [Read the Original Article]