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Crohn’s Disease Explained
By Matthew | October 12, 2007
This is a disease caused by the repeated (chronic) inflammation of the lining of the intestines. Most of the time, this inflammation causes ulcerations (which are breaks in the lining) in the small and large intestines, though it can affect any part of the digestive tract (from mouth to anus).
Some symptons of Crohn’s disease include abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, diarrhea, etc. It is a disease that affects between one and two million people in the United States.
Causes:
There is no clear cause of Crohn’s disease. Scientists have speculated it is caused by strains of certain bacteria, though no substantial evidence has been shown to support this hypothesis of infection.
Diet has been shown to change the severity of the disease, though the consensus seems to be diet has no direct cause.
Crohn’s disease is not contagious. It has, however, been shown to be more likely to affect members of the same family, thus implying a possible genetic connection.
Prognosis and treatment:
There is no known cure for Crohn’s disease. There are, however, several treatments available which can manage the disease.
The nature of Crohn’s disease is “come and go.” For some with the disease, they experience months, even years, of remission with little or no symptons. During this time, no treatment is usually given. On the other hand, some experience relapses quite often. During this time, it can be very difficult to manage the pain, depending on the severity of the relapse.
Possible medications for Crohn’s Disease include antiinflammatory medications (corticosteroids as an example), immuno-modulators, and other similar medications (depending on the symptons).
Some reading if you are interested to know more:
Topics: Chronic Pain |