Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease which results in the inflammation of the GI tract. The gastrointestinal (GI) tract goes all the way down from the mouth to the anus, and any part of it can get affected by this chronic disorder. A combination of hereditary, immune, and environmental factors collectively results in the development of this chronic inflammatory disorder. The ileum or small intestine which goes on to join the large intestine is affected by signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease that can be identified owing to the following causes. Genetics can be responsible in a number of ways, which can lead to an early onset Crohn’s disease. The immune system is responsible for fighting against abnormalities that lead to the development of chronic disorders, which is why a weak immune system can aggravate the condition. Unidentified external environmental factors like certain bacteria and infections can also be triggers which lead to developing signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease. Signs and symptoms Crohn’s disease: Frequent diarrhea: Loose, watery stools, abdominal cramps, pain in the abdomen, and fever are some of the most common indicators of diarrhea . Frequent diarrhea attacks are one of the disturbing symptoms of Crohn’s disease and immediate medical attention is recommended.

Introduction to Crohn’s disease Crohn’s disease usually affects the ileum which is the lower part of the small intestine. From mouth to anus, Crohn’s disease can affect any part of the intestine or digestive tract. Crohn’s disease causes inflammation and empty the intestines frequently and cause resulting in diarrhea. A type of inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease can be difficult because it has similar symptoms to other types of intestine’s infection. It is closely similar to ulcerative colitis. This causes ulceration to the top layer of inner lining of the large intestine. With the introduction of Crohn’s disease in the body, the very first symptom that a person might experience is abdominal pain. The pain is often experienced in the lower right area of the stomach. The abdominal pain is usually followed by diarrhea. Diagnosis The introduction of Crohn’s disease can be diagnosed through blood tests. If blood tests results show high white blood cell count in the body, it might be an indication of inflammation somewhere in the body. Further stool tests will confirm I there is bleeding or infection in the intestine. For further confirmation the doctors might do an upper GI. In this test the doctor will ask the patient to drink barium water.

Mostly hereditary and often caused by abnormal immune system response to the viral or bacterial invasion, Crohn’s disease is categorized under inflammatory bowel diseases. Apart from these, the other risk factors of Crohn’s disease include age, gender, ethnicity, environmental factors and so on. Medical experts have not been able to diagnose the exact cause of this ailment. Although stress and an unbalanced diet have often been assumed to cause Crohn’s disease, these factors only aggravate the symptoms of the disease. There is no specific part of the digestive system that is affected by Crohn’s disease; it has been observed that the disease affects different parts of the digestive system in different people. Crohn’s disease causes the digestive tract to be inflamed leading to pain in the abdomen, extreme diarrhea, malnutrition, weight loss, and fatigue. Crohn’s disease is a chronic condition without any known cure. Although the disease is debilitating and can sometimes lead to painful and life-threatening complications, therapeutic treatments can help to alleviate the symptoms. The disease can often go into remission for a long duration of the correct treatment. Since prevention is better than cure, it is always best to know whether you have any of the risk factors of Crohn’s disease so that you can take some pre-emptive measures to prevent the occurrence of the disease.

Smoking Cessation CD is more common among smokers than non-smokers. Smoker’s also experience more severe symptoms of CS and are at a greater risk for experiencing complications related to CD and/or needing surgery. Smoking also reduces the effectiveness of CD medications resulting in more flare-ups occurring more frequently. Recurrence of the condition following surgery is also likely to occur more rapidly and at a greater severity in smokers. However, quitting all smoking immediately can also exacerbate CD symptoms and induce flare-ups. The resulting flare-ups then often act as triggers that make the patient start smoking again, to relieve their symptoms temporarily. It is not clear which ingredient in cigarettes causes CD conditions to worsen. It is believed that nicotine may be one of the ingredients, since nicotine patches and gum also induce flare-ups. One therapy that may aid in reducing smoking behavior gradually is the antidepressant, Zyban (generic name bupropion). This therapy takes approximately one month before it is completely effective. It significantly reduces long –term smoking than other treatments such as the patch. However, this treatment does have side effects: Drowsiness Dizziness Headaches Dry mouth Excitability Excessive sweating Uncontrollable shaking Constipation Nausea Vomiting Weight loss Seizures Cessation of smoking for just 6 months results in reduced CD flare-ups by up to 65%.

There are several management options for Crohn’s disease. Treatment goals aim to induce and maintain remission, improve nutrition, optimize growth and sexual development in children, and minimize the side effects of treatments for symptoms. Management not only involves symptom reduction, but promotes intestinal healing. Drug Therapy Glucocorticosteroids Glucocorticosteroids are used to treat moderate to severe CD, when other medicines have stopped working to prevent acute exacerbations. Glucocorticosteroids are a group of corticosteroids, a class of steroid hormones. These drugs are used to reduce inflammation by inducing production of protein lipocortin-1. Lipocortin-1 suppresses the activity of phospholipase A2, an enzyme that releases fatty acids called arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid is then modified by cyclooxygenase into eicosanoids like prostaglandins and leukotrienes. These eicosanoids mediate inflammation. Thus, glucocorticosteroids reduce inflammation by blocking the production of inflammatory mediators. L ong-term use of glucocorticoids can have harmful effects such as suppression of a vital hormone pathway and development of steroid-dependence. Thus, these treatments are only used in the short-term to put the disease in temporary remission. Once the patient is in remission, the patient is tapered off the treatment. They can be taken as oral pills, enemas, suppositories or topical creams, depending on the nature of the disease.