Crohn's Disease - A painful Condition

Are you experiencing frequent bowels, diarrhea, fatigue, or blood in the stools? There could be possibilities that these are early signals of what might be a case of inflammatory bowel disease known as Crohn's disease. Life with Crohn's disease can be very difficult and tiresome! Before we discuss Crohn's disease symptoms and treatment, let us first understand Crohn's disease meaning.

Crohn's Disease Meaning

Chronicinflammation of the digestive tract is known as Crohn's disease. In this disease, you may find ulcers along the lining of the small and large intestines which affect the health and functioning of the intestines. Any part of the digestive system from the mouth to the anus can be affected by this disease. Crohn's disease meaning was first discovered by a physician by the same name, in 1932. This condition can lead to severe diarrhea, malnutrition, fatigue, and abdominal pain. It can be very discomforting and painful. Although no cure is available, a good healthy diet, exercise, and some medications can prove to be helpful in the treatment. Also, the exact cause of this dreaded disease is not known and scientists believe that it may be a combination of genetics, environmental factors, and problems related to the immune system.

Crohn's Disease Symptoms

The symptoms are a way to tell the gist of Crohn's disease meaning. The study of Crohn's disease symptoms is essential for the correct diagnosis of Crohn's disease, as no particular test is available for the exact diagnosis. The symptoms may start to appear as early as 15 years of age. The symptoms range from mild to severe and are the worst when the disease is in an active stage.

Common Symptoms Include:

You need to see a doctor when you experience the following symptoms very often:

• A loss of appetite
• Cramping pain in the belly or pain in the belly when touched
• Severe diarrhea
• Spotting of blood in the stools
• Fever accompanied by an abscess
• Anal fissures
• Weight loss
• A burning sensation in the skin, eyes, and joints of the body

The most affected part of the digestive system in Crohn's disease is the colon and the last part of the small intestine.

Diagnosis of Chron's Disease

• Barium X-rays and other imaging techniques help in identifying the exact location of the disease and also help in understanding the severity.
• A CT scan is advised to detect infections and abscesses that do not show up on X-rays.
• A colonoscopy is the most essential test to diagnose Crohn's disease.
  • In this procedure, the internal side of the intestine is viewed on a monitor, giving a full and proper view of the same.
  • This can help the doctor in identifying ulcers, any sort of inflammation, and bleeding.
• Biopsy is another effective technique that studies a small sample of the tissue, to determine whether it shows any signs of Crohn's disease.
  • In this procedure, a video capsule endoscopy is done to get more information about this disease in the early stages when the symptoms are mild but point to Crohn's disease.

If the doctor finds out that you have the disease, he helps you understand the Crohn's disease meaning and ways to tackle it. He further helps in designing a suitable treatment plan which includes medications and diet. This helps in managing Crohn's disease symptoms and providing relief from the associated pain.

Also, read about Night Eating Syndrome.

Crohn's Disease Treatment

As they say, every individual; is different and every person may exhibit varied symptoms. In many cases, symptoms of Crohn's disease do not appear at all and sometimes you may feel flare-ups. Crohn's disease means that you have to live with it and everyday life may seem like trouble. The meaning of Crohn's disease is that if left untreated for a long period, this dreaded disease can also bring in other health problems, like lymphoma, colon cancer, and psoriatic arthritis to name a few, but with proper treatment, you can avoid all these complications.

Treatment Process

Once the doctor understands the gist of your disease, the treatment starts. Crohn's disease treatment usually is done to reduce inflammation, reduce malnutrition of the body, and provide relief from pain, diarrhea, and bleeding.

The treatment includes:

• A combination of medicines, nutritional supplements, and diet is the focus of this treatment.
• Considering the complications of this disease, the doctor may suggest surgery.
• Along with other medicines to give symptomatic relief, anti-inflammatory drugs, and corticosteroids are generally used for the treatment of this disease.

Remission:

• Doctors start with mild drugs and slowly the doctor will put you on stronger drugs coupled with surgery, where the infected parts are removed and the healthy ones are reconnected. A period of almost four months is required to get back to normal and get the required results.
• Once you achieve remission, it's important to stay in remission through maintenance therapy, which will be suggested by the doctor, as per your condition and body.
• It is essential to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating the right foods, managing stress, and keeping regular appointments with the doctor for check-ups and screening.

Even though the meaning of having Crohn's disease is that you have to live with the painful condition, remission is a dream for the people suffering from this disease!

Life with Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease meaning is that it is a lifelong condition. It is important to remember that even if the symptoms do not always show, you need tostick to your diet plan and take the medications regularly. Find out a support group and join in. This will help you find more people like you and this won't make you feel lonely. Also, you will get better inputs and coping strategies. It is essential tomake the doctor - a gastroenterologist, your friend, discuss and talk to him; this will make you feel better and keep that depression at bay!

Takeaway

The meaning of Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, that affects any part of the digestive system and mostly lasts lifelong. Being a Chronic is not easy. But as they say, worrying helped no one! Believe in yourself! Life needs to go on and having a supportive family and friend circle surely helps in normalizing life! Do not let the disease rule you! Crohn's disease means living with it every day and planning accordingly, planning a day helps you deal with it better. It is also important to know, that, this condition does heal and life can be normal, slowly but surely!