What is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease is an autoimmune disease that commonly affects the GI tract, but can also affect the eyes, skin, and joints. Crohn’s can come in patches, only affecting small areas of the body at a time, but it can also produce life-threatening complications.
Common Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease Include:
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Constipation
- Frequent Diarrhea
- Fever
- Night Sweats
- Uncontrollable and frequent bowel movements
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Rectal bleeding
- Loss of normal menstrual cycle
How is Crohn’s Disease Treated?
While Crohn’s has no cure, symptoms can be managed and remission can be achieved. Crohn’s disease first and foremost requires strict dietary and lifestyle changes to ensure a high quality of life. Doctors will often recommend nutritional therapy and eliminate foods from your diet that may be causing a GI upset.
With dietary changes, your doctor will often prescribe immunosuppressants, anti-diarrheals, and pain relievers to reduce inflation and help manage symptoms.
Additionally, your doctor may prescribe you biological infusions which help switch off proteins in your immune system that are believed to trigger immune responses that attack healthy tissues in your GI tract.
