What is Crohn’s disease?
Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition that causes painful swelling (inflammation) along the digestive tract. The most common symptoms are abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, and weight loss. Healthcare providers often use a combination of imaging, blood, and stool tests to diagnose Crohn’s disease. While there is no cure for the condition, sometimes treatment can help relieve symptoms. Treatment options include medications, surgery, and diet changes.
Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any segment of the gastrointestinal tract.
The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is not known, but it is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic, environmental, and immune system factors.
There is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatment can help reduce or control the symptoms. The main treatments include medicines to reduce inflammation in the digestive system, medicines to stop the inflammation from coming back, and surgery to remove a small part of the digestive system.
Symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, abdominal distension, and weight loss.
The main symptoms are:
- diarrhoea
- stomach aches and cramps
- fever
- tiredness (fatigue)
- weight loss
The symptoms may be constant or may come and go every few weeks or months. When they come back, it’s called a flare-up.
