Index Of The Blog
You’ve probably heard of Crohn’s disease but may not know much about it. In general, people only find out more when they, or a loved one, are diagnosed with the disease. The disease is surprisingly common with estimates suggesting as many as 160,000 Australians have Crohn’s disease.
What Is Crohn’s Disease?
Crohn’s disease is defined as an inflammatory bowel disease, often referred to as an IBD. The disease creates inflammation inside your intestines reducing their ability to absorb nutrients. The inflammation will feel painful, especially when you eat.
Thanks to the pain and the reduced ability to absorb nutrition, sufferers can lose weight, resulting in fatigue. Because your body isn’t working properly your intestines often retain water that should be passed into your body. This can result in both dehydration and diarrhoea.
There is currently no cure for Chron’s, partly because scientists are still working out exactly how it occurs. That means, once you develop it, you’ll have it for life.
Symptoms Of Crohn’s
The most common symptoms of Chron’s are:
- Diarrhoea
- Extreme tiredness
- Frequent and persistent stomach pains
- Dark red blood in your faeces
- Losing weight, even when you’re not trying
Of course, these symptoms are consistent with a variety of inflammations and diseases. In the case of Chron’s you’re likely to experience a flare-up that lasts for a week or two. It can then disappear for several weeks before returning.
If you have the above symptoms it’s always worth speaking to a doctor. They will need to inspect you and will run tests to confirm the Chron’s diagnosis.
It can be surprising how much of a relief the diagnosis can be, it ensures you know what you are fighting.
Treatment Options
Although there is no cure there are several things that can be done to provide relief and even make future bouts less intense.
You will need to speak to a dedicated colorectal surgeon to find out the best option for you. With many diseases surgery is the last option. However, with Crohn’s it is often one of the first options.
This is because a surgeon can remove a small section of your digestive tract without affecting your ability to eat normally. This approach can often be more effective than trying different medications.
Of course, medication is an option. The most common medicine is steroids as they reduce inflammation in your body, helping to soothe your digestive pathways.
Doctors can also give you tablets or even injections that will help to stop the next bout of Crohn’s from happening. This can help you control the disease, ensuring you can live a normal life.
It is worth noting that most people find certain foods are worse for them. You can explore which cause flare-ups of Crohn’s via trial and error. Knowing this will help you to avoid the worst foods and enjoy a normal life.
However, as diet isn’t believed to play a part in a Crohn’s diagnosis, it is vital you speak to your doctor to get the best possible advice.
