Crohn’s disease is a chronic disorder of unknown origin characterized by inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
Although any part of the GI tract can be affected, from the mouth to the anus, the area where the small intestine (terminal ileum) and colon (cecum) meet is the site most commonly involved.
Symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, intestinal bleeding, and weight loss. These symptoms are non-specific and can be present in many other disorders including ulcerative colitis and gastrointestinal infection.
Diagnosis include blood tests, x-rays, and often a colonoscopy.
Treatments include anti-inflammatory drugs or immunomodulatory drugs (drugs that affect the immune system) with the goal of controlling the patients’ symptoms and making them feel well. In a number of situations, surgery is required. There is no cure for Crohn’s disease; it is a chronic illness, so the goals of therapy are to get the patient feeling back to normal, keep the patient feeling normal, and reduce the number of recurrent flares.
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