Crohns Disease (IBD)

Crohn’s Disease (IBD) – Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Crohn’s disease/inflammatory bowel disease – intestines inflammation developing in the organism for life. In the digestive tract, irritation occurs; large and small intestines are especially susceptible to it. This leads to severe stomach cramps and diarrhea. Periodically, the pathology worsens, and its symptoms intensify.

With IBD pathology, extensive edema occurs in the stomach, and then the stomach  walls are irritated. It’s impossible to cure this pathology – patients are forced to live with it. Nevertheless, there are effective therapeutic methods to eliminate or reduce symptomatology.

Crohn’s disease causes

Exact pathology roots haven’t been identified. Experts identify several factors contributing to Crohn’s disease development.

1. Defects in the immune system functioning – bacteria appearing in the digestive tract, immune system ceases to function normally and attacks healthy cells.
2. Genetic predisposition or hereditary nature of pathology.
3. Specific genome mutations.
4. Smoking.

Risk factors include the following:

• age category 30+;
• pathology is present in family anamnez;
• anti-inflammatory meds course – such drugs contribute to development of intestinal walls inflammation.

Inflammatory bowel disease symptoms

Crohn’s pathology is characterized by exacerbation and remission periods. Symptoms “fading” can last for several years. When exactly the next outbreak will occur is impossible to determine and predict. IBD symptoms are as follows:

• stomach ache;
• constant feeling of full belly;
• periodic temperature increase;
• causeless appetite loss;
• sharp weight loss;
• appearance of abnormal nature warts on the skin ;
• cracks in the anal membrane;
• rectum fistulas;
• purulent rashes on the buttocks;
• rectum protrusion from the anus;
• severe rectal bleeding.

Inflammatory bowel disease diagnosis

Mostly, patients begin to worry with unexplained weight loss and severe stomach ache. If bowel inflammatory disease presence is suspected, the doctor prescribes following tests to confirm diagnosis.

1. Complete blood test – inflammatory processes detection.
2. Patients’ feces are taken for analysis – checking for parasites and bacteria presence.
3. Colonoscopy – internal colon examination with an endoscope.
4. Colon tissue biopsy.
5. CT – digestive tract imaging – determination of intestines inflammation degree.
6. Intestinal tract X-ray with the barium liquid launched into it – checking the patency of the intestine and liquid substances circulation through it.

Inflammatory bowel disease treatment

Therapy for Crohn’s pathology is prescribed based on how strongly patients feel its symptoms. Any complications require timely relief. The following treatments are prescribed.

1. Antibiotics course to prevent or eliminate infections. Such meds are necessary, since the infection development causes an abscess – purulent formations in tissues.
2. Medications to relieve severe diarrhea bouts.
3. Drugs suppressing abnormal responses of the immune system.
4. Abstinence from food and drink for a while – patient receives intravenous nutrition, carrying all necessary nutrients. It’s a rest for the intestines.

Surgical intervention doesn’t help to eliminate inflammatory diseases of the bowel, nevertheless, it helps cope with complications: stop internal bleeding, etc.