HEALTH

Top 5 Signs You Have Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease affects the digestive system. It causes chronic inflammation of the tract causing pain in the abdomen, fatigue, diarrhea, weight loss, blood in stool, et cetera. Statistics from the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation show that 780,000 Americans suffer from the disease. It affects various areas of the digestive tract but is common in the colon and intestines in most patients. The inflammation can also spread to affect deeper layers of the tract.

 

Known causes of the disease include a family history of the disease, a person’s immune system, and the environment. The inflammation makes the patients susceptible to secondary infections by bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites.



Signs and symptoms of the disease gradually develop over time. They also worsen in severity over time when the condition is not adequately managed.

 

Diarrhea

 

Diarrhea refers to loose stool. It can sometimes occur in a healthy person due to food poisoning but disappears within 48 hours without treatment. However, when diarrhea becomes frequent and chronic, it may indicate that you have Crohn’s disease. You will get frequent urges to pass stool when you have this symptom. You might go to the toilet at times, but nothing comes out, or you feel like you have not emptied all the content. Diarrhea causes dehydration because you lose a lot of fluids by frequently visiting the toilet. As such, you should hydrate adequately to avoid symptoms of dehydration like headaches.

 

Fatigue

 

Fatigue occurs due to the lack of body fuel or the development of anemia. Your body needs fuel to carry out daily activities. When little nutrients are absorbed in the digestive tract, your body lacks fuel and energy to do simple activities. The inability of your digestive tract to absorb nutrients can also lead to anemia. This is because nutrient elements obtained from food, like iron, are essential in blood formation. You also lose blood in the stool, which contributes to anemia. A major symptom of anemia is fatigue because little oxygen and nutrients are transported in the body.

 

Abdominal cramps and pain

 

Abdominal pains are a common symptom of Crohn’s disease. It is caused by the chronic inflammation of the lining of the digestive tract. The disease can be so severe that it penetrates deeper layers of the digestive tract lining, causing scarring or ulceration. Also, deep inflammations can end up damaging nerves and muscles. All these factors contribute to the abdominal pain and cramps that the patients experience.

 

Bloody stool

 

Blood in stool is common in patients whose inflammation also affects the anal area. The inflammation of the anal area can lead to tearing of the area. This causes bleeding and pain when passing stool. The tears around the anal area can also become infected when you fail to care for the area.

 

Loss of weight

 

When you have Crohn’s disease, you lose weight because you have a poor appetite. The poor appetite is due to symptoms like abdominal pain. The digestive tract inflammation can also make it difficult for the tract to digest food and adequately absorb nutrients. These nutrients are essential in building the body. Therefore, the malabsorption causes loss of weight over time. This is also what causes malnutrition in patients of the disease.

 

Crohn’s disease is a debilitating disease that needs immediate medical attention as soon as you notice the above symptoms. Failure to seek medical services can lead to the development of complications like fistulas, colon cancer, anal fissures, bowel obstruction, and clotting of blood. There is no cure for the disease. Treatment is to help manage the symptoms of the disease and improve the patient’s life.Â