Crohn Disease, also known as Regional Enteritis, is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), of which there is no cure, only manageable treatments with possible remissions. It causes inflammation of the digestive or gastrointestinal tract (GI), although it can affect any part of the GI tract, it is mostly the small intestine. Most of the time it begins between the ages of 15-35, but can affect people of any age, men & women equally. Crohn’s was named for Burill Crohn, the American gastroenterologist who first described the disease in 1932.
The exact causes of Crohn’s are unknown, it is not caused by anything one does or eats, & it is not contagious. It is possible that you can inherit genes that make it easier to get the disease. It is possible …show more content…
Routine blood tests are done to detect infection & find deficiencies of vitamins or minerals. These can include fecal blood tests to see if there is any blood in the stool, which can indicate bleeding in the intestines, antibody blood test to look for proteins produced by the immune system which can indicate the presence of disease. Imaging tests are done to see into the stomach, intestines, & colon. Conventional x-rays show if the intestines are narrowing or if there is any blockage. Contrast x-rays require the patient to drink a chalky liquid called barium, which layers the lining of the bowel creating a better picture of the rectum, colon, & a part of your intestine. A CT scan takes simultaneous x-rays from different angles & the tissues on the outside of the bowel which no other test can see, helping to determine the location & extent of the disease. White blood cells hang around sites of inflammation, & a leukocyte scintigraphy (white blood cell scan) is done to see how much inflammation is in the GI tract. Endoscopy is a good test so the doctor can explore different parts of the GI tract. Sigmoidoscopy allows examination of the sigmoid, the rectum & sigmoid colon. Colonoscopy shows the entire colon and can determine if you have Crohn’s or UC. There is a pill you can swallow that holds a tiny camera that takes many images, which are …show more content…
The risk for colon cancer is higher because of the chronic inflammation of the colon, a patient can have vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies, like malabsorption of vitamin B-12, iron-deficiency anemia due to blood loss from inflammation. Bone loss(osteopenia/osteoporosis) can occur from decreased vitamin D, especially those who take corticosteroids. Kidney stones can occur also if your Crohn’s is of the small intestine. Extra-intestinal symptoms from having this disease can cause inflammation of the eyes, skin, & joints & should not be ignored. It can also lead to obstruction of the intestines, formation of scar tissue, small tears in the anal canal, called fissures, abscesses which can become infected, &
The exact causes of Crohn’s are unknown, it is not caused by anything one does or eats, & it is not contagious. It is possible that you can inherit genes that make it easier to get the disease. It is possible …show more content…
Routine blood tests are done to detect infection & find deficiencies of vitamins or minerals. These can include fecal blood tests to see if there is any blood in the stool, which can indicate bleeding in the intestines, antibody blood test to look for proteins produced by the immune system which can indicate the presence of disease. Imaging tests are done to see into the stomach, intestines, & colon. Conventional x-rays show if the intestines are narrowing or if there is any blockage. Contrast x-rays require the patient to drink a chalky liquid called barium, which layers the lining of the bowel creating a better picture of the rectum, colon, & a part of your intestine. A CT scan takes simultaneous x-rays from different angles & the tissues on the outside of the bowel which no other test can see, helping to determine the location & extent of the disease. White blood cells hang around sites of inflammation, & a leukocyte scintigraphy (white blood cell scan) is done to see how much inflammation is in the GI tract. Endoscopy is a good test so the doctor can explore different parts of the GI tract. Sigmoidoscopy allows examination of the sigmoid, the rectum & sigmoid colon. Colonoscopy shows the entire colon and can determine if you have Crohn’s or UC. There is a pill you can swallow that holds a tiny camera that takes many images, which are …show more content…
The risk for colon cancer is higher because of the chronic inflammation of the colon, a patient can have vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies, like malabsorption of vitamin B-12, iron-deficiency anemia due to blood loss from inflammation. Bone loss(osteopenia/osteoporosis) can occur from decreased vitamin D, especially those who take corticosteroids. Kidney stones can occur also if your Crohn’s is of the small intestine. Extra-intestinal symptoms from having this disease can cause inflammation of the eyes, skin, & joints & should not be ignored. It can also lead to obstruction of the intestines, formation of scar tissue, small tears in the anal canal, called fissures, abscesses which can become infected, &