Crohn's Disease

Crohn’s Disease Crohn’s Disease is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that typically affects the distal ileum and colon but can occur in any part of the gastrointestinal tract. This disease causes inflammation to the lining of the digestive tract which can be both painful as well as debilitating for the sufferer and, unfortunately, in severe cases this may lead to life threatening conditions. The exact etiology of Crohn’s remains uncertain but studies have indicated that the disease is heterogeneous and characterized by genetic abnormalities that lead to overly aggressive T-cell responses to a subset of commensal enteric bacteria. Onset of the disease is triggered by environmental factors that break down the mucosal barrier, stimulate immune …show more content…
Now, there is not a treatment that works for everyone and each person responds differently. Typically the disease is managed with drug therapy. In some cases, however, treatment can involve surgery. To go more in depth, during the surgery the surgeon will remove the damaged portion of the digestive tract and then reconnects the healthy portions. Again, even with surgery, this is only a temporary fix. More common methods include medication management. Some patients will be prescribed corticosteroids. These are used to help reduce inflammation in the body. A common corticosteroid used with Crohn’s is Prednisone. Once again, this does not work for everyone and has numerous side effects. A newer type of corticosteroid, budesonide, has shown to work faster and also has fewer side effects. Although corticosteroids have proven to be effective in some cases, they are only meant for short term use (three to four months). Other types of drugs that work in the treatment include immune system receptors, oral 5-aminosalicylates and more. Another form of treatment for the disease includes nutrition therapy. The patient’s physician may recommend enteral or parenteral nutrition. This allows the bowel a chance to relax which will then reduce inflammation. Patients with Crohn’s can also try alternative therapies. They can try taking probiotics, fish oil, …show more content…
First off, the patient can change their diet. Now there are no certain foods that are said to cause IBD but some foods can aggravate the gastrointestinal system which will then trigger the flare ups. It is believe that eliminating dairy foods, or even cutting back on them, can help with diarrhea, abdominal pain and gas. The patient can also eliminate fatty foods and limit their fiber intake. Along with adjusting the foods they eat, patients can try portion control and drink plenty of