Crohn’s Symptoms

One of the first signs of Crohn’s disease is pain in the abdomen. Though there are a great many symptoms that this condition has – and one might not co-exist with another in a person suffering from it – one of the over riding ones which most tend to suffer from is pain. The pain might not be the same intensity for all – while some might have a dull ache that persists for a long time – days even – others could be subjected to cramping pains and others sharp, shooting pains that come and go, making life miserable.

Why does pain occur in Crohn’s disease? Crohn’s disease brings with it inflammation and there are ulcers formed in the intestinal walls. These tend to swell and the walls thicken making it difficult for the passage of food to move as it normally would. It is this that causes the initial cramping pain which could begin as discomfort and progress to pain. This pain could then become a dull ache or it could become very severe depending on the progression of the disease. The ulcers could also contribute to the whole abdominal region feeling sore. With the onset of ulcers, there is swelling in the area which gives rise to pain. With the swelling comes further complications of intestinal blockage and sometimes when the intestine is totally blocked, there could be unbearable pain and surgery might be the only option.

Sometimes, the ulcers could bleed – this is painful too and if this symptom is not treated at once, it could cause complications. When there is mucous and blood in the stools, it’s time to go see a doctor. The pain might be bad but what could be even worse is the infection and complications that could set in when this condition becomes bad. All symptoms of Crohn’s disease should be intimated to your physician because there might be some symptoms that will necessitate hospitalization and even surgery.

Crohn’s disease is a condition that affects the intestines. The intestines get inflamed and it is a chronic condition that can affect other areas of the digestive system as well. The main symptom in this condition is ulcers in the intestines and this gives rise to other symptoms that the sufferer might experience.

The ulcers cause sore spots in the intestinal walls and these in turn could bleed. When this happens, the area that is affected tends to give out a lot of fluid which could be water mixed with cell salts. When this enters the intestine, it is too much for the digestive tract to absorb all of it so the food that passes down does so in a watery condition.

The second reason that contributes to this symptom of loose stools is the fact that because of the soreness and the pain, the intestines tend to cramp up and this expels the stools. So sometimes, there are many loose stools passed during the day.

The problem with Crohn’s disease is that it can never be cured completely. So, one will have to live with these symptoms for a long time. The only way to handle it is to learn to manage it and to keep it down to a minimum. The disease is chronic and it has its spells of being active and passive. It is in its active state when there are symptoms of loose stools and pain.

One must reiterate that being under the care of a qualified physician is a must when one is suffering from Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s symptoms are symptoms that you might find with other conditions as well but even if some of these symptoms do not seem serious to you, a visit to the doctor to rule out something as painful as Crohn’s is advisable. Then, even if there are complications, the doctor can immediately prescribe medication or hospitalization to handle these symptoms and bring about relief. Care right through and moderation in all things are the golden rules one must live by if one has Crohn’s disease.

The problem with Crohn’s disease is the fact that it shares so many symptoms with so many common, everyday illnesses. Take fatigue and fever for instance. Who amongst us have not had spells of these two symptoms and all we do is take it easy and we are right as rain as soon as the infection or the weakness has passed. Unfortunately, this is not the case with Crohn’s disease. When fever and fatigue are a part of the symptoms that a person who is suffering from Crohn’s disease experiences, it means that the alarm bells should start ringing and he should seek medical advice at once.

Crohn’s disease which is also referred to as colitis or granulomatous enteritis is one condition that is hard to diagnose as its symptoms could well be that of any other condition. However, the results could be serious so it is worth consulting a doctor if all the symptoms that could be Crohn’s are present.

Fatigue in Crohn’s disease comes because of the bleeding and the diarrhea. The patient is usually dehydrated which causes him to feel tired. He could also suffer from nutritional deficiencies because the food is not being absorbed properly and this too could cause tiredness. The bleeding too takes its toll and with not enough nutrition being taken into the body, overall, there is a general lethargy that is so much a part of Crohn’s disease.

The fever usually comes because of the ulceration on the walls of the intestines which could get infected. The fever in Crohn’s like so many chronic ailments is usually low grade and persistent but there could be times if the infection and bleeding are bad when the fever could be high. Abscesses which form in the abdomen could become pus laden and fever could follow. Sometimes, the fever together with the general weakness could end up with the person feeling quite lightheaded and a doctor’s expertise is needed here immediately.

While many of the Crohn’s disease symptoms can cause discomfort or even pain, when a person starts exhibiting the symptoms of cancer brought on by the disease, it can be traumatic. In most cases, the onset of cancer occurs when the ulcers or the abscesses get out of hand. Though Crohn’s disease brings with it its own woes and problems, even the very hint of cancer tends to bring with it fear. Somehow, the ‘C’ word still comes with the feeling of dread attached to it. Unfortunately, Crohn’s disease is such a chronic ailment that when it gets out of hand in the intestine, there’s always the possibility of the cells around changing and becoming cancerous. The inflammation that Crohn’s brings is a dangerous breeding ground for other ailments too and cancer is one of the worst problems that can follow from this condition.

One of the cancers that can occur is colon cancer. In this case, there will have to be surgery but the good news is that very often a person can recover well after an operation that removes the infected part of the colon. Yet another area that could get affected by cancer is the liver. The ulcers and abscesses tend to block the bile ducts and this causes bacterial infections which damage the liver, leading to complications that could culminate in cancer. In this case, there could be an operation to remove the affected part or, if the damage done is great, a liver transplant will be required. Cancer that affects the bile ducts could also be a possibility.

The lowered resistance and weakness together with the infections and inflammation could result in cancers in other parts of the digestive tract as well – the mouth the food pipe, the rectum. Cancer usually occurs when the ailment has been a long-standing one and many years of complications that give rise to more infections and inflammation are usually cause enough to set the alarm bells ringing about cancer. However, if you suffer from Crohn’s disease, regular examinations are a must in order to detect anything untoward and take measures to tackle it as quickly as possible.