Diseases

Crohn’s Disease

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Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) that may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouthto anus. Signs and symptoms often include abdominal pain, diarrhea (which may be bloody if inflammation is severe), fever, and weight loss.

Other complications may occur outside the gastrointestinal tract and include anemia, skin rashes, arthritis, inflammation of the eye, and tiredness.The Skin rashes may be due to infections as well as pyoderma gangrenosum or erythema nodosum.Bowel obstruction also commonly occurs and those with the disease are at greater risk of bowel cancer.
Many people with crohn's disease have symptoms for years before the diagnosis.The usual onset is between 15 and 30 years of age, but can occur at any age.Because of the 'patchy' nature of the gastrointestinal disease and the depth of tissue involvement, initial symptoms can be more subtle than those of ulcerative colitis. People with crohn's disease experience chronic recurring periods of flare-ups and remission.
Crohn's disease, like many other chronic, inflammatory diseases, can cause a variety of systemic symptoms. Among Children, growth failure is common. Many children are first diagnosed with crohn's disease based on inability to maintain growth. As it may manifest at the time of the growth spurt in puberty, up to 30% of children with crohn's disease may have retardation of growth.