Crohn's Disease - Symptoms and Treatment

Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract. The disease is also called granulomatous enteritis, colitis, regional enteritis, regional ileitis, ileitis, or terminal ileitis and it causes ulcerations of the small and large intestine. The disease can affect the digestive system anywhere from the mouth to the anus, but distinctively affects the terminal ileum as well as demarcated areas of large bowel. The disease is named after the American physician, Burrill Bernard Crohn (1884-1983), who described the disease in 1932. Crohn's Disease Symptoms Crohn's disease symptoms may include: * Chronic diarrhea & disrupted digestion: It becomes difficult for the patients in the acute phase of the disease to eat and/or digest food. * Painful and debilitating inflammation * Fistulas of the colon * Hemorrhoids * Lipid absorption problems * Anemia: Persistent rectal bleeding may lead to anemia. * Bruising of the shins. * Fever, pain and psychological damage in many cases * Crohn's disease in children may cause delayed development and stunted growth. Crohn's Disease Treatment Crohn's disease treatment may include medication, surgery, dietary advice and Helminthic therapy (current research). Medication Treatment Acute treatment: steroids are used in the initial stages. Long-term steroid therapy is discouraged because of their side effects. Corticosteroids like prednisone are traditionally used medications. The side effects of steroids may include insulin resistance and frank diabetes, hypertension (high blood pressure), glaucoma, osteoporosis, severe psychological issues etc. Chronic treatment (Steroid-sparing): The treatment may include Salicylates - 5-ASA derivates - 5-aminosalicylic acid compounds such as sulfasalazine (Azulfidine