What is Crohn’s?

This type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) causes inflammation of the lining of your digestive tract -- a series of hollow organs that form a tube from your mouth to your anus. Crohn's mostly affects the last section of the small intestine or the large intestine, but it can affect any part of the digestive tract.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms can come and go, and sometimes they strike without warning. You may experience:

• Frequent bouts of diarrhoea
• Blood and mucus in your poo or in the toilet
• Intense cramping or stomach pain
• Weight loss you can’t explain
• Fatigue (extreme tiredness).

It can affect the rest of your body

Symptoms might appear outside your intestines, such as:

• Painful mouth ulcers
• Eye irritation and inflammation
• Areas of red, swollen, painful skin
• Swollen and painful joints
• Fissures -- small tears in the anus.

Who gets it?

You're more likely to get Crohn's if you live in developed parts of the world like the UK and US. It tends to run in families and is most likely in white people of European descent, especially those descended from Ashkenazi Jews (who lived in Eastern Europe and Russia).

However, the disease can affect men and women of any ethnic background and usually appears for the first time between the ages of 10 and 40.

What causes it?

Other than family history, scientists aren’t sure exactly why people get Crohn’s. Things that can increase your chances include:

• Faulty immune system
• Living in an urban or industrial area
• Smoking.

One theory, not backed by scientific evidence, suggests that while improved hygiene during childhood limits your exposure to disease-causing organisms at the time, you might be more likely to have problems with immune system disorders, like Crohn’s, later in life.

How is it diagnosed?

There’s no one test for Crohn’s. Your doctor will probably rule out other causes for your symptoms first with blood tests and/or a stool (poo) sample. You might have a colonoscopy. This uses a thin, lighted tube inserted through your back passage to look inside your colon. Other ways include a CTE or MRE scan which let the doctor view your small intestine. Another less common test is a wireless capsule endoscopy. You swallow a capsule with a tiny camera in it which transmits images to a recording device worn on a belt.

How Is It treated?

Your doctor will probably want you to try a combination of lifetsyle changes and medication to reduce inflammation in the gut. This helps your intestines heal and eases your symptoms. The correct drugs can also reduce the number of flare-ups. Many people with Crohn’s will need surgery at some point. It won’t cure the disease but it can get rid of the diseased parts of your digestive tract while preserving the healthy parts.

What about cancer?

Some people with Crohn's disease have a slightly increased risk of developing colorectal cancer in later life. Appropriate treatment for Crohn’s to keep symptoms under control may reduce the risk. Regular screening tests help too. Your doctor can tell you how often you need to get tested. That in itself won’t lower your risk, but it can help detect the disease early and improve your chances of successful treatment.

What else might help?

Some people try complementary and alternative medicine to help ease Crohn’s symptoms. The main types of these treatments include:

• Mind-body practices like meditation, yoga, tai chi and hypnosis
• Chiropractic treatment
• Massage or reflexology
• Energy medicine such as Reiki -- a healing technique using touch -- or qi gong
• Supplements, vitamins and probiotics.

If you think you might want to try any of these, ask your doctor first if it’s safe - and if it works. Make sure the treatment is suitable for you and won’t interfere with your conventional medical care.

Should I change my diet?

There's no evidence that diet plays a role in Crohn's disease, but you might find certain foods make your symptoms worse and are best avoided. It's a good idea to keep track of what you eat, so you can avoid problem foods, and seek advice from a qualified dietitian. Some people find eating six smaller meals a day, rather than three larger meals, improves their symptoms. It's also important to keep hydrated.

What does the future look like?

You can have the disease and still enjoy a normal life. Keep your body healthy, stick to your doctor’s advice and reach out to others. All these things can help you manage the disease and thrive in spite of it. To make your days easier, you can:

• Ask for or hire extra help around the house
• Connect with other people who have Crohn’s or other IBDs
• Watch what you eat and drink to help keep your symptoms at bay.

Related reading

• A visual guide to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
• What causes Crohn’s disease?
• Crohn's disease facts
• Creating a Crohn's disease diet plan
• Crohn’s disease in children and teenagers