Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in any part of the digestive system. It can affect any part of the digestive system, but typically it affects the colon and the small intestine. The disease is a part of a condition known as inflammatory bowel disease. Unfortunately, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatment can help manage the symptoms better. This guide will discuss the symptoms, causes, diagnosis, and treatment for Crohn’s disease.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease
The part of the digestive tract affected decides the Crohn’s disease symptoms. Symptoms go from mild to severe and may come and go. Some of the key Crohn’s disease symptoms include fatigue, fever, weight loss, loss of appetite, straining in stools, cramps in the abdomen, feeling the need to pass stools, even when bowels are empty, pus or mucus draining from around the anus or rectum, bloody watery diarrhea, swelling in the eyes, constipation, and swelling and joint pain. Other symptoms that point toward the condition include oral ulcers, red bumps under the skin, resulting in skin ulcers, swollen gums, and rectal bleeding.

• Causes of Crohn’s disease
  Sadly, the exact cause of Crohn’s disease is not known. Earlier, stress and one’s meal regimen were listed as the primary attributes, but now doctors believe otherwise. Even though they aggravate the symptoms, they do not cause Crohn’s disease. However, some factors do play a role in Crohn’s disease development. These are mentioned below:
• Heredity
  Crohn’s disease is more prevalent in people whose family members have been diagnosed. Hence, genes do make people susceptible.
• Immune system
  At times, bacterium or virus may also trigger the disease. So, while the immune system works to combat these microorganisms, an abnormal immune response might occur, which might cause the immune system to attack the digestive tract’s cells.
• Risk factors
  A few risk factors, too, might aggravate your susceptibility to the disease. These include the following:
• Ethnicity
  White people, particularly those of Eastern European Jewish origin, have a greater likelihood of developing Crohn’s disease. But, instances of Crohn’s disease are also growing among Black people residing in other western countries.
• Age
  People, regardless of their age, can get Chron’s disease. However, it is more common in young people. Typically, people younger than 30 get the disease.
• Familial link
  If an individual’s first-degree relative has been diagnosed with the disease, they have a greater chance of developing the disease.

Diagnosis of Crohn’s disease
For Crohn’s disease diagnosis, the doctor will first enquire about the patient’s symptoms. It will be followed by a physical examination that helps identify a lump in the abdomen. A lump develops when inflamed bowel loops stick together.

Further, one may need the below-listed tests for diagnosis:

• Biopsy
  This is done to get a closer look at the intestinal tract tissue.
• Blood tests
  This test is conducted to find indicators of potential problems, such as inflammation and anemia.
• Stool tests
  Stool tests are great for detecting bacterial strain, blood, mucus, and inflammation in the GI tract.
• Colonoscopy
  This is done to investigate the colon and look for ulcers, polyps, and any sort of inflammation.
• Sigmoidoscopy
  The test is done for lower bowel investigation.
• Barium enema X-ray or CT scan
  This scan identifies bowel changes.
• Endoscopy
  This type of testing is done to check the gut’s upper part.

Treatments of Crohn’s disease
Unfortunately, there is no cure for Crohn’s disease. But certain treatment methods can help manage the symptoms better. However, no single treatment works for all. So, following multiple trials and errors, one can find the best treatment measure. Some prevalent treatment options are mentioned below:

• Bowel rest
  It involves solely drinking specific liquids or not drinking or eating anything to give the intestine a rest. It is an effective treatment option when the symptoms are severe.
• Surgery
  Surgery, too, can help lower the complications and reduce the impact of symptoms. It is an effective option when other treatments are not working. In surgery, the damaged part of the digestive tract is removed for treatment.
• Changes in food habits
  Changes in food habits can help manage symptoms. Some suggested changes include avoiding carbonated drinks, drinking more liquids, eating smaller portions frequently, avoiding vegetable skins, popcorn, nuts, and other high-fiber foods, and maintaining a food diary to identify foods that flare up symptoms.