Understanding Crohn's Disease: Worse Than Most People Think but no Reason to Despair

The numerous medical details behind the ailment commonly known as “Crohn’s Disease” are rather complex; especially to those of us who don’t have dozens of years of clinical training in our professional past. In the simplest terms, Crohn’s Disease results from an inflammation often located in the small intestine (a.k.a. “the ileum”). There is some strong evidence that suggests that this inflammation is caused by a virus. Though generally localized in the small intestine, this inflammation has the potential to adversely affect any area of the entire digestive tract. As a result, the bowels are constantly agitated and often compelled to empty, leading to diarrhea, discomfort, and pain.

Indeed, this is a very simple way of grasping the essence of Crohn’s Disease, and to truly understand the details, a great deal of medical study and experience is necessary. Yet with this being said, there’s one thing that can be concluded without hesitation; something that doesn’t take years to study or grasp. For the millions of people who suffer from Crohn’s Disease, their life is unfairly filled with pain, often constant discomfort, and a looming fear of being unable to control their bowel movements.

It’s fair to say – in fact, it’s an understatement to say – that people who suffer from Crohn’s Disease are forced to dramatically change their entire lifestyle. Some people – and this is not dramatic at all – have been forced to quit their jobs, or cancel vacations simply because of the tremendous stress that the disease places on a sufferers physical and emotional health.

Treatment Options

The US National Institute of Health (NIH) outlines the treatment “options” that Crohn’s Disease sufferers are often forced to choose from: drugs or surgery. The NIH also points out, very clearly, that according to them there is no cure for Crohn’s Disease. As a result, pharmaceutical and surgical treatment methods focus on symptom management; they do not and cannot cure the disease. At the very most, they can mitigate some of the pain and discomfort; though, naturally, with the introduction of side effects that can adversely affect other biological systems, including emotional health. Some of the side effects include:

· nausea

· vomiting

· heartburn

· diarrhea

· headache


Drugs

The NIH points out that pharmaceutical remedies (for lack of a better word) containing the ingredient mesalamine are common prescribed to people suffering from Crohn’s Disease. Mesalamine is an anti-inflammatory, and seeks to target the inflammation in the ileum. However, drugs containing mesalamine (such as Sulfasalazine) are not curative; they can not treat the inflammation. They can merely mask it to some extent. The body is still suffering and the problem still remains, but the drug controls some of the felt inflammation.

If the problem is more severely felt, some patients may be prescribed steroids (corticosteroids). These drugs, as can be assumed, lead to severe side effects if taken over a longer period of time, including those noted above. Steroids can also make a person more vulnerable to infection, which can thus expose them to additional health problems aside from the Crohn’s Disease that they’re trying to address.
Other drugs, such as Infliximab, have been approved by the FDA for those suffering from more severe Crohn’s Disease. But it is not free from side-effects either and for the common Crohn’s sufferer it is prohibitively expensive. And some people develop antibodies rendering its effect void.

Surgery

One of the most remarkable things about the human body is its regenerative properties; break some skin, and new cells rush to the exposed area. Break a bone, and immediately the body sends in reinforcements to start the healing process. Generally, this is seen as a wonderful – indeed mysterious – quality of the inexplicable intelligence of the human body.

Ironically, however, this is not always such a positive thing. For example, Crohn’s Disease sufferers sometimes opt for surgery to remove the inflammed area of the ileum. Yet, remarkably, it often grows back in some other part of the intestine. In this light, surgical options for Crohn’s Disease sufferers is not always a method of releving pain and suffering; it’s a last resort measure to address an even more serious problem in the area, such as intestinal bleeding or the formation of an abscess. In such dire situations, surgery may take place; but it is only temporary, and done to treat the bigger problem. The Crohn’s Disease remains.

Some Crohn’s Disease sufferers also opt (or are persuaded to opt by their doctor) a surgical solution called a colectomy. A colectomy literally cuts off the entire colon, and body waste is expelled through a small opening near the abdomen. The fact that some people in the medical community consider this a “solution” – forcing people to wear a pouch around their stomach to collect waste that previously flowed through their (now surgically removed) colon -- is a testament to the fact that people with Crohn’s Disease are not provided with the real solution that they deserve: one that actually treats the problem at the source.

Over-The-Counter Remedies

When comparing Crohn’s disease to other ailments it might surprise that there exist only very few herbal products and over-the-counter medications for Crohn’s disease. And most of these are just tablets containing vitamins or minerals which are meant to replenish any deficits which can result as a consequence of Crohn’s disease. To some extent these products can alleviate secondary symptoms but they do not address the cause of the disease. Aloe vera products have been quite popular but by now the scientific community has debunked its efficacy except for skin related disorders.
The only herbal product on the market which is designed only for Crohn’s disease is SedaCrohn. It is still relatively new on the market but reports from Crohn’s sufferers are promising. SedaCrohn acts by two separate mechanisms. First of all it has immune-modulating properties which apparently are able to inhibit the inflammation. And secondly, perhaps more interestingly, it has proven antiviral properties and thus attack what many researchers believe is the underlying cause of Crohn’s Disease: a virus.
As a consequence, many users of SedaCrohn report that their flare-ups have disappeared for much longer intervals or even copmletely after taking SedaCrohn for several months. If this is the long awaited natural relief remains to be seen.

Drugs, Surgery, or Natural Remedies?

The best way to deal with Crohn’s differs from person to person. There is probably no way to avoid prescription drugs completely for all the time. But at the same time its certainly advisable to take one’s fate in its own hand and try to find the dietary changes or natural products which work best for himself or herself.

1. Eure, Marian. “Causes and Complications of Crohns”. About.com. http://seniorhealth.about.com/cs/digestivetract/a/crohns.htm
2. “Crohn’s Disease”. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse – National Institute of Health. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/crohns/index.htm

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Crohn's Disease - a Brief Overview

Crohn's Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the digestive tract - from the mouth all the way through to the anus. As a disease, it can be difficult to diagnose due to its similarity to other inflammatory disorders such as ulcerative colitis or irritable bowel syndrome. Crohn's Disease usually causes inflammation in the lower small intestine, known as the ileum. The inflammation goes deep into the wall of the intestine causing pain and diarrhea.

It is not known what causes Crohn's disease, although it is thought that it may be heredity in nature or the result of a virus or bacterium invading the body. To date no definitive answer has been provided. It effects both males and females and people suffering with this disease also tend to have immune system abnormalities, although whether this is a cause or a result of the disease is unknown. One thing that has been established is that Crohn's Disease is not caused by stress, although emotional distress can exacerbate the symptoms.

Symptoms most commonly experienced by sufferers are severe abdominal pain, accompanied by diarrhea. Some also report bleeding from the rectum, weight loss and fevers. Children who suffer with Crohn's may experience some developmental and growth delays due to the lack of essential vitamins and minerals absorbed into the body.

Due to it's similarity to other inflammatory diseases and syndromes determining if a patient is actually suffering with Crohn's disease requires a thorough physical exam and a number of tests to be carried out. These can include blood tests to check for anemia and providing stool samples to check for blood which could indicate an infection or bleeding in the intestines. Further, more invasive tests can also be required, for example drinking a barium liquid and having a series of x-rays taken which will highlight any inflammation or abnormalities. A colonoscopy may be required to confirm the diagnosis as Crohn's disease. In this case an endoscope is inserted into the anus and up into the large intestine to look for bleeding or inflammation. A small sample of tissue may be taken at this point for further analysis. Once Crohn's disease has been confirmed further tests may be needed to determine the extent of the inflammation.

There is no actual cure for Crohn's disease, although some people, through proper management, can be free of symptoms for extended periods. The treatment for Crohn's disease varies from person to person as it depends on the severity of the disease and the area effected. Typically, all treatments aim to reduce the inflammation, relieve the pain, diarrhea and bleeding and ensure that the sufferer has the correct nutritional intake. There are three main ways of achieving these goals, medication, surgery or dietary changes.

To discover more about Crohn's Disease treatments or for additional Crohn's information and resources go here - free Crohn's Disease newsletter

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Curing Crohn's Disease

If your reading this right now you probably have crohn's disease or know a family member with crohn's disease. Many people with crohn's are wondering how people are curing crohn's disease from there bodies and ridding themselves of this auto immune disorder/ disease. Crohn's disease can in fact be cured, and a lot of people will be skeptical when they read this but I am speaking from knowledge and from seeing people actually cure crohn's disease from there bodies.

If you have been recently diagnosed, you may be very scared. There's really no reason to be scared. Crohn's disease is not fatal, and the disease can be controlled with drugs and remedies. However, like any disease it can in fact lead to other problems and complications in the body as the disease progresses. Many individuals will have to in fact get surgery some point in there life time.

For a little background, crohn's disease is basically inflammation of the intestines or G.I. tract. You may already know this, so basically the drugs suppress your immune system and prevent your body from attacking itself (look up auto immune disorders for more info on this). Crohn's disease can in fact affect any part of the G.I. tract but for the most part usually affects the portion where the small intestine and large intestine meet.

As the disease progresses the scarring and healing process in the body can build up over each other and cause intestinal blockages. I have actually felt this on patients, it literally feels like a ball has formed and can be felt by touching the lower abdomen. This usually leads to sever sharp pain, nausea and diarrhea. Another symptom is weight loss, since the body can not absorb essential nutrients in time you may in fact lose weight.

Really everyone's situation is different and depending how long you have had the disease for there is a ton of variance in symptoms etc. Your doctor will most likely have already explained this to you. Some people actually can have crohn's and appear and will fell 100 percent healthy. This is called remission and is basically when the patient does not have any symptoms or signs of the disease. Sometimes a flare up will occur and all the symptoms will pop out of no where. This can affect the quality of life a lot. You may not be able to do the things you love to in life.

There is help however and curing crohn's disease is possible. There are a ton of remedies out there; diet plans, yoga and a bunch of other types of therapies that can help heal your intestinal tract. Doctors may be aware of this but are not trained to teach you how to cure this sort of disease. To put it simply curing crohn's disease is not the priority of these big corporate pharmaceutical companies. Instead they wish to create drugs that will put you into remission as long as you keep taking the drug. Can you see how the drug companies make there profit. Don't cure your crohn's just give a drug you take your whole life until your body can't take the drugs anymore then forward you to surgery.


If you are serious about curing crohn's disease, and wish to gain knowledge about this, you should really join the thousands of other individuals who have healed themselves through the body's naturally healing process, find out more at this site http://www.cure-for-crohns-disease.blogspot.com


About the Author
Amit K Sharma is an intellect and marine biologist with many hobbies, he wishes to help people from all different kinds of backgrounds.

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®, Salazopyrin®), mesalamine (Pentasa®, Asacol®), olsalazine, and balsalazide. Immunomodulating drugs such as azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate are given mainly in moderate-to-severe cases. Infliximab (brand name Remicade®) is given in patients with therapy-resistant or fistulating Crohn's. Adalimumab (brand name Humira®) has been used in patients who show allergic reaction to infliximab. The drugs like thalidomide are under study trials.

Surgery

In the case of widespread intractable Crohn's colitis, the colon and rectum (protocolectomy) are removed by the surgery ileostomy. Surgery is generally avoided, as this does not cure the disease. Crohns disease can recur at the site of the anastomosis or ileostomy.

Dietary Advice

Crohn’s patients should avoid the following foods and liquids:


Dairy foods
High fiber foods should be avoided during flare-ups.
Hot spicy foods
Alcohol & caffeine
Foods containing saturated fats, found in meat and dairy products. However some fats such as in fish oil may actually be helpful.
Products containing corn or gluten, those made from wheat, oats, barley, or triticale
Foods, such as soy, eggs, peanuts and tomatoes
Gas-producing foods such as cabbage family vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and brussels sprouts), dried peas and lentils, onions and chives, peppers and carbonated drinks
Foods that may irritate the intestine (particularly the cabbage family vegetables)
Simple sugars
Dried fruits or high-sugar fruits, such as grapes, watermelon, or pineapple
Sorbitol (an artificial sweetener)

Beneficial Foods:


Fluids to keep the body hydrated and prevent constipation
Fruits may be protective
A high protein diet with lean meats

Advice:


Eat small frequent meals
Prebiotics such as psyllium may help in the healing process.
Probiotics may also be helpful in aiding recovery of the intestines.

Helminthic Therapy

Recent studies have come up with a promising Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis treatment. Helminthic therapy is a new treatment that has shown impressive results in clinical trials. It argues that the absence of intestinal worms (due primarily to higher hygiene standards) from the human intestinal tract may cause the immune system that is not evolutionary adapted to this condition, to over-react causing inflammation and other negative effects, and that reintroducing helminths through ingesting eggs of a certain species (which is not dangerous to humans) can help down regulate and normalize immune responses.

Helminthic therapy like the fecal bacterio therapy induces a characteristic TH2 white cell response in the diseased areas which seems to be the key in achieving and maintaining remission, and may prove to be of key significance in further research.

Paul MacIver writes about health conditions including IBS and Crohn's Disease. If you found this article helpful, please visit the Crohn’s Disease website. You may freely reprint this article as long as nothing is changed, bio is included and all links are made active.

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What Causes Crohn's Disease?

As anyone who has been diagnosed with Crohn’s disease will know, there is no known cause that is recognized as grounds for the disease. There is no shortage of theories that purport to account for how the disease is triggered, although none have been adequately proven.

Among the popular theories is the idea that Crohn’s disease is in fact a systemic reaction to bacterium, or perhaps the immune systems response to a virus within the digestive system. According to this theory, what we know to be Crohn’s disease is in fact the body protecting itself from a perceived threat in the digestive tract by inflaming the intestine. There is certainly a degree of evidence to support these claims.

People who suffer from Crohn's disease have a high incidence of abnormalities of the immune system. This does seem to support the aforementioned theory quite well, although doctors are unable to confirm weather this abnormality is a cause for the disease or actually a result of Crohn’s disease itself.

Rather than sift through a range of theories perhaps it is more useful to begin by taking a look at what we actually know about the disease. Firstly, there are a number of predisposing factors that have been observed to play a role in the development of Crohn’s disease. These factors are:

-Genetics and Family History

-Infection

-Immunological Factors

-Diet

-Psychological Factors and

-Measles and MMR vaccine

Genetics has been investigated and studies have shown that statistically, there is an increased chance for family members if one member has Crohn’s disease. This hereditary tendency demonstrates considerable variation in risk levels, although most studies indicate that the highest risk exists when a sibling has the disease. Where twins are concerned, the risk is further increased for identical twins.

Infection is not regarded as a major concern for Crohn’s disease but some people have developed the Crohn’s after a bout of gastroenteritis.

Immunological factors draw the most attention from doctors with regard to investigating the cause of Crohn’s disease. This is obviously due to the fact that the reaction of the immune system is the central part of Crohn’s. It is also the area where many drugs attempt to control Crohn’s through immune suppression.

Diet is a popular area for experimentation due to the fact that it is an inexpensive way for patients to address their symptoms. Diet related treatments have varying degrees of success but there is a general consensus among people with Crohn’s disease that certain foods such as wheat, yeast and milk should be avoided.

As far as psychological factors are concerned, emotional stress has been linked to Crohn’s disease but there is no hard proof to support the link.

Measles and MMR vaccines have received some publicity in recent times, but further studies of this area have not yielded any consistent results. Unfortunately, at present there is not enough evidence to clearly state weather or not children should be vaccinated for measles.

The author is a regular contributor to http://www.1crohns.com and permission to reproduce this article is given only if all links remain live and intact.

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