Crohn’s disease - What is it, and have i got it?

 

So what is Crohn’s disease? Well, it's a mysterious disorder that profoundly affects the digestive system. There is no cure for the disease and treatment is marginal at best. The objective for treatment as it is right now is to control inflammation in the bowls, relieve the discomfort associated with the disease and to assure that the individual gets adequate nutrition.

The first treatment most people who have Crohn’s disease are drugs containing 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA). These drugs help control inflammation in the intestines. The drugs containing the 5-aminosalicyaltes have been found to be more effective than the drug traditionally used to treat Crohn’s disease, Sulfasalazine (azulfidine). The drugs containing the 5-ASA component require higher doses but they have fewer side effects.

Perhaps the most effective drugs at the time of writing for active Crohn’s disease are corticosteroids such as prednisone. These drugs can control inflammation as well. Although drugs like prednisone are effective for active Crohn’s disease, they are not very effective for maintaining an individual in remission.

Warning! Some of these drugs can produce serious negative side effects. People who take these drugs are more prone to infection. They may gain weight and have increased blood sugar levels. These drugs can also cause thinning of the bones, elevated blood pressure, and have an adverse effect on the individual’s personality. Both corticosteroids and 5-ASAs are not approved for Crohn's disease in particular.

Antibiotics such as Flagyl (metronidazole) are often prescribed to combat many kinds of bacteria. These antibiotics are prescribed even though they are not designed for Crohn’s disease. However, they have proven to be effective in the treatment of the symptoms of the disorder. Antidiarrheal drugs like Lomotil (diphenoxylate) and Imodium (loperamide), have been effective in relieving cramps and diarrhea associated with the disease.

Crohn's disease does not have continuity in as much as both the symptoms and the severity of the condition can vary enormously between different patients. In fact, those patients with very mild or no apparent symptoms may need little or not treatment.

Those patients with full blown Crohn's disease have to get surgery to rid themselves of the chronic symptoms of the disease that can not be treated with medication. During surgery, the bowel is cut right above the diseased region and right below the diseased region then reconnected. However, Crohn’s disease can return after surgery so it is crucial to consider all of the ramifications associated with surgery. This should only be used as a last resort.

Remission from Crohn’s disease is a welcomed relief for those who suffer from the disease. Many have relief for months or even years. Nevertheless, the disease is apt to reappear without warning. This mysterious condition continues to baffle the medical community. The source and the cure remain unidentified.

The good news is that newer treatments are being tried and tested all the time as a better overall understanding in the role of genetics and certain environmental factors play in the cause of Crohn's disease. Given time, Crohns disease treatment will inevitably be improved, and perhaps even preventative measures will be found.