What Is Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is basically an inflammatory disease of the alimentary canal. The inflammation is of the granulomatous variety and is characterized by non specific inflammatory spots. The location of the disease can be anywhere along the alimentary tract, beginning from the mouth or the buccal cavity to the anus.

Previously it was known as Regional Ileitis or Enteritis. But those were misnomers considering the fact that the inflammation is not confined to the small or the large intestine.

Aetiology:

The exact causes or Aetiology of Crohn's disease is unknown. But several factors like Infections, usage of Oral contraceptives, Smoking and Abnormal immunological responses of the body have all been found to contribute to the cause of Crohn's disease.

Clinical features:

The Crohn's disease likes to surprise its patients by several unwarned exacerbations and remissions. The main symptoms are as listed below:

Pain:

Pain is frequently complained of in the lower abdomen, on the right side. The pain may be accompanied by local tenderness. On palpation, a lump or mass may be felt by the attending physician. The pains may come repeatedly, and in case of acute exacerbations, there may be loose and formed stools, with attending fever.

Diarrhea:

Diarrhea may be there but it is usually only found in patients with an exacerbation of the existing disease.

Weight loss:

There may be marked weight loss due to the chronic loss of appetite, diarrhea and general digestive troubles.

In addition to the above digestive symptoms, there may be other symptoms associated with the Crohn's disease, like Uveitis, Arthritis etc.

The skin symptoms range from erythema nodosum to pyoderma gangrenosum.

It can affect the veins and the circulatory system and be manifested as deep vein thrombosis, autoimmune hemolytic anemia etc.

It affects the loco motor system and the bones creating a clinical picture of Osteoarthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, seronegative spondylo arthropathy etc. The nails may also present a picture of clubbing which may be related to the chronic anemia or even due to the circulatory disorders.

Neurological symptoms include epileptic convulsions, cardiovascular stroke, peripheral neuropathy and chronic depression.

Diagnosis:

Diagnosis is usually done by clinical symptoms and Colonoscopy. A Barium meal X-ray is very helpful in locating the exact spot of inflammation and stricture.

Treatment:

There is no specific treatment discovered yet. The treatment is usually symptomatic, and is necessary only during acute exacerbations. The acute symptoms are generally treated with anti-biotics and in severe case steroidal treatment like Hydrocortisone is given.

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