Crohn's Disease is a serious inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. It predominates in the intestine (ileum) and the large intestine (colon), but may occur in any section of the GI tract. Crohn's Disease usually causes diarrhea, cramps abdominal pain, often fever, and at times rectal bleeding. Loss of appetite and subsequent weight loss also may occur. Symptoms may range from mild to severe, but in general people with Crohn's Disease can lead active and productive lives.
Crohn's disease is Chronic. We don't know its cause. Medication currently available decreases inflammation and usually controls the symptoms, but does not provide a cure. Because Crohn's disease behaves similarly to Ulcerative colitis, from which it may be difficult to differentiate, the two disorders are grouped together as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Unlike Crohn's disease, in which all layers of the intestine are involved, and in which there can be normal healthy bowel in-between patches of diseased bowel, Ulcerative colitis affects only the innermost lining (mucosa) of the colon in a continuous manner. Depending on where the involvement occurs, Crohn's disease may be referred to ad Ileitis, regional enteritis, or colitis, etc. To lessen the confusion, the term Crohn's Disease cab be used to identify the disease wherever it occurs in the body (ileum, colon, rectum, stomach, duodenum, etc.).
Well there you have it the most basic description of Crohn's Disease. You can find it in any text book, medical library, or webpage. It does not give you very much insight to Crohn's disease does it? The first question that comes to mind is ....what is chronic? This is a chronic disease. Well, let's see what that is exactly. Chronic: A condition that is continuous or persistent over an extended period of time. A chronic condition is one that is long-standing, not easily or quickly resolved.
So you go to the doctor, however you happened to be diagnosed with this disease, and they sit you down and tell you, we found something in the test we have run. You have Crohn's Disease. Well, what is that? Then they hand you the above "textbook" definition. You are left in the dark to discover what Crohn's Disease really is. If you asked a person who has had this disease for any period of time what it is the definition might be a little different. I think most people would describe it more like this: Crohn's disease causes
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