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What is Crohn's disease? Well now, that's a great question! If you have been suffering from Crohn's disease it is important that you completely understand exactly what is Crohn's disease so that you can seek the correct treatment to best to benefit your overall health. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease and may also be known as ileitis or enteritis. It is a chronic condition that leads to inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract. One of the real challenges with Crohn's disease is that it can affect any area of the gastrointestinal or G.I. tract, from the mouth to the anus. However, most commonly Crohn's affects the Ilium, or the lower portion of the small intestine. Extending deep into the lining of the gastrointestinal tract, the edema and inflammation of Crohn's disease is what causes the agonal pain of this bowel disease. Because of the swelling in the intestinal tract, the body begins to forcefully and frequently empty the contents of the G.I. tract which results in the massive diarrhea commonly associated with Crohn's disease. This pain and diarrhea are the hallmarks of Crohn's disease. Crohn's disease can be a difficult diagnosis for your health care provider to make. Because it mimics other bowel conditions such as IBS or ulcerative colitis, it can be difficult to initially differentiate between them. Many other inflammatory bowel conditions attack only the uppermost layer of intestinal lining, but Crohn's disease has the ability to attack all layers of the intestinal tract. Another difference between Crohn's disease and other bowel conditions is that with Crohn's disease there may actually be areas normal healthy tissue found in between areas of diseased tissue. It seems that Crohn's disease attacks both men and women equally and it does seem that there are some familial tendencies. In many cases it does tend to run in families. Recent research seems to indicate that almost 20% of those patients currently suffering with Crohn's disease also have a blood relative who are battling some form of inflammatory bowel disease of one type or the other. Most often this blood relative is a brother or sister and in some cases it may even be a parent or a child. It seems a cruel twist of fate that young adulthood, between the ages of 20 and 30, is one of the most exciting times of your life, but it is also the time when most patients are diagnosed with Crohn's disease. Research also currently shows that people of Jewish descent have an increased risk of developing Crohn's disease, while those of African-American descent have the lowest risk. Crohn's disease absolutely is not something to be ignored and not something that you can choose to manage on occasion. You must work very closely with your primary health care provider as well as your gastroenterologist in order to develop a comprehensive treatment plan best designed for your situation. While Crohn's disease can certainly heavily impact your life, with an aggressive management plan designed to fit your lifestyle, you have a great shot at learning to manage your symptoms. Just because you have received a diagnosis of Crohn's disease that does not mean that you simply accept it for what it is and give up. You may have some trial and error with the management of your Crohn's disease symptoms, but simply learn to deal with it and fight to regain control of your health. Crohn's disease is certainly a challenging condition for many people to manage. While symptoms can range from mild to severe, the ongoing battle to control the abdominal pain and diarrhea associated with this inflammatory bowel disease can put a crimp in anybody's style. You simply must work with your gastroenterologist or primary care physician in order to design it best and most livable treatment plan for you. So just what is Crohn's disease? Well, this chronic inflammatory bowel disease attacks the GI tract, invading some if not all of the layers, and results in severe abdominal cramping and diarrhea. What is Crohn's disease? Well, it can be life altering if you allow it! So get with the program and follow the treatment plan designed just for you.
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