CROHN’S DISEASE By: Omekia Wilkes

What is Crohn’s Disease?  Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the intestines.  The intestine become irritated and swollen causing pain, diarrhea, and ulcers.

What are the symptoms?  Belly pain  Diarrhea  Mouth sores  Weight loss  Blood in stool  Ulcers  Inflammation in the liver  Arthritis  Loss of appetite  Bowel blockage  Fever  Tears in the anus  Delayed growth  Vomiting  Nausea  Bowels can thicken with scar tissue

What causes the disease?  Heredity/Genetics  Viruses or bacteria that can trigger an abnormal immune reaction  Could be due to an initial immune deficiency

What are the risk factors?  People of all ages are affected by this disease  The same number of men are affected as women  The age for diagnoses is between 20 – 30 years old  Caucasian are more likely to be affected than any other ethnic group.  Environmental factors can play a role- people who live in urban or industrial areas  Smokers

Crohn’s Disease affects:

What is the treatment ?  Mild to moderate treatment usually is treated with an antibiotic  Some of the newer antibiotics come in capsules but are in lower dosage.  Moderate to severe treatment is treated with a steroid or even surgery.  The steroids can be taken as a suppository, by injection, foam, and orally. The form is determined by the severity or location of the condition.  Other Medication: Anti-diarrhea Laxatives Pain relievers Strong Iron Supplements for intestinal bleeding Special Diets

Effects of Treatment can cause:  Susceptibility to infection  Weight gain (particularly increased fatty tissue on the face and upper trunk and back)  Rash  Loss/Excess hair growth  High blood pressure (hypertension)  Accelerated osteoporosis  Cataracts and glaucoma  Diabetes  Wasting of the muscles  Menstrual irregularities  Upper gastrointestinal ulcers  Numbness  Skin disorders / Acne

Coping with Crohn’s Disease  Avoiding stress by: exercising, relaxation and breathing techniques.  Limit the amount of dairy products  Low fat food  Eating high fiber food – passes through the intestines easily than fatty foods  Eating smaller meals  Drinking plenty of fluids  Having a dietitian  Take multivitamins

Resources  Yahoo Health  Health Central  National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse  Mayo Clinic