Crohn's disease is an often debilitating disease that can, without adequate management, very quickly gain control of your life. If you have a new diagnosis of Crohn's disease or if you have been battling it for some time, it is most important that you have a solid understanding of what is Crohn's disease so that you have the best shot at a healthy you.



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.

The inflammation and edema associated with Crohn's disease runs deep into the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. With the inflammation and edema running so deep, it is easy to understand that this is where the pain associated with Crohn's disease comes from. The diarrhea commonly associated with Crohn's disease is also a result of this deep tissue inflammation. The swelling of the G.I. tract also causes it to frequently empty the contents of the bowel resulting in pain and diarrhea.

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.

Between the various races, African Americans currently seem to be at a decreased risk for developing Crohn's disease; however, people of Jewish descent actually seem to have a higher risk. When looking at the various ages, Crohn's disease seems to most often affect the young adult population, particularly those between the ages of 20 and 30.

Crohn's disease must be aggressively managed in an effort to regain control of your life. It is not something you can choose to manage one day and then ignore it the next day. Working closely with your gastroenterologist is of vital importance for you to regain some semblance of control in your health life.

Yes, Crohn's disease certainly can alter your daily activities and it certainly requires an aggressive management plan designed in collaboration with your physician, but just because you have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease it does not mean that you simply give up on regaining control of your body and finding a healthy medium with which you can live.

Crohn's disease is definitely a challenge for many people to learn to manage. There are many times in which the pain and abdominal cramping associated with this disease are almost incapacitating.

What is Crohn's disease? It is a series of chronic symptoms most commonly seen as abdominal pain and diarrhea which are caused by the edema and inflammation of the GI tract which has settled into one or more of the layers of the intestinal tract.