Living With Crohn's Disease
Living with crohn's disease can be a very stressful affair considering its nature. Crohn's disease actually has a direct impact on the digestive system and can lead to several digestive related disorders. To successfully manage the condition, a patient needs to have a good way of predicting his/her symptoms so that they can always take preventive measures as opposed to resorting to curative measures. Different patients react differently to the diseases depending on their body's composition.
Important factors to consider
There are several factors that influence the development and fluctuating trends of the disease. All these must be carefully considered by the patient I order to efficiently manage the condition. Crohn's disease is mostly characterized by remissions and relapses which will no doubt affect the patient's general lifestyle. Basing on the fact that the disease is chronic, it is quite vital to constantly keep watch of its symptoms to avoid the chances of the disease getting out of hand.
Remission
Most crohn's disease patients experience periodic flare-ups of symptoms. During such occasions the patient is attacked by several of the resultant complications such as diarrhea and fevers not to mention indigestion and fatigue. All this conditions add up to loss of appetite and subsequent loss of weight and other diseases which may be triggered off by nutritional deficiency that follows the lack of appetite. To manage these circumstances it is important to observe a strict diet. The diet should include lots of fluids to take care of the water loss occasioned by bouts of diarrhea which is usually common with crohn's disease patients.
A serious risk to crohn's disease patients is colorectal cancer. Most of the patients suffer from blotted stomachs and indigestion related complications. Constant blotting leads to failure in the excretory system and subsequent problems in the colon. The colon most likely develops wounds as is common in the case of ulcers. This wounds if left untreated may lead to the development of cancerous growth in the colon. The colorectal cancer should be prevented from taking root in a patient at all costs. This can only be possible if the patient ensures that the wounds that develop in the colon are treated in timely manner to avoid giving the cancer an opportunity to develop. All however is not lost for patients who may have been unlucky enough to develop the colorectal cancer, a colonoscopy or barium-enema can save the situation from getting out of management.
Showing posts with label Crohn's Symptoms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Crohn's Symptoms. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Monday, June 23, 2014
Crohn's Disease Test
Crohn's Disease Test
Crohn's disease is a disease characterized by localized areas of non- specific, granulomatous inflammation of the bowel. Formerly called as ileitis or enteritis, those names were considered a total misnomer, because Crohn's disease is not limited to the small intestine or the large intestine.
It can affect the whole alimentary canal beginning from the mouth and ending in the rectum.
Pathology of Crohn's disease:
The Crohn's disease is a basically an area of inflammation in the bowel. When seen under the microscope, the small intestine looks totally narrowed ulcerated and there is atypical cobble stone appearance of the terminal ileum.
When the disease has affected the large intestine, it looks totally similar to the findings in Ulcerative colitis. The segments affected are quite short, but there is lot of strictures and ulceration. Proctitis alone may be present or may be fistulas also may be present.
When affecting the anus, there are chronic fissures, fistula and ulceration.
When the duodenum is affected, there are ulcerations, thickening of the folds and narrowing of the lumen.
When affecting the stomach, Crohn's disease can resemble Carcinoma or cancer and there is thickening of the antrum of the stomach.
When affecting the mouth, there are buccal ulcers like apthae.
Croh's disease can rarely affect the skin too and it results in ulceration of the perineum, genitalia and abdominal wall.
Clinical Tests:
The diagnosis of Crohn's disease is usually done clinically depending on the symptoms of the disease. The other investigative procedures are done only to assess the extent of the disease.
The extent of the disease is assessed by many tests like Barium Meal, Barium follow through, Barium enema examination etc.
The barium meal and follow through reveals a typical string sign, which is diagnostic of the Crohn's disease. In long standing case there is stricture formation also.
Endoscopy of the stomach and duodenum may be required if the barium studies turn out abnormal.
Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are usually required when the abnormalities extend in to the colon and are capable of finding out or detecting the rectal Crohn's disease when the barium X-ray has failed to detect it.
Biopsies of the rectum and/ or the colon can reveal the ulcers even if they are not visible with the naked eye.
Blood tests show a moderate Anemia (normochromic, normocytic, or hypochromic anemia)
Additionally there may be a raises ESR level, marked leucocytosis, abnormal liver function tests and also hyproteinaemia
Crohn's disease is a disease characterized by localized areas of non- specific, granulomatous inflammation of the bowel. Formerly called as ileitis or enteritis, those names were considered a total misnomer, because Crohn's disease is not limited to the small intestine or the large intestine.
It can affect the whole alimentary canal beginning from the mouth and ending in the rectum.
Pathology of Crohn's disease:
The Crohn's disease is a basically an area of inflammation in the bowel. When seen under the microscope, the small intestine looks totally narrowed ulcerated and there is atypical cobble stone appearance of the terminal ileum.
When the disease has affected the large intestine, it looks totally similar to the findings in Ulcerative colitis. The segments affected are quite short, but there is lot of strictures and ulceration. Proctitis alone may be present or may be fistulas also may be present.
When affecting the anus, there are chronic fissures, fistula and ulceration.
When the duodenum is affected, there are ulcerations, thickening of the folds and narrowing of the lumen.
When affecting the stomach, Crohn's disease can resemble Carcinoma or cancer and there is thickening of the antrum of the stomach.
When affecting the mouth, there are buccal ulcers like apthae.
Croh's disease can rarely affect the skin too and it results in ulceration of the perineum, genitalia and abdominal wall.
Clinical Tests:
The diagnosis of Crohn's disease is usually done clinically depending on the symptoms of the disease. The other investigative procedures are done only to assess the extent of the disease.
The extent of the disease is assessed by many tests like Barium Meal, Barium follow through, Barium enema examination etc.
The barium meal and follow through reveals a typical string sign, which is diagnostic of the Crohn's disease. In long standing case there is stricture formation also.
Endoscopy of the stomach and duodenum may be required if the barium studies turn out abnormal.
Sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy are usually required when the abnormalities extend in to the colon and are capable of finding out or detecting the rectal Crohn's disease when the barium X-ray has failed to detect it.
Biopsies of the rectum and/ or the colon can reveal the ulcers even if they are not visible with the naked eye.
Blood tests show a moderate Anemia (normochromic, normocytic, or hypochromic anemia)
Additionally there may be a raises ESR level, marked leucocytosis, abnormal liver function tests and also hyproteinaemia
Crohn's Disease Forum
Crohn's Disease Forum
This is a forum which brings together victims of the Crohn's disease the world over. It also includes people suffering from ulcerative diseases, gastrointestinal and bowel related diseases and conditions as well as other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This forum offers members the chance to meet other people who suffer from similar diseases and share their conditions and at the same time get informational tips and support to help them cope with these conditions. People of all genders and age are welcome to these forums no matter what their condition is. And you will get all the confidentiality that you want because this forum provides anonymous posting which goes a long way to ensure that everybody gets the support and help they may need.
Most if not all of the forums require registration which is normally free. Members are advised to get acquainted with the rules and regulations before joining.
New members are encouraged to reveal their stories and introduce themselves to all the members. They are further encouraged to feel free and pour their hearts out, for it is always said that the first step of solving a problem is sharing it out. By doing this, the victims of these diseases are able to know that thousands of people also suffer from these diseases and not just them alone. They also learn how their fellows coped and can also learn a few tips from them.
This forum has a wealth of resources at its disposal to help the people with Crohn's. This is because, due to a growing number in the membership of those with this condition, people have been contributing materials and resources to help their fellow friends and families alike. In one site alone, I found that there were 414 topics and 871 responses and comments. This means there is a good chance you will find the best answer to your question.
The forum also extends an olive branch to people who may know people suffering from these conditions and inform them of the presence of such forums where they can meet and exchange views with people who suffer from similar conditions.
You are also, as a victim, able to see what other people have said, what questions they asked and the comments they make without necessarily registering. This just means you can gain a lot of information by merely visiting the site. The goodness of it all is that the info that you will get is not from some professor who claims to know much about these conditions but from the victims themselves.
This is a forum which brings together victims of the Crohn's disease the world over. It also includes people suffering from ulcerative diseases, gastrointestinal and bowel related diseases and conditions as well as other forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. This forum offers members the chance to meet other people who suffer from similar diseases and share their conditions and at the same time get informational tips and support to help them cope with these conditions. People of all genders and age are welcome to these forums no matter what their condition is. And you will get all the confidentiality that you want because this forum provides anonymous posting which goes a long way to ensure that everybody gets the support and help they may need.
Most if not all of the forums require registration which is normally free. Members are advised to get acquainted with the rules and regulations before joining.
New members are encouraged to reveal their stories and introduce themselves to all the members. They are further encouraged to feel free and pour their hearts out, for it is always said that the first step of solving a problem is sharing it out. By doing this, the victims of these diseases are able to know that thousands of people also suffer from these diseases and not just them alone. They also learn how their fellows coped and can also learn a few tips from them.
This forum has a wealth of resources at its disposal to help the people with Crohn's. This is because, due to a growing number in the membership of those with this condition, people have been contributing materials and resources to help their fellow friends and families alike. In one site alone, I found that there were 414 topics and 871 responses and comments. This means there is a good chance you will find the best answer to your question.
The forum also extends an olive branch to people who may know people suffering from these conditions and inform them of the presence of such forums where they can meet and exchange views with people who suffer from similar conditions.
You are also, as a victim, able to see what other people have said, what questions they asked and the comments they make without necessarily registering. This just means you can gain a lot of information by merely visiting the site. The goodness of it all is that the info that you will get is not from some professor who claims to know much about these conditions but from the victims themselves.
Crohn's Disease Support
Crohn's Disease Support
People who suffer from the Crohn's disease always need support. If no help is forthcoming from friends, these patients might feel like they are all alone. They might get into depressive situations that can easily get them into suicide. This is a painful condition whose effects on the patient can be very debilitating.
The first step towards giving help to people with the Crohn's disease is to understand how the disease changes one's life. You can benefit a lot from people who are going through the same problem. You can comfort each other through online or local forums. When engaging in online discussions, you should be sure that the support groups are going to offer you genuine emotional assistance.
Message boards are also important avenues through which one can seek support in the form of advice. As a Crohn's patient, you will want to know many things from people who have previously suffered from the condition. Moreover, you want to feel that you are not all alone in this problem. Chat rooms will give you a lot of comfort at time when you might be starting to feel that life's challenges are too many for you to handle.
When you are communicating with other patients, you will not feel embarrassed about talking about the intricate details of your condition. On the contrary, this gives you a feeling of reassurance and contentment with life. Sometimes, avoid message boards since they do not want to hear too many negative things relating to the Crohn's disease.
Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America is a Crohn's disease support group that offers these patients with the assistance that they need in the course of their treatment. The support group has chapters throughout the country. In case you are taking many medications, this is the best support group to seek membership. It is also through this support group that you will get information on the genetic, lifestyle and ethnicity factors of this disease and their implications on the treatment process.
Understanding the risks factors of this disease is an important step towards getting exposure to prevention measures. This enables patients to know which aspects of their lifestyles they should change in order to avoid getting into more complications. It is important to treat all flare-ups as they arise. Getting education on how the disease will change your life is an important step towards moving forward even when the doctor has broken the bad news relating to the outcome of the diagnosis.
People who suffer from the Crohn's disease always need support. If no help is forthcoming from friends, these patients might feel like they are all alone. They might get into depressive situations that can easily get them into suicide. This is a painful condition whose effects on the patient can be very debilitating.
The first step towards giving help to people with the Crohn's disease is to understand how the disease changes one's life. You can benefit a lot from people who are going through the same problem. You can comfort each other through online or local forums. When engaging in online discussions, you should be sure that the support groups are going to offer you genuine emotional assistance.
Message boards are also important avenues through which one can seek support in the form of advice. As a Crohn's patient, you will want to know many things from people who have previously suffered from the condition. Moreover, you want to feel that you are not all alone in this problem. Chat rooms will give you a lot of comfort at time when you might be starting to feel that life's challenges are too many for you to handle.
When you are communicating with other patients, you will not feel embarrassed about talking about the intricate details of your condition. On the contrary, this gives you a feeling of reassurance and contentment with life. Sometimes, avoid message boards since they do not want to hear too many negative things relating to the Crohn's disease.
Crohns and Colitis Foundation of America is a Crohn's disease support group that offers these patients with the assistance that they need in the course of their treatment. The support group has chapters throughout the country. In case you are taking many medications, this is the best support group to seek membership. It is also through this support group that you will get information on the genetic, lifestyle and ethnicity factors of this disease and their implications on the treatment process.
Understanding the risks factors of this disease is an important step towards getting exposure to prevention measures. This enables patients to know which aspects of their lifestyles they should change in order to avoid getting into more complications. It is important to treat all flare-ups as they arise. Getting education on how the disease will change your life is an important step towards moving forward even when the doctor has broken the bad news relating to the outcome of the diagnosis.
Crohn's Disease Doctors
Crohn's Disease Doctors
Crohn's disease, otherwise known as ulcerative colitis or inflammatory colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease meaning that an infection can be anywhere from the top of the esophagus going down to the rectum. The disease inflames the bowels no wonder it's first symptoms would be dead or deteriorating bowel tissues. Note that there is a difference between Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome, although many people tend to confuse the two. IBS and other gastrointestinal diseases are usually limited to the colon and intestines and lack the symptoms such as swelling and redness associated with Crohn's disease.
Crohn's disease doctors, who are known as gastroenterologists, advise that this condition mostly makes its first appearance in people between the ages 15-30, although some kids may exhibit early symptoms of the same. Note however that the disease can flare up later on in life, in combination with other age-related conditions. While the main cause of Crohn's disease is yet to be unraveled, crohn's disease doctors as well as researchers believe that it has a close relation to a reaction against a virus or a chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis.
This explains the reason why the disease is an autoimmune condition - the body itself generates the conditions required for a flare-up. Even though the condition is chronic, i.e. it will exist as long as someone suffering from it is alive; it is not a terminal disease. Note however that crohn's disease symptoms may obscure other medical conditions.
Since the disease is a chronic one, be advised that the symptoms may improve sometimes although they will never disappear completely. As such, it is highly advisable to find the right and most qualified Crohn's disease doctor to not only make the right diagnosis but supervise ongoing treatment. First of all you deserve a good doctor and secondly, because you'll be seeing a lot of the crohn's disease doctor, you would want to get someone friendlier, someone you can trust, and feel comfortable to be with.
Crohn's disease doctors are specialists in the digestive system and all digestive organs. Apart from qualifying from the medical school, taking a 3-year internal medicine residency, Crohn's disease doctors also spend 2-3 years in a fellowship program, where they work with patients who have digestive problems and complaints, for them to successfully complete their training. As such, you will always know that there are qualified practitioners out there to handle your chronic condition and advice on the best ways to manage it.
Crohn's disease, otherwise known as ulcerative colitis or inflammatory colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease meaning that an infection can be anywhere from the top of the esophagus going down to the rectum. The disease inflames the bowels no wonder it's first symptoms would be dead or deteriorating bowel tissues. Note that there is a difference between Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome, although many people tend to confuse the two. IBS and other gastrointestinal diseases are usually limited to the colon and intestines and lack the symptoms such as swelling and redness associated with Crohn's disease.
Crohn's disease doctors, who are known as gastroenterologists, advise that this condition mostly makes its first appearance in people between the ages 15-30, although some kids may exhibit early symptoms of the same. Note however that the disease can flare up later on in life, in combination with other age-related conditions. While the main cause of Crohn's disease is yet to be unraveled, crohn's disease doctors as well as researchers believe that it has a close relation to a reaction against a virus or a chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis.
This explains the reason why the disease is an autoimmune condition - the body itself generates the conditions required for a flare-up. Even though the condition is chronic, i.e. it will exist as long as someone suffering from it is alive; it is not a terminal disease. Note however that crohn's disease symptoms may obscure other medical conditions.
Since the disease is a chronic one, be advised that the symptoms may improve sometimes although they will never disappear completely. As such, it is highly advisable to find the right and most qualified Crohn's disease doctor to not only make the right diagnosis but supervise ongoing treatment. First of all you deserve a good doctor and secondly, because you'll be seeing a lot of the crohn's disease doctor, you would want to get someone friendlier, someone you can trust, and feel comfortable to be with.
Crohn's disease doctors are specialists in the digestive system and all digestive organs. Apart from qualifying from the medical school, taking a 3-year internal medicine residency, Crohn's disease doctors also spend 2-3 years in a fellowship program, where they work with patients who have digestive problems and complaints, for them to successfully complete their training. As such, you will always know that there are qualified practitioners out there to handle your chronic condition and advice on the best ways to manage it.
Crohn's Disease Children
Crohn's Disease Children
Crohn's disease for children is one of the incurable conditions affecting the area around the digestive tract. It has symptoms that are anything but painful and in case it is not treated, it can lead towards a very serious kind of condition later on. As much as children may not be the kind of age group mostly likely to start suffering from Crohn's, there is a potentially high risk in them getting the disease.
Adults and children are usually diagnosed with Crohn's through the use of some kind of diagnostic procedures. However, it has also been quite hard to differentiate Crohn's ailments from a host of many other disorders of the digestive tract. Once it has been pinpointed, you can seek treatment. As you deal with children, you have to recall that because it can affect nutrients absorption within the body, Crohn's could potentially annihilate development and growth in many young sufferers.
Also, children could experience some disruptions within their social and academic development as a result of frequent absence from going to school since Crohn does cause cramping and some severe cases of abdominal pain. It is thus important for any parent to know all the aspects that surround Crohn's disease as well as the ability to relate these cases to their own children. The communication process is not only crucial for Crohn's disease for children sufferers with risks of growth but also for desired sexual maturity.
In addition, because the complications are mostly treated using some forms of medications at a rather early age, it might as a result of pharmaceutical drugs, become really prevalent. A very common medication treatment is aminosalicylates, used in the treatment of moderate to mild cases. Other medications such as corticosteroids are reserved for those severe cases in the reduction of inflammation as well as hopefully driving the condition into clear remission. However, corticosteroids are largely effective where they also lead to some very serious mental and physical side effects.
Because the common medical theory on the causes of Crohn's is digestive tract infection, most medical practitioners use antibiotics in the treatment of the disease. An often acceptable Crohn's disease cause is a response to an autoimmune in ones body. In counteracting this rather over-aggressive body response, there are some immune suppressants that are sometimes offered or prescribed in ratcheting down the child's body ability towards attacking itself.
Crohn's disease for children is one of the incurable conditions affecting the area around the digestive tract. It has symptoms that are anything but painful and in case it is not treated, it can lead towards a very serious kind of condition later on. As much as children may not be the kind of age group mostly likely to start suffering from Crohn's, there is a potentially high risk in them getting the disease.
Adults and children are usually diagnosed with Crohn's through the use of some kind of diagnostic procedures. However, it has also been quite hard to differentiate Crohn's ailments from a host of many other disorders of the digestive tract. Once it has been pinpointed, you can seek treatment. As you deal with children, you have to recall that because it can affect nutrients absorption within the body, Crohn's could potentially annihilate development and growth in many young sufferers.
Also, children could experience some disruptions within their social and academic development as a result of frequent absence from going to school since Crohn does cause cramping and some severe cases of abdominal pain. It is thus important for any parent to know all the aspects that surround Crohn's disease as well as the ability to relate these cases to their own children. The communication process is not only crucial for Crohn's disease for children sufferers with risks of growth but also for desired sexual maturity.
In addition, because the complications are mostly treated using some forms of medications at a rather early age, it might as a result of pharmaceutical drugs, become really prevalent. A very common medication treatment is aminosalicylates, used in the treatment of moderate to mild cases. Other medications such as corticosteroids are reserved for those severe cases in the reduction of inflammation as well as hopefully driving the condition into clear remission. However, corticosteroids are largely effective where they also lead to some very serious mental and physical side effects.
Because the common medical theory on the causes of Crohn's is digestive tract infection, most medical practitioners use antibiotics in the treatment of the disease. An often acceptable Crohn's disease cause is a response to an autoimmune in ones body. In counteracting this rather over-aggressive body response, there are some immune suppressants that are sometimes offered or prescribed in ratcheting down the child's body ability towards attacking itself.
Crohn's Disease Awareness
Crohn's Disease Awareness
The best way to raise awareness about Crohn's disease is to start from the bottom and move upwards. You should begin by spreading the message at home and then moving on to reach out to the local community. After that, you can move on and spread the message of hope to the entire nation. This digestive tract illness has been carefully studied by scientists only that they do not seem to have stumbled on a cure yet.
It helps a lot to sit down and discuss the disease with patients from your community. Printed information lends credence to the information that you will discuss with the patients. The world is full of conversational opportunities. Make use of these opportunities in order to send a message of hope to Crohn's disease sufferers. There are many challenges that come with the disease. All that patients want is a voice of hope that makes them feel that they still have an important place in the societies in which they live.
The most important thing about Crohn's disease awareness is that it should be based on facts rather than rumors. Support groups with a national appeal should be used to spread this message across different states. Members of these groups can be sufferers or visionary leaders who have noble mission of helping patients overcome stigma, depression and the pain dominates their lives.
Advocacy groups that deal with digestive diseases also handle issues relating to the Crohn's disease. You can seek for advice on how to compose promotional materials that many people will readily associate with. You may also find it a good idea to write to the local congressmen and senators, reminding them about the need to support 500,000 Americans who suffer from the condition today. You should invite these senators to campaigns aimed at raising funds for helping these patients. These leaders should also be reminded about the need to set up more funds for research on the disease.
Media attention always goes a long way towards bringing the issue of Crohn's disease on the limelight. Media houses can even sponsor fund-raisers meant to assist people who suffer from this disease. Once the sponsors have been attracted, it might be necessary to invite a celebrity to come and grace the occasion. In case you research on progress of contemporary research on the disease and publish the report in the newspapers, you will be amazed at the effectiveness of this action in raising awareness on the Crohn's disease.
The best way to raise awareness about Crohn's disease is to start from the bottom and move upwards. You should begin by spreading the message at home and then moving on to reach out to the local community. After that, you can move on and spread the message of hope to the entire nation. This digestive tract illness has been carefully studied by scientists only that they do not seem to have stumbled on a cure yet.
It helps a lot to sit down and discuss the disease with patients from your community. Printed information lends credence to the information that you will discuss with the patients. The world is full of conversational opportunities. Make use of these opportunities in order to send a message of hope to Crohn's disease sufferers. There are many challenges that come with the disease. All that patients want is a voice of hope that makes them feel that they still have an important place in the societies in which they live.
The most important thing about Crohn's disease awareness is that it should be based on facts rather than rumors. Support groups with a national appeal should be used to spread this message across different states. Members of these groups can be sufferers or visionary leaders who have noble mission of helping patients overcome stigma, depression and the pain dominates their lives.
Advocacy groups that deal with digestive diseases also handle issues relating to the Crohn's disease. You can seek for advice on how to compose promotional materials that many people will readily associate with. You may also find it a good idea to write to the local congressmen and senators, reminding them about the need to support 500,000 Americans who suffer from the condition today. You should invite these senators to campaigns aimed at raising funds for helping these patients. These leaders should also be reminded about the need to set up more funds for research on the disease.
Media attention always goes a long way towards bringing the issue of Crohn's disease on the limelight. Media houses can even sponsor fund-raisers meant to assist people who suffer from this disease. Once the sponsors have been attracted, it might be necessary to invite a celebrity to come and grace the occasion. In case you research on progress of contemporary research on the disease and publish the report in the newspapers, you will be amazed at the effectiveness of this action in raising awareness on the Crohn's disease.
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