Crohn’s disease is a painful condition that affects the digestive system. It is one of many forms of irritable bowel disease (IBD) and is one of the most common. People with Crohn’s disease experience swelling and irritation of the digestive tract, which leads to chronic pain and inflammation.
In most cases, people with Crohn’s disease experience diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, and acid reflux, especially when they consume certain foods and beverages. In severe cases, Crohn’s disease can even cause rectal bleeding and lead to other more serious digestive disorders.
Unfortunately, there is currently no permanent cure for Crohn’s disease. Once you have Crohn’s, you will have it for life. However, there are several treatments that can help reduce the inflammation and swelling in your digestive tract and help you live a normal life. Even so, people with Crohn’s disease typically have to make lifestyle and dietary changes to keep their condition in check.
Treatment for Crohn’s disease will vary from person to person. In most cases, however, it will involve medications. Several different types of medications can help with your condition, and you will often need several of them.
Steroids are often the first medication that you will be prescribed if you have Crohn’s disease. Steroids are medications that reduce inflammation and swelling in the digestive system and are sometimes all you will need. Daily steroids, such as prednisone or budesonide, can reduce and prevent inflammation and are your best treatment option.
The root cause of Crohn’s disease is that your immune system is mistakenly attacking itself. As such, prescription immunomodulators, such as azathioprine and methotrexate, can suppress your immune system and keep it from causing inflammation in your digestive tract.
In some cases, Crohn’s disease can also stem from too much of certain types of protein in your system. To keep these proteins in check, you may need biologics, such as vedolizumab or infliximab.
One of the more serious potential complications of Crohn’s disease is that it will lead to infections within the digestive system. If this happens, you will need antibiotics, such as ciprofloxacin or metronidazole, to take care of your infection and keep it from spreading.
Depending on the specific symptoms that Crohn’s disease causes, you may benefit from additional medications. This can include anti-diarrhoea medications, antacids, and pain relievers to help with diarrhoea, acid reflux, and the chronic stomach aches that Crohn’s can cause.
Because most of the symptoms and inflammation of Crohn’s disease are caused by the things you eat and drink, certain dietary and lifestyle changes will be necessary. Most doctors recommend eating a low-fibre, high-protein diet. It is also important to stay away from spicy, fatty, and fried foods, as well as nicotine and alcohol. People with Crohn’s disease will also benefit from exercise and getting plenty of sleep, as these can both help with inflammation.
In most cases, medications and dietary changes are enough to take care of Crohn’s disease. In some cases, however, Crohn’s can cause complications that require surgery to repair. Surgery can also help mitigate the symptoms of Crohn’s. Surgery could include removing damaged portions of your digestive tract, repairing damage due to infections, or draining infected fistulas. However, as with medications, surgery is not a permanent cure.
Crohn’s disease is one of the most common inflammatory bowel diseases in South Africa and across the world. While it often does not cause life-threatening symptoms or complications, it can severely reduce your quality of life. Therefore, if you are struggling with the symptoms of Crohn’s disease, go to your doctor for a diagnosis. They will get you on a treatment plan that can help you live your best and healthiest life.