EMMED

Definition

Crohn disease is a disease where parts of the digestive tract become inflamed.

• It most often involves the lower end of the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine.

• It may also occur in any part of the digestive system from the mouth to the end of the rectum (anus).

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Causes

The exact cause of Crohn disease is unknown. It occurs when your body's immune system mistakenly attacks and destroys healthy body tissue (autoimmune disorder).

When parts of the digestive tract remain swollen or inflamed, the walls of the intestines become thickened.

Factors that may play a role in Crohn disease include:

• Your genes and family history. (People who are white or of Eastern European Jewish descent are at a higher risk.)

• Environmental factors.

• Tendency of your body to over-react to normal bacteria in the intestines.

• Smoking.

Crohn disease may occur at any age. It mostly begins in people between ages 15 and 35.

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Symptoms

Symptoms depend on the part of the digestive tract involved. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go, with periods of flare-ups.

The main symptoms of Crohn disease are:

• Crampy pain in the abdomen (belly area).

• Fever.

• Fatigue.

• Loss of appetite and weight loss.

• Feeling that you need to pass stools, even though your bowels are already empty. It may involve straining, pain, and cramping.

• Watery diarrhea, which may be bloody.

Other symptoms may include:

• Constipation

• Sores or swelling in the eyes

• Draining of pus, mucus, or stools from around the rectum or anus (caused by something called a fistula)

• Joint pain and swelling

• Mouth ulcers

• Rectal bleeding and bloody stools

• Swollen gums

• Tender, red bumps (nodules) under the skin, which may turn into skin ulcers