What is Crohn’s Disease?

What is Crohn’s Disease? You could be searching this for yourself, a family member or you heard someone talking about it. Although you reached my website by searching chrons disease or chrons disease symptoms (which is why I title it incorrectly) the disease is actually named after Dr. Burrill Benard Crohn therfore the correct spelling is Crohn’s.

What is Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory condition that is referred to as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, ileitis or enteritis granulomatous enteritis or colitis, regional enteritis, ileitis, or terminal ileitis. Basically this disease was named for where the inflammation most commonly occurs, however Crohn’s disease affects the entire digestive tract.

Men, women and children can be inflicted with Crohn’s disease at any time. As much as I want to say that it has a tendency to run in families, there are instances where there is no family history connection. Although before I get a brick thrown at me, there is research indicating that there is a strong affiliation and studies show there are higher instances in people of Jewish heritage.

Studies also show that there is a combination of environmental factors and genetic predisposition, especially in the industrialized nations. Smoking, diet, bacteria, contraception’s, stress and outlook on life has not been ruled out as possible triggers of a flare up or developing Crohn’s disease. What is really interesting is the fact that the medical profession has not made the connection to the possibility of a nutrient deficiency, or enzyme deficiency or the lack of intestinal flora as a possible trigger to developing Crohn’s. In other words, there is no one certain cause for the development of Crohn’s disease and in my research all factors including diet must be considered for alleviation of symptoms and flare ups.

Crohn’s disease affects all parts of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus.  The sub mucosa and mucosa of the small intestines and the colon are generally found to have patchy cobblestone appearances and granulomatous inflammation. In other words there are mass-like immune cells that have formed in attempts to protect it from foreign substances, and in this case it is the immune system, causing an inflammatory reaction. An inflammatory response is basically damaged tissue from an invading bacteria, virus, fungi or antigen that the body responds to by increasing blood flow to allow for neutrophils, lymphocytes and leukocytes to ward off infection and inflammation and to bring ions, water and nutrients to the site for repair. If all goes well, the foreign invaders are destroyed and cleaned up through a process called phagocytosis. In a healthy state the tissue is repaired and inflammation subsides. In the case of Crohn’s disease, additional mediators are activated and in time the white blood cells lose their ability to destroy the invasions leading to a constant immune response that slowly degrades the entire immune system leading to an autoimmune state resulting in chronic inflammation and ulceration affecting all layers of the small intestines.

Unfortunately with a mired of environmental factors, this process does not always happen in this manner. By the time you were diagnosed with Crohn’s disease you probably had been suffering for months if not years with symptoms. I know I suffered throughout my child hood, with digestive and vague symptoms becoming chronic in my teens and finally at 19 years old with severe symptoms of Chrons disease I was diagnosed.

I suffered most of my life with constipation, stomach troubles and gas. By the time I got into high school I was experiencing terrible cramping and pain in my lower pelvic area to the point I would be doubled over in pain. When I was diagnosed I had uncontrollable diarrhea, weight loss, tired and depressed. My college days were filled with pain, cramping, anal abscesses, fissures and fistulas. My early 20’s-30’s were pain, cramping, constipation, diarrhea, and a bowel obstruction and resection. And later, another bowel resection, anal abscess Vaginal fistula and temporary colostomy. I have experienced a lot-one too many!

Our remedies oft in ourselves do lie ~William Shakespeare

Yes Crohn’s can become quite serious with a mired of complications like lesions on the skin, bowel obstructions, bowel surgeries, abscess, fissures and fistulas. But there is the chance as well to overcome all of this. I am not saying it will happen overnight. But if there is a will there is a way. I know this sounds crazy  and it might even make you angry, but there are too many people out there who have overcome Crohn’s like myself.

What makes them different from you? Nothing really. Why were they the lucky ones? They were not. They and myself are just like you, except for one thing; determination to want to get better.  Do you want to feel better? Do you want to get better? Can you find the determination to want to get better? That is all you need to get started; determination!

Do you want to have more energy?
Do you want to decrease bathroom trips?
Do you want to end your imprisonment to the loo?
Do you want to decrease aches and pains?

DETERMINATION: You are in the right place at the right time.

Ask yourself this; has anything you have been doing up to this moment make you feel like jumping out of bed feeling refreshed and invigorated? If not, it is time to seek out new information and try something new (and you can start right here with some one who no longer suffers from Crohn’s Disease). Add a little knowledge every day and soon you will have your own tool box full of stuff to help you feel better and help you along your journey to living pain and symptom free. Seriously, ask yourself does that not sound great?

I am not asking you to dump your doctors, or your medications. What I am asking is that you have an open mind, try something different and take responsibility for making your self feel good.

When the medical community and IBD organizations say there is no cure…They are right! Incurable means Cure within

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Check out some more information on Crohn’s Disease

Introduction to Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s Disease Symptoms
Crohn’s Disease Resources
Check out the  latest on Crohn’s Disease through my blog

Featured Photo: Shouting Man by Chrisroll FreeDigitalPhotos.net

article is for the sole purposes of entertainment and education.The information provided here has not been evaluated or approved by the FDA and is not intended as a substitute for consulting with your physician. This video and/or article is not recommending changing any treatment or medication you are currently taking without consulting with your personal physician or qualified health care practitioner. Before implementing any suggestions seen here please consult with your physician or qualified health care practitioner. This video and/or