Crohn’s disease – Understanding its meaning
Dr.Kut | Feb 14, 2010 | Comments 0
Crohn’s disease is the name of an inflammatory disease of the digestive track which can affect a person anywhere from the mouth to the anus, but it is most common in the ileum and the large intestines. This disease has been named after the famous American physician, Burrell Crohn, who discovered the disease in 1932.
The symptoms of Crohn’s disease can include diarrhea and digestive problems and in its acute stage, it becomes very difficult for the patient to eat anything or to be able to digest the food that he tries to take. The inflammation can create acute pain, hemorrhoids, and lipid absorption problems. The patient will naturally suffer from fever, and anemia may also happen in cases where the bleeding is too severe. If this disease affects children, then this will affect the growth of the child in many ways as well.
There are many studies being conducted of the best possible methods of treating Crohn’s disease; however there are medications available for this inflammatory condition, and dietary precautions to be taken into consideration as well. In more severe cases surgery may become inevitable.
Acute cases of Crohn’s disease can also include the use of steroids, however, this therapy is not really recommended due to the side effects of long terms steroids usage in the system. Complications due to high usage of steroids include problems like diabetes, hypertension, glaucoma, osteoporosis, and other psychological issues as well.
There are some drugs that are commonly used for the treatment of chronic Crohn’s disease like, Salicylates, Aminosalicylic acid compounds, mesa amine, olsalazine, and balsalazide. In severe cases mercaptopurine and methotrexate are also given to patients.
There are many drugs that are into trials at present and they include thalidomide.
Surgery may be a necessary measure to bring some kind of relief to the patient suffering from chronic Crohn’s disease; however, this does not stop the disease from reappearing again where the operation was performed.
A patient suffering from Crohn’s disease needs to take serious precautions in regards to his diet. Special care need to be taken that he does not eat dairy products, high fiber foods, hot spicy foods, alcohol and caffeine and foods containing saturated fats. However, fish oil may be helpful in many cases. Other foods to be avoided include, gluten foods, vegetables that produce gases like the cabbage family, dried fruits, high sugar fruits like grapes and watermelons, and carbonated drinks.
It is therefore advised to take lots of liquid diets to keep the body hydrated, soups and fruit juices with low contain of sugars and high protein low fat meats. It is also recommended to eat small and frequent meals.
Probiotics may prove to be very beneficial to help the healing process of Crohn’s diseases. Some recent studies on helminthic therapy are coming up with some very interesting discoveries on the reasons for the Crohn’s disease to appear on the first place. It is said that lack of worms due to high hygiene standards can cause the inflammatory conditions in the digestive track in the first place.
Therefore, they believe that introduction of helminthes in the digestive track can help regularize the immune system and may actually be the best remedy for Crohn’s disease. However, the study is in its way and it may be some time before this is totally proven.
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