Crohn’s Disease, unlike ulcerative colitis, may affect any region of the digestive system. From the mouth to the anus, depending on which area of the body is affected, there are different types of Crohn’s Disease. Each encompasses slightly different symptoms and varies in intensity. You should be familiar with the various forms as your doctor may refer to your condition as one of the following five types of Crohn’s Disease.

The most common type of Crohn’s is Ileocolitis, which affects the ileum, or lower part of the small intestine, and colon. Common symptoms experienced with this type is pain or cramping in the lower right part or middle of the abdomen, as well as diarrhea and weight loss. As with the other forms, as a result of inflammation, damage to the intestinal wall is common and may cause additional complications.

Another form is Ileitis, which only affects the lower part of the small intestine, or ileum. There are similar symptoms as Ileocolitis, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and may include the formation of ulcerations or abscesses in the lower right area of the abdomen. Weight loss may also occur as a result of excessive diarrhea.

Gastroduodenal Crohn’s Disease, on the other hand, involves the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum, and the stomach. Loss of appetite usually occurs, as well as weight loss as a result, and nausea. Vomiting may also occur and be a sign of bowel obstruction. This form is particularly difficult to deal with as it affects nutritional intake and may lead to malnutrition.

Jejunoileitis is another type and causes inflammation in the upper half of the small intestine in patches. Abdominal pain is common, as with most forms of Crohn’s disease, but may vary from mild to intense. Pain usually occurs after meals and may include diarrhea. Fistulas may also form. If fistulas or abscesses form, they may lead to other complications as well.

Crohn’s (granulomatous) colitis affects the colon only and not any other part of the intestines. Because of the effect on the lower digestive system, rectal bleeding is common, in addition to anal disease, such as ulcers, abscess, and fistulas. Other symptoms include diarrhea as well as joint pain and skin lesions, which may occur in other forms on Crohn’s but is more common in this type. This form, in particular, is easily misdiagnosed as ulcerative colitis, because both disorders affect the colon.

About The Author: Sarah Jenkins is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

Diagnosing Crohn’s Disease is often a difficult process. Because it mimics other diseases, Crohn’s may appear to be a myriad of other ailments. Likewise, the symptoms experienced vary from patient to patient, so there are no set guidelines to follow or sings that intrinsically point to Crohn’s.

There is not a single to test to establish the existence of Crohn’s Disease definitively. However, there are several procedures that are done to ascertain if Crohn’s, as well as other digestive tract disorders, are at fault for symptoms being experienced. One such area of examination is stool samples. It must first be determined that the inflammation in the bowels is not the result of an infection. With Crohn’s, inflammation occurs as though there is an infection, but none exists. Therefore, obtaining this information may rule out many possible culprits.

Other tests that may be done are blood tests, a colonoscopy, a flexible sigmoidoscopy, a barium enema, small bowel x-rays, a capsule endoscopy, or a CT scan.

Blood tests may be used to check for signs of infection as well as anemia. As stated above, the existence of an infection would rule out Crohn’s disease. However, if anemia is present, Crohn’s may be more likely. One of the possible symptoms of Crohn’s Disease is rectal and intestinal bleeding. Due to this excessive blood loss, many people will become anemic. Therefore, the existence or nonexistence of anemia is another step in diagnosing digestive disorders.

Another option is a colonoscopy. This procedure is done with the insertion of a lighted tube with an attached camera through the rectum into the colon to check for signs of Crohn’s Disease. However, there are risks to this procedure, including perforating the colon wall and bleeding as a result. Another consideration is that Crohn’s Disease may only occur in the small intestine and not the colon; therefore this procedure would be ineffective in that case.

Similar to a colonoscopy is a flexible sigmoidoscopy, which is the long tube without the camera. The doctor would check for similar things as in a colonoscopy and the same side effects exist. However, this procedure can only examine the last two feet of your colon and would be ineffective on diagnosing problems in higher regions.

A barium enema may be used to provide a silhouette o the digestive tract through an x-ray after barium is inserted in enema form. This, like the other tests that are used, is not as effective as a colonoscopy but may provide valuable clues.

About The Author: Sarah Jenkins is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.

Crohn’s Disease is a difficult disorder for those that suffer from it, both physically and mentally. This disorder causes inflammation of the intestines, which can be very painful, as well as other physical side effects that can be wearisome emotionally.

In the list of physical side effects associated with Crohn’s Disease there are diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, ulcers, intestinal bleeding, loss of appetite, and malnutrition. Basically, what takes place is the intestines swell; as a result, certain areas of the walls develop sores which bleed; the inflammation is painful as well as the ulcers that form. Because during the swelling process excess water and salt are released, sufferers experience diarrhea as the body tries to expel extra fluid.

All of the physical characteristics of Crohn’s Disease are painful and challenging. However, dealing with the pain of a chronic illness is often detrimental to one’s mental state as well.

Misconceptions regarding the cause of Crohn’s Disease also fuel the emotional distress of sufferers. For years, people have been inaccurately told emotions play a role in Crohn’s Disease and other inflammatory bowel disorders – either that it was a figment of their imaginations or brought on by mental unstableness; neither of which are true.

Another difficult aspect to deal with is the strain and embarrassment of excessive diarrhea and gas. When out in public, sudden urges to go to the restroom that sometimes lead to accidents are humiliating. Other people rarely understand the depth of the disorder.

Likewise, people do not typically understand the amount of pain experienced by someone with Crohn’s. Either met with disbelief or misunderstanding, sufferers typically feel as though they must constantly explain themselves and a disorder they would probably rather keep private.

Many of the physical side effects of Crohn’s can be treated with medication or surgery. The fact that no cure exists can be disheartening, but help is available. The important thing for people suffering from Crohn’s to remember is that they are not alone, their symptoms are treatable, and they do not have to suffer the effects of Crohn’s Disease indefinitely.

When symptoms flare up, sufferers should seek the care and advice of a physician. If the emotional stress of the disorder becomes unbearable or too much to handle, psychological help may be needed as well. Getting help from a trained professional familiar with the effects of chronic illness may be very helpful in helping sufferers of the disease cope with their circumstances. More information on coping with this disease is available in ebook 2 of “A Complete Guide to Crohn’s Disease and Possible Treatments.”

About The Author: Sarah Jenkins is an acclaimed writer on medical matters, and has written extensively on the subjects of Attention Deficit Disorder, Bird Flu and Crohn’s Disease.

For more of her articles, go to http://www.imedicalvillage.com now.