Crohn's Disease: Gastrointestinal T

Crohn 's disease, named after Dr. Burrill B. Crohn, is a disease that causes chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. In 1932, Dr. Crohn, together with colleagues Dr. Leon Ginzburg and Dr. Gordon D. Oppenheimer, discovered the disease. In a paper written by these scientists, the disease was described as, “a disease of the terminal ileum affecting many young adults.” Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and is very similar to Ulcerative Colitis, another chronic inflammatory disease. Ulcerative Colitis affects only the colon, while Crohn’s disease can affect any region of the gastrointestinal tract, from the mouth to the anus. Crohn’s disease can make life very difficult for those who have it and while

The disease can affect any age, but mostly appears in adults younger than thirty years old. Caucasians and people of Eastern Europe Jewish descent are more likely to inherit the disease while males and females are equally vulnerable. Also, twenty percent of people with Crohn’s disease are related to someone in their family with the same disease. Studies show that Crohn’s disease is more common in urban areas, due to the increased appeal for fatty or refined foods, which can irritate the digestive

People with the disease experience diarrhea, fever, fatigue, abdominal pain, cramping, internal bleeding, mouth sores, reduced appetite and weight loss. Many affected by Crohn’s disease possess a low-grade fever and low energy. Severe abdominal pain and cramping is caused by inflammation clogging the digestive tract. This same inflammation causes a loss of weight and decreased appetite, because of the lack of efficiency in breaking down and absorbing food. In children, a delay in growth or sexual development is possible. Also, internal bleeding can cause bloody waste, and more severe problems if left untreated. Living with Crohn’s disease is like walking through a minefield, since you never know when your symptoms will