Crohns Disease is only one of many inflammatory bowel diseases that can attack the digestive tract. At the moment there is no cure for Crohns. However medical knowledge is constantly expanding and with ongoing and increasing research into the problem, it is to be expected that a cure will be found, hopefully in the near future. At any one time there are five hundred thousand people in the USA who are managing Crohns disease. It is therefore still classified as a rare disease.

Crohns disease is prevalent in quite young people between the ages of 15 and 30. Of course it does also occur in younger and older people than this age range. The group with the highest prevalence of Crohns appear to be Jews of Northern European descent – or Ashkenazi Jews. It is rarely found in Blacks. Crohns disease affects people all over the world.

Dr. Burrill B. Crohn conducted early research into the disease and he and his team of researchers found that the disease affected the layers of the intestinal lining. They also discovered that if left untreated, the disease could penetrate the wall of the intestines themselves. This leads to serious complications. However, if discovered early enough and treated properly most people with Crohns disease will never reach this very serious stage.

It is commonly thought that Crohns is caused by a malfunction of the autoimmune system.  It appears that the autoimmune defences of the body malfunction and mistake the digestive track for a foreign body and attack it. This means that the body actually turns on itself and begins to attack tissue that is not threatening the body at all.  Another theory is that Crohns is caused by infections in the intestinal lining. However, the disease is also thought by some to be hereditary and passed on through genetics.  It is of course possible that Crohns is caused by all of these things contributing in some, as yet, unknown way.

It is fairly difficult to diagnose Crohns Disease because the disease often mimics other bowel conditions and shares common symptoms.  In order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis your doctor will usually put you through a variety of tests. There are 5 distinct types of Crohns disease itself and they all share common symptoms, so even if Crohns is suspected it is often a difficult process to determine exactly which type of the disease is to be treated.

Sometimes Crohns Disease comes and goes in a cyclical manner, so that there are periods where the symptoms are active and other times of complete remission. Periods of remission can last months and even years, sometimes causing sufferers to be lulled into complacency. It is important therefore for Crohns sufferers to always take proper care of their health.

It is likely, because you are reading this, that you or someone close to you has or may have Crohns. It’s a smart thing to do the research you are currently undertaking and read as much as you can about the disease, how its diagnosed and its possible treatments. 

However, it is vitally important that you understand that the information contained in this article is not to be mistaken for professional medical advice. It is merely useful background information. You simply must take advice from a suitably qualified and experienced health professional.

You may wish to read of the experiences of other sufferers or to consider the steps taken by other Crohns sufferers to mitigate the disease. Further information and links to authoritative sites can be found here.

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