Early Signs of Crohn’s Disease

The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain, diarrhea, and may include fever.

What is Crohn’s Disease ?

Crohn’s (or Crohn) disease is a disease that usually affects the small intestine and less commonly the colon, but it is capable of involving the remainder of the gastrointestinal tract – the mouth, esophagus, and stomach. The chronic inflammation that is the basis of Crohn’s disease causes ulceration, swelling, and scarring of the parts of the intestine that it involves. Other names for Crohn’s disease include granulomatous enteritis, regional enteritis, ileitis, and granulomatous colitis when it involves the colon.

What Causes Crohn’s Disease ?

The cause of the chronic inflammation in Crohn’s disease is unknown. The leading theory is that inflammation is initiated by bacteria that reside within the intestine. Whereas most inflammation usually is suppressed and the disease caused by the inflammation subsides, in Crohn’s disease the inflammation is not suppressed, and the inflammation continues. The continuing inflammation probably occurs because of environmental factors (i.e., the bacteria) as well as genetic factors that affect the immune system.

How Does Crohn’s Disease Affect the Intestines ?

The first signs of Crohn’s disease are small ulcers, called aphthous ulcers, caused by breaks in the lining of the intestine due to inflammation. The ulcers become larger and deeper. With the expansion of the ulcers comes swelling of the tissue, and finally scarring of the intestine that causes stiffness and narrowing. Ultimately, the narrowing can cause obstruction to the flow of digesting food through the intestines. The deepening ulcers can fully penetrate the intestinal wall and enter nearby structures such as the urinary bladder, vagina, and other parts of the intestine. These penetrating tracts of inflammation are called fistulas.

Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease

The most common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain and diarrhea. Other signs of inflammation frequently are present including fever and abdominal tenderness. Because symptoms can be worsened by eating, the intake of food is reduced, and this leads to loss of weight, and, less commonly, nutritional deficiencies. Slow continuous loss of blood into the intestine that may not even be recognizable in the stool can lead to iron deficiency anemia.

Treating Crohn’s Disease

Treatment of Crohn’s disease is directed at reducing inflammation – treating flares in the activity of the disease, and maintaining remissions. The type of medication that is used depends on the severity of the inflammation and how well the disease responds to initial treatment. If inflammation does not decrease with initial treatment, more powerful medications are used though the risks for serious side effects increase. With severe disease, the more powerful medications may be used immediately.

Moles

Although the term mole may cover a variety of different sorts of skin growths, most often it refers to a localized accumulation of pigment-producing cells called melanocytes. These are generally uniform in color and round in shape. Melanocytic nevi (moles) range in color from beige to black, they’re <½ inch in diameter, and are often located on sun-exposed skin. Poorly pigmented individuals may have an average of 35 of these growths by the time they are 35 years old. These are benign lesions but can be confused with various pigmented skin cancers. Pigmented lesions that itch, bleed, or grow could be cause for concern.