Crohn’s disease

Crohn’s is one of the main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It’s a lifelong condition and it’s usually progressive. But, with help from their care team, many people with Crohn’s can manage their symptoms and have active lives.

Ana Living with Crohn’s

Crohn’s is an autoimmune disease

With Crohn’s, your immune system attacks the lining of your digestive tract by mistake. It can affect any part of your digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. It commonly impacts the end of the small intestine and beginning of the large intestine. Inflammation can affect all layers of the intestinal wall and can skip between areas of the gut. That means there may be patches of healthy tissue in between diseased areas. It’s unclear why your immune system attacks healthy cells, but your genetics and environment likely play a role in triggering this immune response.

What are some of the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?

Some Crohn’s symptoms overlap with other types of IBD, but there are some that are specific. These include diarrhea that typically isn’t bloody, malnutrition, and mouth sores. It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider about any symptoms that are bothering you.

Diarrhea or changes in bowel movements

Malnutrition

Mouth sores

Abdominal pain (or stomach pain or cramping)

Fatigue

Nausea

Weight loss

Causes and risk factors

Like all types of IBD, the exact cause of Crohn’s isn’t clear.

A person may develop Crohn’s due to the interaction between the genes they inherit from their parents and environmental factors (such as where they live and their lifestyle). Together, these factors could trigger an immune response.

Severity and progression

Because Crohn’s typically gets worse over time in many patients, you and your healthcare team will probably keep a close eye on it. This is true even if you’re currently not having symptoms. Monitoring may include specific blood and stool tests and/or procedures such as a colonoscopy. These tests and procedures help determine and monitor the severity and progression of your disease. In combination with other factors, they can also help assess if your treatment is working.

Learn about monitoring Crohn’s

How Crohn’s can affect your body

Crohn’s can affect any part of your digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus.

Maybe you’ve heard someone talk about extraintestinal manifestations, or EIMs. Simply put, these are ways Crohn’s can affect your body beyond the gut.

Here are a few of the most commonly affected areas:

Mouth

Sores can develop

Abdomen

Nausea and stomach pain or cramping

Intestines

Diarrhea or changes in bowel movements, malnutrition, and unexplained weight loss

Eyes

Inflammation of the eyes

Liver and gallbladder

Gallstones, infection in or scarring of the bile ducts

Kidneys

Kidney stones, urinary tract infections, and swollen kidneys

Joints

Arthritis in various joints

Skin

Painful, red, or pus-filled bumps

Whole body

Feeling more tired than usual

How Crohn’s disease is:

Diagnosed

Diagnosed

There’s no single medical test for Crohn’s, but a physical exam, diagnostic tests, evaluations, and certain procedures can lead to a diagnosis.

Managed

Managed

Living with Crohn’s means it’s not always possible to be symptom-free. But there are things you can do that may help manage flare-ups.

Treated

Treated

It’s important to work with your care team to ensure your approach to treatment works for you.

Marilyn Living with Crohn’s

After living with Crohn’s for so many years, I found my voice. See Marilyn’s story

Featured
resource

Crohn’s brochure

Understand what Crohn’s disease is, how it’s different from ulcerative colitis, and how it’s treated and monitored.

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