Top 10 Things You Should Know About Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease (CD) is a condition that is still stumping the very best doctors in the world. So how are the people who live with it every day going to learn what's most important? Following is my top 10 list of what everyone with CD should know about this condition.

1. CD is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) which also includes ulcerative colitis.
2. Symptoms of CD can include:
   • Chronic diarrhea.
   • Fever.
   • Abdominal pain.
   • Weight loss.
   • Lack of appetite.
3. Frequent diarrhea can lead to dehydration and nutritional deficiencies.
4. Extra-intestinal symptoms can include:
   • Eye inflammation.
   • Joint pains.
   • Skin rashes or lesions.
   • Fistulas.
   • Fissures.
5. Scientists are not certain what causes CD, so it is known as an idiopathic disease, or a disease with unknown cause.
6. Anywhere from 40% to 60% of CD patients who have disease in the small bowel will have surgery in the first 10 years after diagnosis.
7. People who smoke, or who have smoked in the past, have a higher risk of developing CD.
8. People with CD are at an increased risk of colorectal cancer over the general population. However, more than 90% of people with IBD never develop cancer.
9. NSAIDs (Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen sodium can cause inflammation and worsen bleeding in the small intestine. People with CD should consult with their gastroenterologist before taking NSAIDs, even those available over the counter.
10. A healthy pregnancy and baby are both possible. For women with UC and CD in remission, the risk of miscarriage, stillbirth and congenital abnormality are the same as those for healthy women.