Crohn's disease is very perplexing to those who have it, and also to those who treat it. There is no known cause, and there seems to be no cure. It is also hard to diagnose, as it is often confused with other problematic conditions that happen in the digestive system. Most cases are diagnosed long after the condition has gotten to severe stages, and that means a person is already pretty frustrated once they know what is really going on. When someone asks, "What is Crohn's disease," they should be ready to hear a different answer from each different person. It is something that is most commonly first diagnosed after age ten and before age twenty, but any adult might get it as well.

This condition attacks the digestive system. Most cases appear in the intestinal tract, but it can happen along any part of this system. This is considered to be an auto-immunity problem. That means the body is misinterpreting data and mistakenly attacking itself, and that leads to inflammation and damage to the area. This damage leads to the troubling symptoms that most Crohn's patients have to contend with on a regular basis.

Though there is no cure for the condition, there are many treatment options patients can embark upon. There are many medicines that have some helpful qualities, and diet changes can help, at times surgery will be needed. Some think that stress relief plays a part in recovery, and others like to try herbal and other natural courses of treatment when medications fail.

Crohn's disease is hard to diagnose because it mimics other less-serious conditions. A doctor may at first think a person has IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and is then sent home with simple remedies. The most common symptoms are loose stools on a regular basis, occasional vomiting, pain and cramping throughout the digestive system, weight loss, and fatigue. These can all lead to a loss of quality of life. The symptoms each patient has will be different from everyone else. No two cases seem to be identical, though there are similarities in all of them. This is a chronic disease, which means it will be for a lifetime, but there are times when it can go into remission.

In advanced stages, the inflammation will do many different things to the digestive tract. This leads to a host of problems. Blockage can occur, and on the flip side, food may move through the system so quickly that the body cannot take the nutrients that it needs to function. There are intestinal tears that can happens, and sometimes holes or perforations occur, and that can lead to waste leaking into the abdominal and pelvic region of the body. When these things happen, the patient will begin to weaken, and the body will begin to draw what it needs from the fat that is stored. Surgery will likely be needed to stop this from continuing and may also bring much relief to a patient.

What considering what is Crohn's disease, you should think about what it means to you. You will not know what to expect until you experience it in most cases, and your course of treatment will not be like anyone else's. Even in the cases where this condition is genetic, the symptoms of the parents might not be what you will experience. Treatment can bring about a better quality of life, but you should know there is not yet any known cure. Communications with your medical professionals is one of the most important things you can have. When you experience changes, or even new symptoms, you should make sure you report them to your doctor, and to follow whatever advice they have to give.