There are many different terms you will hear from your doctor and other medical staff when you have Crohn's, and the term crohn's disease fistula might be one of them. This is something that happens within the body that gives no outward clue (in most cases) until an infection or problem has set in.

A Crohn's disease fistula can be described as a narrow tunnel that grows out from the small or large intestine. This then attaches to anything that it can find, such as the bladder, abdomen wall or your reproductive organs, sometimes forming a complete tunnel.

For the most part, a fistula will grow from some part of your intestines. Though the bladder is a common target, these tunnels can go almost anywhere in the body, or at least, attach itself to anything nearby. If a women has problems with fistulas, they may attached to any part of the reproductive system. Even a woman who is fully aware that she has Crohn's can mistake the pain for a reproductive problem that is not connected to the true cause of the problem or infection. It technically is a problem of the reproductive system, but treatment will be different because the root cause of the issue is Crohn's.

Infection is the biggest problem when it comes to fistulas, as you can well imagine. These carry the infection with them wherever they go. If it goes tunneling into the bladder, you are going to have to deal with a bladder infection. When this happens in regards to the reproductive system, there can be many problems that occur. When fistulas are not treated, the infection can spread in any direction. There are times when the fistulas go from one part of the intestine to the other, which in a way contains the infection, but treatment is still needed.

When your doctor detects fistulas, treatment should begin at once. You may be a little freaked out, but there are many things you doctor can do. There are times when they go away on their own, but immediate treatment is always the best idea.

One of the first things that can be done is to prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs, and something for the infection. You may need a lot of antibiotics if the infection is widespread. Your doctor can also drain the fistula, remove the connecting tunnel between organs, and the close the hole with a surgical procedure.

Once you know that you have a Crohn's disease fistula, you can ask your doctor to tell you more. You might even want to ask before you get one. If you have crohn's you have a one in four chance of getting them at some point in your life.

These might be hard for you to detect on your own, because you may notice a bladder infection before you would realize that a crohn's disease fistula has formed. Your doctor can tell you what to look for, and give you instructions in the event that you think this might be a problem. Fistulas need to be examined immediately, and care should not follow far behind.