Crohn’s Disease – Symptoms and Treatment

Before we discuss Crohn’s disease symptoms and treatments, let’s briefly cover what this disease is.

What are Crohn’s disease symptoms?

Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory condition that affects the intestines. It is, like psoriasis, considered an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the body’s own cells.

These attacks can result in the formation of ulcers and inflammation that primarily occur in the small and large intestines.

Although the exact cause is unknown, bacteria is believed to play a role, and there is some indication that Crohn’s disease may have a genetic component.

Crohn’s symptoms and treatment

Now we will discuss here the symptoms, diet for Crohn’s, and other treatments.

Crohn’s Disease Symptoms

In no particular order, the most common Crohn’s disease symptoms are: losing weight, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea.

Other possible, but less common, Crohn’s disease symptoms include diminished appetite, fever, strong, unpleasant smell of the stools, bloody stools, constipation, night sweats, and excessive gassiness.

Crohn’s Disease Treatments

Disease treatment varies with the severity of the condition, which only your doctor can determine. However, conventional medical Crohn’s disease treatments normally include the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, such as 5-aminosalicylate, corticosteroids, such as sulfasalazine, antibiotics, and sometimes, even surgery.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for Crohn’s. The objectives of current treatments are to control the disease, and send it into and maintain remission.

Also Read: Health Benefits Of High Fiber Diet

Crohn’s Diet and Nutritional Supplement

Although these methods do not constitute cures, nor should be regarded as a substitute for prescription medications, many experts believe changes in diet and the use of certain supplements can alleviate the severity of Crohn’s disease symptoms.

Consulting a dietician may be a wise decision as getting enough vitamins, calories, and protein are seen to be important considerations in people with Crohn’s.

One interesting dietary constituent and nutritional supplement that is showing promise for Crohn’s disease symptoms is curcumin, which is the active component of turmeric, a spice often used in Indian dishes. The curcumin in turmeric harbors anti-inflammatory properties that may help Crohn’s condition.

Indeed, in a study at the Vancouver General Hospital’s Jack Bell Research Centre and at the Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology Children and Women’s Hospital in Vancouver, British Columbia, they found that curcumin had the ability to inhibit or diminish NF-B, which is a compound that the researchers found can cause inflammation.

The study, titled “Curcumin Attenuates DNB-Induced Murine Colitis” appeared in the edition of the American Journal of Physiology.

The effective regulation of NF-B, in fact, is one of the ways by which prescription anti-inflammatory drugs such as corticosteroids sulfasalazine and 5-aminosalicylates work.

It now appears that curcumin in turmeric can perhaps work in a similar vein, although the exact manner in which it achieves these results is unknown.

The study, however, indicates that curcumin seems to be a cheap, yet effective remedy, and one without serious adverse side effects that many prescription drugs can induce.