Crohn's disease
Crohn's disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system.
Inflammation can affect any part of the digestive system, from the mouth to the back passage, but most commonly occurs in the last section of the small intestine (ileum) or the large intestine (colon).
Commonsymptoms caninclude:
People with Crohn's disease sometimes go for long periodswithout symptoms or with very mild symptoms. This is known as remission. Remission can be followed by periods where symptoms flare up and become particularly troublesome.
However, research suggests a combination of factors may be responsible.These include:
Ifthis doesn'thelp, medication to suppress the immune system (immunosuppressants) and medication to reduce inflammation may be used.
Insome cases, surgerymay be needed to removethe inflamed section of intestine.
Once your symptoms are under control (in remission), further medication may be needed to help maintain this.
Crohn's disease is a relativelyuncommon condition. There are currently at least 115,000 people living with the condition in the UK.
Crohn's diseasecan affect people of all ages, including children. However, most cases first develop between the ages of 16 and 30.
A large number of casesalso develop between theages of60 and 80.
It affects slightly more women than men, but in children more boys are affected than girls.
The conditionis more common in white people than in black or Asian people. It's most prevalent among Jewish people of European descent.
These problems usually require surgical treatment.
This helps scientists look for better ways to prevent and treat this condition. You can opt out of the register at any time.
Crohn's disease is a long-term condition that causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system.
The symptoms of Crohn's disease vary, depending on which part of the digestive system is inflamed.
The exact cause of Crohn's disease is unknown. Most researchers think it's caused by a combination of factors.
A number of different tests may be needed to diagnose Crohn's disease, as it has similar symptoms to several other conditions.
There's currently no cure for Crohn's disease, but treatment can improve the symptoms.
People with Crohn's disease are at risk of developing a number of complications.
Author William Fiennes has lived with Crohn's disease since he was a teenager.
Joseph Barr talks about managing Crohn's disease with medication and how he can still play the sports he loves.