Crohn's Disease

Excerpts from the entry on Crohn's Disease (Inflammatory Bowel Disease) in Relieving Pain Naturally by Dr. Sylvia Goldfarb and Roberta W. Waddell. For full entries on all 37 conditions and 27 treatments, order the book.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are disorders in which the bowel becomes inflamed, resulting in cramps and diarrhea. The IBD known as Crohn's Disease is named for Burrill Crohn, MD, a physician who wrote a paper in 1932 describing the condition. It is a chronic inflammation of the intestinal wall that usually occurs in the ileum (the lowest part of the small intestine) and in the large intestine. Sometimes referred to as ileitis when it is in the small intestine, it affects all layers of the intestinal wall. It is occasionally seen in other parts of the digestive tract, which extends from the mouth to the anus, and can also occur in the skin around the anus. Normal areas may be present between the affected places. Crohn's can occur in both sexes equally, and the condition can first appear anywhere between the relatively early age of fourteen and thirty years of age. It is most prevalent among Jewish people, is least seen among blacks and Asians, and tends to run in families. During flare-ups, inflammation may also occur elsewhere in the body, particularly in the joints, mouth, skin, and whites of the eyes.

Also in this entry:

• Symptoms
• Common Causes
• Diagnosing the Problem
• Conventional Treatments
• Problems with Some Conventional Treatments
• Self-Help Alternative Treatments
• Assisted Alternative Treatments
• Practical Suggestions

See below for full list of all conditions and treatments in the book. Or, download a complete Condition entry or Treatment entry for free.