Amy Dowden opens up about her battle with Crohn's disease
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The NHS explains Crohn’s disease is a lifelong condition where parts of the digestive system become inflamed, and is one type of a condition called inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The Mayo Clinic says signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease can range from mild to severe. They usually develop gradually, but sometimes will come on suddenly, without warning and you may also have periods of time when you have no signs or symptoms.
The organisation says when the disease is active, signs in your bowel movements may include:
- Diarrhoea
- Blood in your stool.
Other signs include:
- Mouth sores
- Reduced appetite and weight loss
- Pain or drainage near or around the anus due to inflammation from a tunnel into the skin (fistula)
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain and cramping.
The Mayo Clinic says see your doctor if you have persistent changes in your bowel habits or if you have any of the signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease, such as:
- Abdominal pain
- Blood in your stool
- Nausea and vomiting
- Ongoing bouts of diarrhoea that don’t respond to over-the-counter (OTC) medications
- Unexplained fever lasting more than a day or two
- Unexplained weight loss.
The NHS says there’s no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatment can help reduce or control your symptoms.
It adds: “Living with Crohn’s disease can be difficult at times. Unpredictable flare-ups and regular check-ups with your care team can disrupt school, work and your social life. But if symptoms are well controlled, you can live a normal life with the condition.
”“Crohn’s is a very individual condition and some people may remain well for a long time, even for many years, while others may have more frequent flare-ups,” says Crohn’s and Colitis UK charity.
It is estimated that Crohn’s disease affects about one in every 650 people in the UK.
The NHS states that it is thought several things could play a role in causing the condition.
These include your genes, as you are more likely to get it if a close family member has it.
It may also be caused by a problem with the immune system that causes it to attack the digestive system.
Other causes may be smoking, a previous stomach bug or an abnormal balance of gut bacteria, says the health body.
When Crohn’s disease first develops it is sometimes mistaken for appendicitis.
Your doctor will initially arrange blood tests to help find the diagnosis.
You may also be asked to provide stool samples for analysis to see if there is an infection in your gut.If it is thought that you may have Crohn’s disease you will be referred to a specialist for further investigations.
If you are very ill then you may need to be admitted immediately to hospital for these investigations.
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