Crohn’s disease can affect any area of the GI tract, from the mouth to the anus, but it most commonly affects the lower part of the small intestine, called the ileum. The swelling extends deep into the lining of the affected organ. The swelling can cause pain and can make the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea.Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease, the general name for diseases that cause swelling in the intestines. Because the symptoms of Crohn’s disease are similar to other intestinal disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis, it can be difficult to diagnose. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in the top layer of the lining of the large intestine. In Crohn’s disease, all layers of the intestine may be involved, and normal healthy bowel can be found between sections of diseased bowel.
Crohn’s disease affects men and women equally and seems to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohn’s disease have a blood relative with some form of inflammatory bowel disease, most often a brother or sister and sometimes a parent or child. Crohn’s disease can occur in people of all age groups, but it is more often diagnosed in people between the ages of 20 and 30. People of Jewish heritage have an increased risk of developing Crohn’s disease, and African Americans are at decreased risk for developing Crohn’s disease.
Crohn’s disease may also be called ileitis or enteritis.
Related Topics:
Causes of Crohn's Disease
Symptoms of Crohn's Disease
Diagnosis of Crohn's Disease
Complications in Crohn's Disease
Treatment of Crohn's Disease
Sources:
Digestive Diseases A-D. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC). National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). NIH Publication No. 00-2750: February 2000
Crohn’s Disease. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). National Institutes of Health. NIH Publication No. 06–3410: February 2006
NIDDK Image Library. National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NKUDIC). National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). National Institutes of Health.
Page Last Revised: May 21, 2010
