How Crohn's Disease Affects the Mind & Body
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Depression
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Crohn's disease is an autoimmune disease with no cure. Although treatments are available to alleviate symptoms of Crohn's, it is a chronic illness. Knowing that you have an incurable illness as well as having to live with all of its symptoms can lead to depression.
Weight Loss
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If you have Crohn's disease you can suffer significant weight loss because of malabsorption of nutrients. Nutrition is critical for Crohn's patients and often supplements are necessary to ensure good health.
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Diarrhea and Constipation
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Crohn's disease can cause you to have diarrhea, constipation or both. In an autoimmune disease, your body is attacking its own organs as if they are foreign bodies. This causes inflammation and an imbalance in your intestines that can cause irregular bowel movements, primarily diarrhea.
Strictures
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Over time, the constant ucleration and healing in your intestines create scarring. As the tissue scars, it grows thicker and narrower. These strictures can cause an obstruction in your bowels, sometimes requiring emergency surgery.
Fissures and Rectal Bleeding
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Sometimes cracks or tears form in your anus from frequent bowel movements or constipation. These are called fissures. They are often accompanied by rectal bleeding. You can treat them with cortisone or a pain relief ointment and they usually heal on their own.
Fistulas
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Fistulas are "tunnels" that form from your colon to the surface of your skin, or between organs in Crohn's patients. For example, you could have a fistula that forms between your colon and your bladder. This can lead to urinary tract infections.
Anemia
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Inflammation in the bowels can create slow blood loss that you might not notice. This can lead to anemia. The anemia might be chronic and at times you might need blood transfusions or iron infusions to help your blood count.
Other Health Issues
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Crohn's disease can affect your digestive system anywhere from your mouth to your anus. It can also affect other areas of your body. You can have joint pains, skin rashes, gallstones and eye problems.
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