Men and women are equally affected, and symptoms of the disease can start at any age. However, it most often shows up in adolescents and young adults between the ages of 15 and Most researchers believe it is the result of a combination of factors.
These factors include the interaction of three things:. Your symptoms and frequency of flares could be different from another person with the disease. Because of this, treatments are tailored to the particular symptoms and severity of any given individual at any given time.
Therapies include immunosuppressives, steroids, and biologics. Current research is looking at new treatment options. These include manipulating the gut bacteria with antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, and diet. Fecal microbiota transplants are also being explored. Preliminary studies have shown promise for ulcerative colitis, another inflammatory bowel disease. Most treatments are aimed at controlling the different parts of the immune system that lead to increased inflammation and debilitating symptoms, says William Katkov, M.
Surgery is used when medication is not enough to keep the disease under control. This is where a thin, flexible tube with a camera at the end is inserted into your bottom. The unpredictable flare-ups of Crohn's disease can be hard to cope with emotionally and practically. Page last reviewed: 22 April Next review due: 22 April Some people find that certain foods seem to make their symptoms worse. If you think a particular food is triggering your symptoms, see if avoiding it helps.
But do not make any big changes to your diet without speaking to your GP or care team first. Crohn's and Colitis UK has more about food and Crohn's disease If you smoke, stopping smoking may reduce the risk of flare-ups. Pharmacy medicines You may need to be careful taking some pharmacy medicines if you have Crohn's disease.
Learning to talk about it can help make you feel more understood by others—and help others find better ways to support you when you need it.
Doing some research and planning ahead of time can help make trips go more smoothly. Here are a few tips:. Talk to your healthcare team about your travel plans. They may be able to offer advice and information about any necessary precautions or immunizations. Remember to bring enough medication—preferably in its original packaging.
And make sure the sizes of liquids can go through security. If you have an ostomy bag, make sure you tell TSA personnel before you go through security. Aside from places to stay and where to eat, you might want to find out about nearby restrooms, when pharmacies are open, and if water is safe to drink. Your diet when you travel should be as close as possible to your diet at home.
Bring along dry, packable foods and follow the same precautions when eating out as you would when not traveling. Use helpful resources that are available—like a Restroom Request Card , which can let you discreetly communicate your condition and gain access to restricted bathrooms—to be prepared in case you have sudden symptoms away from home. Have a discreet way to ask for access to restricted restrooms if you have symptoms.
And get updates, resources and more sent to your inbox. Available as a card and mobile wallet version for your phone. The goal of treatment is to induce remission and then to maximize the chance that patients stay in remission. Flare-ups can be triggered by a variety of factors including changes in diet, new medications, infections and antibiotics, stress, and changes in the underlying disease itself.
In some cases a specific trigger can be identified, but in many cases the trigger remains unknown. Some people primarily have abdominal pain and diarrhea, while others may have lack of appetite, nausea, or abdominal distension, and still others may have less specific symptoms such as fatigue, joint pain, mouth ulcers, or eye symptoms.
A number of smartphone apps, including Oshi: IBD tracker and myColitis , can help patients better monitor their condition, prompting you to track things like bowel movements, symptoms, and medications. These types of records can help you provide your gastroenterologist with a more complete picture of your disease activity between office visits.
You should contact your doctor if you think you are experiencing a flare so he or she can test to see if the flare is due to an infection, or determine if any new medications or exposures, such as recent antibiotics, might have triggered the flare. In the absence of infection or another reversible cause of the flare, your gastroenterologist may recommend a treatment course of corticosteroids, either topical applied to the lower colon through enemas or suppositories or systemic body-wide.
For example, each year a portion of patients who take either immunomodulator or biologic medications such as infliximab Remicade or adalimumab Humira stop responding to their medication.
Sometimes a major symptom flare can signify that these medications are no longer working. Your doctor can perform tests to confirm if this is the case and, if necessary, switch you to a different medication. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications NSAIDs like ibuprofen Advil or naproxen Aleve can impair the ability of the GI tract to protect and heal itself, and can precipitate a flare.
Quit smoking. Quitting smoking is strongly associated with fewer flares, decreased medication requirements, and reduced risk of surgery.
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