Life Done Right™

on Feb 26th, 2006Crohn’s Disease: When did you have your last bowel scan, honey?

$Adam Crohn\'s Disease$

When you are healthy, who has time to think about bowel scans, for christ’s sake! I never even knew the term existed until I read that Crohn’s disease might be the result of a weakened immune system, instead of an over-active one. The invisible world of the bowel is like a machine cranking out sausages; all somebody needs to do is turn the machine on and off and monitor the quality of output. But when the machine breaks down, however, things can get ugly.

Here’s a quirky detail about treating Chron’s disease: Viagra, the anti-impotence drug, may help treat this disorder. Now I’m wondering if they’ll have to rewrite that little medical school diddy about how the hip bone is connected to the bowel scan, and the bowel scan is connected to the love wand, and the love wand is connected to the hand…never mind.

Okay, pop quiz. What are the alternative names for Crohn’s disease? Answer: Inflammatory bowel disease; Regional enteritis; Ileitis; Granulomatous ileocolitis.

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease is a chronic autoimmune disease that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract but most commonly occurs in the ileum (the area where the small and large intestine meet).

Causes, incidence, and risk factors

Autoimmune disorders occur when the immune system attacks the body’s own cells. In Crohn’s disease, these rogue immune cells attack the gastrointestinal system. The cause is unknown, but genetic factors seem to play a role.

Inflammation frequently occurs at the end of the small intestine that joins the large intestine, but the condition may affect any area of the digestive tract. As a result of the immune attack, the intestinal wall becomes thick, and deep ulcers may form. In addition to the bowel abnormalities, Crohn’s disease can also affect other organs in the body, causing:

Skin rash
Fistulas (abnormal connections between bowel and adjacent organs or skin)
Liver inflammation
Joint disease (arthritis)
Eye inflammation
Kidney stones
Clotting problems (deep vein thrombosis)

The disease may occur at any age, but adolescence and early adulthood are the periods of highest risk. The only known risk factors include a family history of Crohn’s disease, Jewish ancestry, and smoking. About 7 out of every 100,000 people will develop Crohn’s disease.

A weakened immune system - not an over-active one as had been suspected - may cause the intestinal disorder Crohn’s disease, research suggests. Work by University College London (UCL) suggests Crohn’s is more likely to be due to a weakened immune system failing to destroy bacteria. The Lancet study also suggests the anti-impotence drug Viagra may help to treat the disorder.

Fresh theory on cause of Crohn’s Disease
BBC News, February 24, 2006

The Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Fact Book
by Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation