One of the most poorly studied pathologies of the digestive system is Crohn's disease. Symptoms and treatment of this disease depend on the causes of its development. It affects mainly men aged 20 to 40 years, less common in women and children. In 80% of cases, the pathological process is localized in the small intestine, and only in 20% of the disease affects other departments.

Crohn's disease - what is it?

It’s quite difficult to recognize Crohn’s disease. What is it and how does it manifest itself? This is a disease of the digestive tract, the etiology and pathogenesis of which has not yet been fully studied. Atrophic areas appear on the inner walls of the intestine or other parts of the digestive system, and small ulcers form.

If the pathology is not diagnosed in time and treatment is not started, nearby tissues are involved in the pathological process, the affected area expands. In advanced cases, granulomatous-ulcerative formations spread over a large area in the area from the oral cavity to the anus, healthy tissues are replaced by scar tissue. One of the most common complications of this disease is bowel obstruction.

Causes of Crohn's Disease

Pathology is rare, difficult to treat, the exact causes of its occurrence have not been elucidated. In medicine, there are three theories of the etiology of Crohn's disease. According to the autoimmune theory, the pathological process occurs as a result of a malfunction of the immune system, when the body begins to attack and destroy its own cells.

The main factors predisposing to the development of Crohn's disease:

  • hormonal imbalance;
  • poor state of the immune system;
  • weakening of the body's defenses after suffering diseases;
  • tendency to allergic reactions;
  • bad habits;
  • poor ecology in the region of residence;
  • hereditary predisposition;
  • infectious and inflammatory pathologies;
  • stress, nervous strain, physical exhaustion.

The theory of the formation of antigens explains the development of the disease by the appearance of an immune response to stimuli. And the last theory is infectious, the essence of which is that the inflammatory process begins as a result of exposure to pathogenic microorganisms.

Symptoms and signs

The clinical picture depends on where the lesion is localized, as well as on the complexity of the course of the disease. If you start the correct therapy at the initial stage of the development of the pathological process, you can achieve a long, stable remission.

Typical symptoms:

  • increase in body temperature;
  • joint pain, aggravated by movement;
  • inflammation of the eyes;
  • the appearance of rashes and redness on the surface of the skin;
  • small multiple ulcers on the mucosa in the oral cavity;
  • bleeding disorder;
  • weight loss, loss of appetite;
  • intense, cutting pain in the abdomen;
  • diarrhea, feces with blood impurities.

If such symptoms occur, the patient should consult a gastroenterologist. The specialist collects an anamnesis, conducts an examination, performs abdominal palpation. Be sure to prescribe blood, feces and urine tests to the patient. To clarify the diagnosis and determine the degree of damage, instrumental techniques are used (colonoscopy, ultrasound, CT, endoscopy).

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Crohn's disease treatment

To date, it is impossible to completely and permanently get rid of the disease. Once a year or two in patients, the course of the pathology worsens. But if you seek help in time and follow the recommendations of your doctor, you can lead a familiar lifestyle. Therapy for Crohn’s disease is aimed at relieving symptoms, achieving long-term remission, and preventing complications.

The main methods that are used for this disease:

  • diet therapy;
  • taking medications;
  • the use of traditional medicine;
  • surgery;
  • physiological procedures.

In practice, doctors use two treatment regimens. According to the first, light drugs are prescribed first, then potent ones. The second scheme is the opposite. There is no universal therapy for all cases. Medicines and auxiliaries are selected depending on the nature of the course of the disease, as well as on the patient’s health status.

Drug treatment

Taking medications is the basis of therapy for Crohn's disease. You can’t buy any medicine on your own at the pharmacy or self-medicate. Wrong actions of the patient can aggravate the course of the pathological process and provoke the development of dangerous complications. In Crohn's disease, a positive effect can be achieved only as a result of applying an integrated approach.

The patient is prescribed drugs from the following pharmacokinetic categories:

  • anti-inflammatory drugs (mesalamine, prednisone, azathioprine, budesonide);
  • immunosuppressants (Vedolizumab, Infliximab, Ustekinumab);
  • antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, metronidazole);
  • medicines with anesthetic effect (Acetaminophen);
  • against diarrhea (Citrusel, Loperamide, Imodium);
  • vitamin and mineral complexes;
  • iron preparations (against the background of Crohn's disease in most cases, iron deficiency anemia develops).

An important task of therapy for this disease is to strengthen the immune system, mobilize the body's defenses. If the immune system is in good condition, the duration of remission will increase.

Treatment of Crohn's disease folk remedies

Means, prepared according to folk recipes, can alleviate the course of the disease, help strengthen the immune system. Before using a new medicine, you should always consult your doctor.

  1. Sage tea. 5 grams of crushed plants pour a glass of boiling water, cover, leave for an hour. The tool is divided into 4 doses, to drink during the day.
  2. Yarrow broth. Pour crushed, dried grass (20 g) with warm water (0.5 l), put on a small fire, cook for 20 minutes. Strain the finished product, drink 30 g 30 minutes before eating.
  3. Onion peel. To prepare the medicine, you need to fill the husk with water, cook over low heat for an hour, insist, strain. The infusion is taken half a glass three times a day.

Properly prepared decoctions, tinctures have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, immunomodulating effects, relieve pain, improve well-being and the patient’s health.

Operations

If in time and correctly approach the issue of treatment of Crohn's disease, it will be possible to achieve remission with the help of conservative therapy. But patients are not always referred to a medical institution at the initial stage of the pathology. In some cases, achieving positive results without surgery is not possible.

The main indications for the operation are complications that occur against the backdrop of Crohn's disease (abscesses, bleeding, intestinal obstruction, fistulas, etc.).

The most effective methods used in the treatment of this disease include endoscopic dilatation, economical resection, and drainage.

Diet and Diet

In Crohn’s disease, the patient is prescribed a diet. It is necessary in order to reduce the likelihood of irritation of the digestive system. The patient should closely monitor what he eats, because even the most ordinary, familiar foods can cause an exacerbation of the disease.

The basic nutritional rules that the patient must adhere to:

  • Eat often, in small portions, carefully chewing food;
  • food temperature within + 18-60 degrees;
  • if the disease is accompanied by severe diarrhea, you need to increase the amount of protein products;
  • the menu should be saturated with foods rich in micronutrients (B vitamins, calcium, iron, etc.);
  • minimize consumption of foods that contain coarse fiber;
  • limit the amount of salty, fatty foods;
  • the maximum calorie content of the menu is 2100 kcal.

Diet for Crohn's disease involves the exclusion of alcohol, coffee, sweet soda, strong tea. From the diet you have to remove fatty fish and meat, semi-finished products, smoked meats, salinity. Cooked, baked, stewed and steamed dishes are useful. You can’t use hot spices to improve the taste of the food. The basis of the diet is chicken, lean beef, seafood, dairy products, cereals, light soups and salads.

Complications of Crohn's Disease

Untimely diagnosis and ignoring the symptoms of the disease can lead to very unpleasant consequences. In the later stages, it is much more difficult to treat Crohn's disease.

In addition, the patient may experience such complications:

  • bowel obstruction;
  • suppuration in the abdominal cavity;
  • bleeding
  • toxic dilatation;
  • cracks, fistulas, lesions in the anus.

These conditions are very dangerous, disrupt the patient’s usual lifestyle, are accompanied by severe pain and discomfort. If you do not start treatment in time, the inflammatory process can spread, affect other organs and systems.

Prevention

No specific disease prevention scheme has yet been developed. In order to protect yourself from this disease, you need to lead a healthy lifestyle, eat right, eliminate various disorders on time, monitor your health, regularly undergo a comprehensive medical examination.

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