Common Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with a wide range of symptoms that can manifest in different ways. About 3 million Americans live with some form of IBD according to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, and while medical researchers understand some of the factors that affect the severity of the symptoms, there’s no consensus on the exact cause of the condition.

Crohn’s is thought to be an immune condition. The patient’s body treats the bacteria present in the gastrointestinal tract as foreign invaders, causing inflammation that is chronic — it doesn’t go away over time. The inflammation leads to a thickening of the intestinal walls and ulceration, which cause many of the most serious symptoms.

Some of the most common symptoms associated with Crohn’s include:

• Abdominal pain and cramping
• Sudden, urgent bowel movements and diarrhea
• Unexplained weight loss
• Constipation, or a feeling that the bowels cannot be emptied
• Loss of appetite
• Fever, pain, and sores near the mouth or anus

Again, some patients may only experience a few of these symptoms, and many other diseases cause similar symptoms. People who haven’t received a Crohn’s diagnosis should obtain a diagnosis from a qualified physician before starting any course of treatment.

Treatments for Crohn’s attempt to minimize these symptoms by addressing the factors that cause them. However, no currently available therapy can cure Crohn’s disease. By understanding how their bodies react to certain stimuli — things like food, physical activity, and environmental factors — many Crohn’s patients are able to live relatively normal, healthy lives.

Factors That Affect Crohn’s Disease

While scientists haven’t identified the exact cause of Crohn’s, some risk factors seem linked to the disease’s development. Genetic factors may predict a person’s disease risk; according to a 2014 study, 2 to 14 percent of patients have a family history of Crohn’s disease. Environmental factors also seem to play a role, as people in developed countries are much more likely to develop the condition (though the disease has become more common in developing countries in recent years, per a 2013 study). According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation, people of eastern European backgrounds are more likely to develop IBD.

Of course, for Crohn’s patients seeking natural or pharmaceutical remedies, factors that directly affect the disease’s symptoms are often considered especially important. People with Crohn’s disease often experience “flare ups" where symptoms become dramatically worse. These flares can be associated with certain stimuli including:

• Physical and emotional stress
• Taking nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) including ibuprofen, aspirin, and naproxen
• Taking antibiotics
• Missing doses of medication

At one time, Crohn’s was thought to be caused by diet and stress, per the Mayo Clinic. That’s no longer the case, but some patients can alter their diets to prevent flare-ups from becoming worse. Doctors may recommend that Crohn’s patients avoid smoking, engage in regular exercise, and track symptoms as they develop.

Natural Treatments for Crohn’s Disease

Crohn’s can have serious complications, and patients should always work closely with their doctors to manage the disease. Physicians typically prescribe pharmaceutical treatments (including anti-inflammatory drugs, immune system suppressors, and biologics that target proteins created by the immune system) for IBD, and patients may need to take a combination of treatments.

Natural therapies, when used along with pharmaceuticals, may relieve some Crohn’s symptoms. These can include:

• Vitamins and supplements. Vitamin and mineral supplements may help some patients maintain nutritious diets. Some supplements contain lactose and other ingredients that could cause flare-ups, so careful research is important. Common supplements for people with IBD include calcium, iron, vitamin D, and vitamin B12.
• Probiotics and prebiotics. Both prebiotics and probiotics tend to encourage healthy bacterial growth in the gastrointestinal tract. These therapies are inexpensive and often have limited side effects, though more research needs to be completed to determine the most effective options for Crohn’s patients.
• Fish oil and other anti-inflammatory supplements. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids found in fish oil have anti-inflammatory benefits, and fish oil supplements may reduce flare-ups. However, the recommended dietary intake of fish oil isn’t established for people with IBD.
• Fiber supplements. Recent research indicates that fiber may reduce the likelihood of flare-ups in some patients, and supplements provide a simple way to ensure a steady level of dietary fiber.
• Natural pain relievers. As mentioned earlier, NSAIDs can make symptoms worse for some patients; natural pain relievers may be an alternative treatment, provided that they don’t cause inflammation.

Various other non-pharmaceutical treatments may be beneficial, but any person considering these options should discuss them with their physician. Some natural remedies can interact with medicine, leading to potentially serious side effects.

Researching Natural Remedies for Crohn’s Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease can be truly debilitating — even without severe complications, the pain and discomfort caused by Crohn’s disease can have an extraordinary effect on the patient’s quality of life. No single treatment is likely to fully relieve these symptoms, and physicians often use a step-by-step approachto determine a course of treatment; the patient starts with standard pharmaceutical treatments, then takes additional therapies if those basic drugs are ineffective. Supplements and other non-pharmaceutical therapies can be a valuable part of this process for some people.

People interested in natural treatments should start by researching them carefully, exploring options that address inflammation and gastrointestinal symptoms. After reading about supplemental therapies, patients should discuss them with their physicians before taking them, particularly if the patient takes pharmaceutical treatments. This type of research-first approach can help people with Crohn’s stay engaged in the management of their disease.