Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes swelling or inflammation of your digestive tract, which can cause a wide range of digestive problems, such as severe diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
While Crohn’s disease can affect any part of your digestive system, it most commonly affects the final part of your small intestine and your large intestine (bowel). The symptoms of Crohn’s disease are typically intermittent, meaning you may experience times with very few symptoms and flare-ups where the symptoms are much worse.
While you may not experience all of these, the most common symptoms of Crohn's disease are:
Crohn’s disease can also affect other areas of your body too. While these symptoms are less common, they are not unusual in sufferers.
Your GP will examine you and ask about your symptoms and your medical and family history.
Your GP may ask for a stool (poo) sample from you to check for bacterial infections and for high levels of a substance called calprotectin, which can indicate inflammation in your bowel. You may also get a blood test to check your iron levels and see if you have anaemia.
Finally, your GP may refer you to a specialist who can perform other tests, including:
While there isn’t a cure for Crohn’s disease, there are treatments that can help ease your symptoms during a flare-up. These can include:
If you think you have Crohn’s disease, you should arrange to see a GP to get a diagnosis. If you haven't registered with a doctor, you can register with us online 24/7 by clicking here.
It is also vital to see a GP or medical professional as soon as possible by asking for an emergency appointment if you have any of the following symptoms:
Get advice about specific conditions like back pain, coughs, mental health conditions and more
Get advice about general symptoms like tiredness, bleeding, pain or weakness
Request sick notes and GP letters or ask about recent tests
Get help for common childhood problems like rash, ear-ache, cold, flu, vomiting and diarrhoea
