Crohn’s Disease Symptoms Or Irritable Bowel Syndrome?

Have you heard of Crohn’s disease? Have you heard of Irritable Bowel Syndrome? Many people have not heard of Crohn’s disease, but they have definitely heard of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. You are probably more familiar with the term Irritable Bowel Syndrome because this is the condition that many doctors diagnosis when they are unsure of the cause of your gastrointestinal symptoms. It is no surprise that this occurs because Crohn’s disease symptoms are very similar to Irritable Bowel Syndrome and it is actually a form of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease? Crohn’s disease symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, fever, chills, anemia, and constipation. You can experience one or all of these symptoms. The type and intensity of your Crohn’s disease symptoms depends upon where the inflammation is located in your gastrointestinal tract.

Wait, what do you mean by inflammation? Crohn’s disease refers to the inflammation of your digestive tract. Your digestive tract runs throughout your entire body from your mouth to your anus. The major purpose of your digestive tract is to digest food and eliminate any unused waste. Normally this process occurs smoothly. You eat food. It goes to your stomach. Stomach acids begin to digest the food. The partially digested food goes through the small intestine and large intestine. Then your bowel performs bodily processes that then let you eliminate the unused waste.

If you have Crohn’s disease then you have inflammation somewhere along your digestive tract. The location of your inflammation can affect the severity and type of your Crohn’s disease symptoms. For example, you can experience constipation if you have inflammation in your anus. You can experience abdominal pain and nausea if you have a blockage in your intestines.

Crohn’s disease symptoms can affect anyone of any age. It is sometimes difficult to obtain a proper diagnosis because doctors can not directly see or feel your symptoms. You can tell them that you have abdominal pain, but to them it is hard to assess the severity. Therefore, they often diagnose your condition as general Irritable Bowel Syndrome. This is a catch-all diagnosis.

You can be proactive and keep track of your symptoms. Try to determine if certain foods aggravate your condition so you can rule out any food allergies and sensitivities. Also let your doctor know all the medications you are currently taking including over the counter medications.

If you want “proof” of whether or not you have Crohn’s disease then your doctor can run blood tests, stool tests, and imaging procedures such as x-rays and CT scans. This will give your doctor a way to “see” any inflammation. Be aware, though, that these procedures can be costly especially if you don’t have very good health insurance.

Keep track of your symptoms and set up an appointment with your doctor today. If they are not well versed in gastrointestinal conditions then find a doctor that is. You have to be persistent and educated in order to find the correct diagnosis. Plus, your doctor will be impressed with your knowledge about Crohn’s disease.

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