It
may be known as enteritis or ileitis, but
Crohn's disease is most commonly known as a
painful inflammatory bowel disease of the
gastrointestinal track.
Battling complications of Crohn's disease is
a lifelong job and one that must be taken
very seriously.
The most common complication of Crohn's
disease is a bowel obstruction or a blockage
in the intestinal tract.
This blockage occurs
because Crohn's disease seems to shrink the
intestinal wall and therefore narrows the
intestinal passage making it rather easy for
a bowel objection to occur.
Abnormal passages found in the G.I. tract
are known as fistulas. These are also very
common complications of Crohn's disease.
Fistulas can be a wicked and aggressive.
They can literally tunnel through the bowel
itself and into surrounding areas such as
the bladder, the anus, the vagina, the
rectum and even the skin. These fistulas can
lead to horrific infections.
Another complication that is often seen with
Crohn's disease is osteoporosis. In this
condition the bones of the body become
brittle and porous which leads to an
increased risk of fractures.
This complication is more often seen in men
and women with Crohn's disease who are
smokers and those who have taken prescribed
steroid medications such as prednisone.
Steroids are commonly
used to treat Crohn's disease and so the
risk must be considered prior to embarking
on a course of steroids. Osteoporosis is a
treatable and manageable condition; however,
your physician should routinely screened for
the presence of this disease.
Nutritional complications are also commonly
seen with Crohn's disease. These
complications are typically a result of
issues with dietary intake, and the
inability to absorb crucial nutrients from
food.
Other frequent complications of Crohn's
disease include skin rashes, mouth sores,
joint pain and swelling, back stiffness, eye
pain and redness, and clubbing of the
fingers or toes.
If you have any of these common
complications of Crohn's disease is
important to bring them to the attention of
your position so that appropriate treatment
can be undertaken prior to the complications
getting any worse. Know your body and if you
see changes that name be a common
complication of Crohn's disease absolutely
do not hesitate to contact your physician.
Your health is not worth the delay.
See Also:
Diagnosing Crohns Disease
