Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that in the past was rarely diagnosed. Most often times, patients that went to a physician with symptoms were told they simply had some sort of stomach virus, and many were even told that is was caused by emotional issues and not truly a physical condition.
Thanks to modern medicine and tests that use the latest technology, Crohn’s Disease can be diagnosed much earlier then in the past, but improvements still need to be made. As of the present time, there is no known cure for the disease, no known cause, and few treatment options available, most of which rarely work in alleviating the patient’s symptoms.
Some symptoms of Crohn’s Disease can include weight loss, nausea, anemia, inflammation of the joints and even eye problems. Severe stomach cramps, blood in the stool and diarrhea are often symptoms of the disease that are hard to control, leaving the patient in a malnourished state. Because Crohn’s is an autoimmune disease, the body literally turns against itself. Depending on where the disease is located in the intestines, many patients are unable to absorb the much needed calories and nutrients in the foods they consume.
Researchers are working hard to find a cure for the disease, but although a few medications are available for treating the symptoms, many do not work and may even make the symptoms worsen. Countless studies have been done using different types of treatment methods, some including bizarre ideas such as having the patient ingest a parasitic worm that is normally found in pigs. Hopefully researchers will soon be able to pinpoint the cause of this cruel disease.