Crohn's Disease Analysis

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory autoimmune bowel disease characterized by severe and persistent inflammation of the lining or wall of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s is sometimes referred to as chronic ileitis, regional enteritis, or granulomatous colitis. The part of the gastrointestinal tract most commonly affected is the segment between the ileum and the rectum. However, Crohn’s disease can be difficult to manage and live with and it is usually not life threatening (AARDA, 2014).
Crohn’s can affect anyone, although persons of Jewish descent are afflicted three to six times more frequently than others. This disease usually involves young adults between the ages of fifteen to thirty-five, but can be seen in children and the elderly.…show more content…
A feeling of low energy and fatigue is also common. Loss of normal menstrual cycle, night sweats and fever are general symptoms that may also be associated with IBD. Since Crohn’s disease severely limits the ability of the affected intestine to absorb the nutrients from food, a patient may have signs of malnutrition, depending on the amount of intestine that is affected and the duration of the disease (Wexler, 2013).
While an auto-reactive antibody hasn’t yet been found in Crohn’s, it is generally accepted that autoimmunity is the underlying cause. Diet and stress may aggravate Crohn’s disease, but they do not cause the disease on their own. The causes of Crohn’s disease are unknown. Although recent research suggests hereditary, genetics, and or environmental factors contribute to the development of Crohn’s disease (Podolsky, Xavier, 2007).
The GI tract normally contains harmless bacteria, many of which aid in digestion. The immune system usually attacks and kills foreign invaders, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other microorganisms. The environment in which you live also appears to play a role. Crohn’s is more common in developed countries rather than undeveloped countries. Also in urban rather than rural areas, as well as in northern rather than southern climates (Podolsky, Xavier,…show more content…
Scientists have identified a normally small subset of immune cells that may play a major role in the development of Crohn’s disease generally and in disease associated steroid resistance specifically (SRI, 2014).
I know this is not part of the assignment, but I chose Crohn’s disease, because my Aunt suffers from it. I never fully understood the symptoms and the pain that she endures from this disease, until I did all this research. It is awful. I really hope with the way technology is, they find a cure.

REFERENCES
AARDA. (2014). Descriptions of Diseases. American Autoimmune Related Diseases Association, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.aarda.org/descriptions-of-diseases/#Crohn’s disease
CCFA. (2012). Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM). Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. Retrieved from http://www.ccfa.org/resources/complementary-alternative.html
Cheifetz, A. S. (2013). Management of active Crohn disease. JAMA. 309(20):2150-8.
FDA. (2014). FDA approves Entyvio to treat ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Protecting and Promoting Your Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved from