Crohn's Disease Specialist

What is Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease causes severe inflammation inside your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The inflammation can develop anywhere within the GI tract, but it’s most often in the ileum (the end of the small intestine) and the cecum (the first part of the large intestine). 

Crohn’s disease can cause serious symptoms and may lead to complications like intestinal scarring, narrowing, or fistulas (abnormal tunnels between the intestines and other organs). However, it’s a manageable condition. 

What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?

Crohn’s disease causes issues such as: 

• Abdominal cramping or pain
• Tiredness
• Frequent diarrhea
• Unexpected weight loss
• Fever
• Blood in the stool
• Rashes
• Joint pain
• Nausea and vomiting
• Eye symptoms like redness, irritation, and swelling

If you have any of these symptoms or risk factors for Crohn’s disease, like a family history of the disease, you may need medical evaluation at Texas Digestive Disease Consultants. 

Are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis the same?

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are both inflammatory bowel diseases, but they’re different. With Crohn’s disease, the inflammation usually occurs in patches and develops within all layers of tissue in your GI tract. 

Ulcerative colitis only affects the inner tissue lining and usually occurs in a continuous pattern. Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis can cause similar symptoms, although certain issues like blood in stools are more likely to occur with colitis than Crohn’s. 

If you have symptoms that may indicate an inflammatory bowel disease, Dr. Memon can examine you and perform testing to make an accurate diagnosis so you can get the help you need. 

How is Crohn’s disease treated?

Certain healthy changes can reduce your Crohn's disease symptoms and help to improve your quality of life. At Texas Digestive Disease Consultants, Dr. Memon takes a holistic approach where possible, which means he emphasizes natural whole-body treatments alongside medical management.

Dr. Memon can help you start a Crohn’s-friendly diet, which commonly involves a focus on nutritious foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains while avoiding overly processed foods and junk food. 

Other natural changes that can help to manage your Crohn’s disease symptoms can include taking certain supplements, exercising regularly, and quitting smoking. 

Crohn’s disease treatment can vary based upon whether your disease is mild, moderate, or severe. You may need medication for Crohn’s disease, such as: 

• Steroids to reduce inflammation bodywide or just in the colon
• Immunosuppressants to reduce your immune response
• Biologics to disrupt your immune response
• Antibiotics to destroy harmful bacteria in your intestines

Around half of people with Crohn’s disease need surgery at some point. Surgery, however, isn’t a permanent cure for the disease. Dr. Memon can help you to manage your disease in the most effective way to maximize your quality of life. 

For help with Crohn’s disease, call the Texas Digestive Disease Consultants office nearest to you or click on the provided link now.