Crohn’s disease is a chronic or long-term disease. While it can be debilitating at times, good management and following medical advice can make a vast different to your symptoms and to quality of life.

The disease is characterised by periods of active disease and periods of remission when you are disease-free. For some people, periods of improvement or remission can last for months or even years.

There is no defined pattern of alternation between active and remitting disease. If you have more severe disease, then you are more likely to have longer and more frequent bouts of active disease or flares.

At present there is no cure for Crohn’s disease, but given the constant advances in medicine, this situation could change in the future. For now, there is a range of treatment options and lifestyle changes to alleviate your symptoms. Crohn’s is an ongoing chronic disease that lasts a lifetime. The goal is to manage your disease and maintain remission.

The complications of Crohn’s can be severe. They don’t just affect the digestive system. The more severe the disease, the more likely it is you may develop complications. The main complications are outlined below:

The most common complication is where the intestine becomes blocked or much narrower, forming a stricture. Swelling narrows the space for food to pass. This space can then clog up.

Obstruction of the bowel can be caused by large and undigested food particles. Once it is blocked then there is accumulation of partially digested food and acids.

This may be very painful. It can cause many problems including infection and in very severe cases, damage to organs.

Fissures or tears in the intestinal tissue are common in Crohn’s disease.  A fissure in the anus can be very painful when you go to the toilet. Fissures can become infected so they need to be treated.

An abscess or ulcer caused by an infected fissure can form anywhere in the intestinal tract.  Deep ulcers can puncture the wall of the bowel and infection can spread into the organs and the abdominal cavity.

A deep ulcer or abscess can go on to form an abnormal tunnel or channel called a fistula, In some cases the fistula breaks through into another organ or through the skin.

An anal fistula, for example, can break through into the urinary tract or the vagina and cause repeated infections and inflammation.

Skin complications in people with Crohn’s disease include painful red spots on the skin or inflamed nodules or ulcers around the ankles.

Absorption is often impaired in people with Crohn’s disease. They may suffer from malnutrition and dietary deficiencies.

Anaemia from blood loss and weight loss are common complications of the disease. Dehydration can be a problem in people who have severe diarrhoea. This may require rehydration on a drip.

In those people with Crohn’s disease who are not getting enough vitamin D or calcium or women who are postmenopausal there is an increased risk of osteoporotic fractures.

Crohn’s disease may trigger a host of other inflammation and infection problems. These include inflammation in the joints and the eyes and infections in the bile duct, kidney and liver.

Most people with Crohn’s disease don’t go on to develop cancer.  However, if you have had Crohn’s disease for some time, it is advisable to have periodic checks for early signs of colon cancer. Ask your health professional for advice about this.