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Content Map Terms
Illnesses & Conditions Categories
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Allergies
- Allergy to Natural Rubber (Latex)
- Jellyfish Stings: Allergic Reaction
- Allergies: Should I Take Allergy Shots?
- Non-Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergic Reaction
- Allergies
- Allergy Shots for Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergies: Rush Immunotherapy
- Over-the-Counter Medicines for Allergies
- Allergic Rhinitis
- Types of Allergens
- Allergies: Avoiding Indoor Triggers
- Allergies: Avoiding Outdoor Triggers
- Controlling Dust, Dust Mites, and Other Allergens in Your Home
- Controlling Pet Allergens
- Allergies to Insect Stings
- Allergies: Should I Take Shots for Insect Sting Allergies?
- Immunotherapy for Allergies to Insect Stings
- Types of Allergic Rhinitis
- Allergic Reaction to Tattoo Dye
- Drug Allergies
- Penicillin Allergy
- Peanut Allergy
- Hay Fever and Other Seasonal Allergies
- Allergies: Giving Yourself an Epinephrine Shot
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Arthritis and Osteoporosis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Finger and Hand Surgeries
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Classification Criteria
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Systemic Symptoms
- Comparing Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid Arthritis: Neck Symptoms
- Osteoporosis in Men
- Psoriatic Arthritis
- Arthritis: Shots for Knee Pain
- Complementary Medicine for Arthritis
- Steve's Story: Coping With Arthritis
- Bev's Story: Coping With Arthritis
- Quick Tips: Modifying Your Home and Work Area When You Have Arthritis
- Coping With Osteoarthritis
- Arthritis: Should I Have Shoulder Replacement Surgery?
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Stretching and Strengthening Exercises
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
- Capsaicin for Osteoarthritis
- Small Joint Surgery for Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis: Heat and Cold Therapy
- Modifying Activities for Osteoarthritis
- Osteoarthritis
- Gout
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Inflammatory Eye Disease
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Range-of-Motion Exercises
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Deciding About Total Joint Replacement
- Complications of Osteoarthritis
- Arthritis: Managing Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Arthritis: Should I Have Knee Replacement Surgery?
- Arthritis: Should I Have Hip Replacement Surgery?
- Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis: Pain Management
- Osteoporosis Risk in Younger Women
- Osteoporosis Screening
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Asthma
- Asthma: Peak Expiratory Flow and Personal Best
- Asthma and Wheezing
- Asthma: Using an Asthma Action Plan
- Asthma: Measuring Peak Flow
- Asthma: Identifying Your Triggers
- Steroid Medicine for Asthma: Myths and Facts
- Asthma
- Inhaled corticosteroids for asthma
- Inhaled quick-relief medicines for asthma
- Classification of Asthma
- Challenge Tests for Asthma
- Asthma's Impact on Your Child's Life
- Asthma Action Plan: Yellow Zone
- Asthma Triggers
- Asthma Action Plan: Red Zone
- Asthma and GERD
- Occupational Asthma
- Asthma Attack
- Asthma: Symptoms of Difficulty Breathing
- Exercise-Induced Asthma
- Asthma Treatment Goals
- Asthma: Overcoming Obstacles to Taking Medicines
- Asthma in Older Adults: Managing Treatment
- Asthma: Controlling Cockroaches
- Asthma: Educating Yourself and Your Child
- Allergy Shots for Asthma
- Asthma: Taking Charge of Your Asthma
- Monitoring Asthma Treatment
- Omalizumab for Asthma
- Asthma: Ways to Take Inhaled Medicines
- Asthma: Overuse of Quick-Relief Medicines
- Asthma Diary
- Asthma Diary Template
- Asthma Action Plan
- Assessing Your Asthma Knowledge
- My Asthma Action Plan
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Bowel and Gastrointestinal Conditions
- Abdominal Fullness or Bloating
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Criteria for Diagnosis
- Gastritis
- Gas, Bloating, and Burping
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Constipation: Keeping Your Bowels Healthy
- Rectal Problems
- Mild, Moderate, or Severe Diarrhea
- Torn or Detached Nail
- Chronic Constipation
- Gas (Flatus)
- Dyspepsia
- Diverticulosis
- Bowel Obstruction
- Anal Fissure
- Bowel Disease: Caring for Your Ostomy
- Anal Fistulas and Crohn's Disease
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Cancer
- Lung Cancer and Other Lung Problems From Smoking
- Skin Cancer, Non-Melanoma
- Radiation Therapy for Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer Test Recommendations
- Breast Cancer Screening: When Should I Start Having Mammograms?
- Lifestyle Changes That May Help Prevent Cancer
- Choosing a Prosthesis After Breast Cancer Surgery
- Hormone Treatment for Breast Cancer
- Cancer Staging and Grading
- Pancreatic Cancer
- Kidney (Renal Cell) Cancer
- Cancer Support: Managing Stress
- Cancer Support: When Your Cancer Comes Back or Gets Worse
- Cancer Support: Dealing With Emotions and Fears
- Cancer Support: Finding Out That You Have Cancer
- Cancer Support: Being an Active Patient
- Cancer Support: Coping With Cancer Treatments
- Cancer Support: Life After Treatment
- Cancer Support: Family, Friends, and Relationships
- Reducing Cancer Risk When You Are BRCA-Positive
- Anal Cancer
- Prostate Cancer: Should I Choose Active Surveillance?
- Lung Cancer Screening
- Basal Cell Skin Cancer: Should I Have Surgery or Use Medicated Cream?
- Tumour Markers
- Does Aspirin Prevent Cancer?
- Cancer
- Lung Cancer
- Oral Cancer
- Colorectal Cancer
- Metastatic Melanoma
- Radiation Treatment for Cancer
- Skin Cancer, Melanoma
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Hepatitis B and C: Risk of Liver Cancer
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Cancer Risk
- Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Mouth Sores
- Skin Cancer Screening
- Breast Cancer: Should I Have Breast Reconstruction After a Mastectomy?
- Prostate Cancer: Should I Have Radiation or Surgery for Localized Prostate Cancer?
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Side Effects of Chemotherapy
- Breast Cancer: Lymph Node Surgery for Staging Cancer
- Endometrial (Uterine) Cancer
- Cryosurgery for Prostate Cancer
- Breast Cancer
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Nausea or Vomiting
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Pain
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Diarrhea
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Constipation
- Breast Cancer Types
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Sleep Problems
- Cancer: Home Treatment for Fatigue
- Hair Loss From Cancer Treatment
- Body Image After Cancer Treatment
- Breast Cancer: Should I Have Breast-Conserving Surgery or a Mastectomy for Early-Stage Cancer?
- Breast Cancer, Metastatic or Recurrent
- Cancer Pain
- Leukemia
- Colorectal Cancer, Metastatic or Recurrent
- Thyroid Cancer
- Types of Thyroid Cancer
- Radiation Therapy for Cancer Pain
- Breast Cancer in Men (Male Breast Cancer)
- Breast Cancer Screening
- Breast Cancer: Should I Have Chemotherapy for Early-Stage Breast Cancer?
- Asbestos and Lung Cancer
- Cervical Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer
- Colon Cancer Genetic Testing
- Testicular Cancer Screening
- Skin Cancer: Protecting Your Skin
- Non-Melanoma Skin Cancer: Comparing Treatments
- Bladder Cancer
- Prostate Cancer, Advanced or Metastatic
- Active Surveillance for Prostate Cancer
- Urinary Problems and Prostate Cancer
- Cancer: Controlling Cancer Pain
- Heat and Cold Treatment for Cancer Pain
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Cancer: Which Treatment Should I Have for Stage I Non-Seminoma Testicular Cancer After My Surgery?
- Testicular Cancer: Which Treatment Should I Have for Stage I Seminoma Testicular Cancer After My Surgery?
- Cancer: Controlling Nausea and Vomiting From Chemotherapy
- Lymphedema: Managing Lymphedema
- Breast Cancer Risk: Should I Have a BRCA Gene Test?
- Inflammatory Breast Cancer
- Ovarian Cancer: Should I Have My Ovaries Removed to Prevent Ovarian Cancer?
- Family History and the Risk for Breast or Ovarian Cancer
- Breast Cancer: What Should I Do if I'm at High Risk?
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Cold and Flu
- Difference Between Influenza (Flu) and a Cold
- Colds and Flu
- Influenza (Flu) Complications
- Flu Vaccine Myths
- Influenza (Seasonal Flu)
- Whooping Cough (Pertussis)
- Productive Coughs
- Dry Coughs
- Influenza (Flu): Should I Take Antiviral Medicine?
- Flu Vaccines: Should I Get a Flu Vaccine?
- Relieving A Cough
- Colds
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COPD
- Cal's Story: Learning to Exercise When You have COPD
- Conserving Energy When You Have COPD or Other Chronic Conditions
- Nebulizer for COPD Treatment
- COPD Action Plan
- COPD: Help for Caregivers
- COPD: Keeping Your Diet Healthy
- COPD: Using Exercise to Feel Better
- COPD
- COPD Flare-Ups
- Bullectomy for COPD
- COPD and Alpha-1 Antitrypsin (AAT) Deficiency
- COPD and Sex
- Pulmonary Rehabilitation for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- COPD
- Oxygen Treatment for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- COPD: Avoiding Weight Loss
- COPD: Avoiding Your Triggers
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Dementia
- Alzheimer's or Other Dementia: Should I Move My Relative Into Long-Term Care?
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Coping With Sundowning
- Dementia: Assessing Pain
- Medical History and Physical Examination for Dementia or Alzheimer's Disease
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Making the Most of Remaining Abilities
- Dementia: Helping a Person Avoid Confusion
- Alzheimer's and Other Dementias: Maintaining Good Nutrition
- Dementia: Tips for Communicating
- Agitation and Dementia
- Dementia: Bladder and Bowel Problems
- Dementia: Support for Caregivers
- Dementia: Legal Issues
- Dementia: Understanding Behaviour Changes
- Dementia: Medicines to Treat Behaviour Changes
- Dementia
- Mild Cognitive Impairment and Dementia
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Diabetes
- Diabetes: Blood Sugar Levels
- Diabetes: Counting Carbs if You Don't Use Insulin
- Diabetes: Coping With Your Feelings About Your Diet
- Diabetes: Tracking My Feelings
- Diabetes: Taking Care of Your Feet
- Diabetes: Care of Blood Sugar Test Supplies
- Diabetes: Checking Your Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Checking Your Feet
- Diabetes: Steps for Foot-Washing
- Diabetes: Protecting Your Feet
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Medicines
- Diabetes: Dealing With Low Blood Sugar From Insulin
- Diabetes: How to Give Glucagon
- Low Blood Sugar Level Record
- Symptoms of Low Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Preventing High Blood Sugar Emergencies
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA)
- High Blood Sugar Level Record
- Symptoms of High Blood Sugar
- Diabetes: Using a Plate Format to Plan Meals
- Diabetes: Giving Yourself an Insulin Shot
- Diabetes: Eating Low-Glycemic Foods
- Diabetes and Alcohol
- Continuous Glucose Monitoring
- Quick Tips: Diabetes and Shift Work
- Diabetes: How to Prepare for a Colonoscopy
- Type 2 Diabetes: Can You Cure It?
- Diabetes, Type 2: Should I Take Insulin?
- Prediabetes: Which Treatment Should I Use to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes?
- Diabetes: Making Medical Decisions as Your Health Changes
- Diabetes Care Plan
- Diabetes: Caregiving for an Older Adult
- Quick Tips: Smart Snacking When You Have Diabetes
- Testing Tips From a Diabetes Educator
- Gloria's Story: Adding Activity to Help Control Blood Sugar
- Andy's Story: Finding Your Own Routine When You Have Diabetes
- Jerry's Story: Take Prediabetes Seriously
- Linda's Story: Getting Active When You Have Prediabetes
- Diabetes
- Tips for Exercising Safely When You Have Diabetes
- Diabetes: Travel Tips
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Care of Your Skin When You Have Diabetes
- Care of Your Teeth and Gums When You Have Diabetes
- Non-insulin medicines for type 2 diabetes
- Metformin for diabetes
- Hypoglycemia (Low Blood Sugar) in People Without Diabetes
- Diabetic Retinopathy
- Laser Photocoagulation for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Diabetic Neuropathy
- Diabetic Focal Neuropathy
- Diabetic Neuropathy: Exercising Safely
- Diabetic Autonomic Neuropathy
- Criteria for Diagnosing Diabetes
- Diabetes-Related High and Low Blood Sugar Levels
- Diabetic Nephropathy
- Diabetes: Counting Carbs if You Use Insulin
- Diabetes: Cholesterol Levels
- Diabetes and Infections
- Diabetes: Tests to Watch for Complications
- Diabetes: Differences Between Type 1 and 2
- Diabetes Complications
- How Diabetes Causes Blindness
- How Diabetes Causes Foot Problems
- Reading Food Labels When You Have Diabetes
- Eating Out When You Have Diabetes
- Breastfeeding When You Have Diabetes
- Diabetes: Staying Motivated
- Sick-Day Guidelines for People With Diabetes
- Diabetes: Amputation for Foot Problems
- Prediabetes
- Prediabetes: Exercise Tips
- Type 2 Diabetes: Screening for Adults
- Diabetes: Should I Get an Insulin Pump?
- Diabetes: Living With an Insulin Pump
- Form for Carbohydrate Counting
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Disease and Disease Prevention
- Diseases and Conditions
- Osgood-Schlatter Disease
- Needle Aponeurotomy for Dupuytren's Disease
- Mitochondrial Diseases
- Disease and Injury Prevention
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Root Planing and Scaling for Gum Disease
- Kawasaki Disease
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Von Willebrand's Disease
- Hirschsprung's Disease
- Complications of Paget's Disease
- Paget's Disease of Bone
- Celiac Disease
- Peptic Ulcer Disease
- Ménière's Disease
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: Tubo-Ovarian Abscess
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Addison's Disease
- Misdiagnosis of Lyme Disease
- Lyme Disease
- Parkinson's Disease and Freezing
- Parkinson's Disease: Other Symptoms
- Parkinson's Disease: Modifying Your Activities and Your Home
- Parkinson's Disease and Tremors
- Parkinson's Disease and Speech Problems
- Parkinson's Disease
- Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs)
- Parkinson's Disease: Movement Problems From Levodopa
- Mad Cow Disease
- Handwashing
- Peyronie's Disease
- Stages of Lyme Disease
- Osteotomy and Paget's Disease
- Dupuytren's Disease
- Crohn's Disease
- Crohn's Disease: Problems Outside the Digestive Tract
- Pilonidal Disease
- Acquired Von Willebrand's Disease
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Down Syndrome, Autism and Developmental Delays
- Autism
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Eat Independently
- Down Syndrome: Grooming and Hygiene
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Walk and Use Other Motor Skills
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Learn to Communicate
- Down Syndrome
- Dyslexia
- Conditions Related to Dyslexia
- Autism: Behavioural Training and Management
- Autism: Support and Training for the Family
- Unproven Treatments for Autism
- Caring for Adults With Autism
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Avoid Social Problems
- Down Syndrome: Training and Therapy for Young People
- Down Syndrome: Helping Your Child Dress Independently
- Down Syndrome, Ages Birth to 1 Month
- Down Syndrome, Ages 1 Month to 1 Year
- Down Syndrome, Ages 1 to 5
- Down Syndrome, Ages 5 to 13
- Down Syndrome, Ages 13 to 21
- Eating Disorders
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Epilepsy
- Absence Epilepsy
- Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy
- Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
- Focal Epilepsy
- Epilepsy: Simple Partial Seizures
- Epilepsy
- Epilepsy and Driving
- Epilepsy: Generalized Seizures
- Epilepsy: Generalized Tonic-Clonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Myoclonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Atonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Tonic Seizures
- Epilepsy: Complex Partial Seizures
- Epilepsy Medicine Therapy Failure
- Stopping Medicine for Epilepsy
- Questions About Medicines for Epilepsy
- Epilepsy: Taking Your Medicines Properly
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Fatigue and Sleep
- Sleep Apnea: Should I Have a Sleep Study?
- Sleep and Your Health
- Quick Tips: Making the Best of Shift Work
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Managing Your Energy
- Sleeping Better
- Sleep Problems
- Doxepin (Sleep) - Oral
- Improving Sleep When You Have Chronic Pain
- Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
- Chronic Fatigue: Changing Your Schedule
- Chronic Fatigue: Getting Support
- Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Coping With Changing Sleep Patterns as You Get Older
- Stages of Sleep
- Sleep Apnea: Fibre-Optic Pharyngoscopy
- Sleep Apnea: Oral Devices
- Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Problems, Age 12 and Older
- Stages of Sleep Apnea
- Sleep Journal
- Shift Work Sleep Disorder
- Snoring
- Sleep Problems: Dealing With Jet Lag
- Insomnia
- Sleep and Your Body Clock
- Weakness and Fatigue
- Insomnia: Improving Your Sleep
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Heart Health and Stroke
- Peripheral Arterial Disease of the Legs
- Bradycardia (Slow Heart Rate)
- Types of Bradycardia
- Cardiac Device Monitoring
- Angioplasty for Peripheral Arterial Disease of the Legs
- Isolated Systolic High Blood Pressure
- Atrial Fibrillation: Should I Try Electrical Cardioversion?
- Change in Heartbeat
- Deep Vein Thrombosis
- Fast Heart Rate
- Heart Failure: Symptom Record
- Heart Failure: Compensation by the Heart and Body
- Heart Failure: Taking Medicines Properly
- Heart Failure: Watching Your Fluids
- Heart Failure: Avoiding Triggers for Sudden Heart Failure
- Heart Failure: Activity and Exercise
- Heart Tests: When Do You Need Them?
- Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension)
- Cardiac Arrest
- Heart Failure Daily Action Plan
- Premature Ventricular Contractions (PVCs)
- Heart Rate Problems: Should I Get a Pacemaker?
- Heart Rhythm Problems: Should I Get an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)?
- What to Do if Your Cardiac Device Is Recalled
- Venous Insufficiency
- Carotid Artery Stenting
- ICD: Living Well With It
- Diabetes: Lower Your Risk for Heart Attack and Stroke
- Pacemaker for Heart Failure (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy)
- Heart Attack: How to Prevent Another One
- Stroke: How to Prevent Another One
- Sex and Your Heart
- Supraventricular Tachycardia: Should I Have Catheter Ablation?
- Carotid Artery Disease
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- High Blood Pressure: Over-the-Counter Medicines to Avoid
- Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
- Leg Aneurysm
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH)
- Heart Failure: Checking Your Weight
- Alan's Story: Coping With Change After a Heart Attack
- Coronary Artery Disease: Prevention Myths
- Quick Tips: Taking Charge of Your Angina
- Heart and Circulation
- High Blood Pressure
- Heartburn
- Angioplasty for Coronary Artery Disease
- Coronary Artery Disease
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)
- Aortic Valve Regurgitation
- Aortic Valve Stenosis
- Secondary High Blood Pressure
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Stroke: Common Disabilities
- Self-Care After a Stroke
- Stroke: Dealing With Depression
- Stroke: Getting Dressed
- Stroke: Speech and Language Problems
- Stroke: Bladder and Bowel Problems
- Stroke: Preventing Injury in Affected Limbs
- After a Stroke: Helping Your Family Adjust
- Stroke: Behaviour Changes
- Stroke: Changes in Emotions
- Stroke: Perception Changes
- Stroke: Problems With Ignoring the Affected Side
- Stroke: Memory Tips
- Stroke: Your Rehabilitation Team
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA)
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Lifestyle Changes
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Hospital Program
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Home Program
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Outpatient Program
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Maintenance Program
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Congenital Heart Defects: Caring for Your Child
- Coronary Artery Disease: Should I Have an Angiogram?
- Triggers of Sudden Heart Failure
- Classification of Heart Failure
- Heart Failure: Tips for Easier Breathing
- Heart Failure: Avoiding Colds and Flu
- Heart Failure
- Helping Someone During a Panic Attack
- Aortic Aneurysm
- High Blood Pressure
- Coronary Artery Disease: Family History
- Angina
- Using Nitroglycerin for Angina
- Heartburn: Changing Your Eating Habits
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- Beta-blockers
- Heart Rhythm Problems: Diary of Symptoms
- Vagal Manoeuvres for Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT)
- Electrical Cardioversion (Defibrillation) for a Fast Heart Rate
- Catheter Ablation for a Fast Heart Rate
- Supraventricular Tachycardia
- Home Blood Pressure Log
- Blood Pressure Screening
- Heart Block
- Electrical System of the Heart
- Heart Rhythm Problems and Driving
- Heart Rhythm Problems: Symptoms
- Resuming Sexual Activity After a Heart Attack
- Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease
- Pacemaker for Bradycardia
- SPECT Image of the Heart
- Heart Attack and Stroke in Women: Reducing Your Risk
- Ventricular Tachycardia
- Aspirin to Prevent Heart Attack and Stroke
- Temporal Artery Biopsy
- Emergency First Aid for Heatstroke
- Heartburn Symptom Record
- Heart Attack and Unstable Angina
- Congenital Heart Defects in Adults
- Monitoring and Medicines for Heart Failure
- Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) for Heart Failure
- Cardiac Output
- Heart Failure Symptoms
- Heart Failure: Less Common Symptoms
- Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction (Systolic Heart Failure)
- Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (Diastolic Heart Failure)
- High-Output Heart Failure
- Right-Sided Heart Failure
- Heart Failure Complications
- How the Heart Works
- Coronary Arteries and Heart Function
- Heart Failure Types
- Enjoying Life When You Have Heart Failure
- Heart Failure: Tips for Caregivers
- Medicines to Prevent Abnormal Heart Rhythm in Heart Failure
- Cardiac Cachexia
- Heart Failure Stages
- Cardiac Rehabilitation Team
- Cardiac Rehabilitation: Emotional Health Benefits
- Ischemia
- Coronary Artery Disease: Roles of Different Doctors
- Coronary Artery Disease: Helping a Loved One
- Manage Stress for Your Heart
- Intermittent Claudication
- Peripheral Arterial Disease: Pulse and Blood Pressure Measurement
- Heart Failure and Sexual Activity
- Joan's Story: Coping With Depression and Anxiety From Heart Failure
- Rheumatic Fever and the Heart
- Heart Valve Problems: Should I Choose a Mechanical Valve or Tissue Valve to Replace My Heart Valve?
- Acute Coronary Syndrome
- Aspirin: Should I Take Daily Aspirin to Prevent a Heart Attack or Stroke?
- Heart Failure: Should I Get a Pacemaker ?
- Heart Failure: Should I Get an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD)?
- Heart Valve Disease
- Myxoma Tumours of the Heart
- Aortic Dissection
- Heart Attack and Stroke Risk Screening
- High Blood Pressure: Checking Your Blood Pressure at Home
- Hypertensive Emergency
- Stroke Rehabilitation
- Treatment for Stroke-Related Spasticity
- Driving a Car After a Stroke
- Heart Failure: Avoiding Medicines That Make Symptoms Worse
- Stroke Recovery: Coping With Eating Problems
- Heart Murmur
- High Blood Pressure: Should I Take Medicine?
- Coronary Artery Disease: Should I Have Angioplasty for Stable Angina?
- Tyrell's Story: Taking Pills for High Blood Pressure
- Stroke Prevention: Should I Have a Carotid Artery Procedure?
- Atrial Fibrillation: Which Anticoagulant Should I Take to Prevent Stroke?
- Stroke: Should I Move My Loved One Into Long-Term Care?
- Atrial Fibrillation: Should I Take an Anticoagulant to Prevent Stroke?
- Smoking and Coronary Artery Disease
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Hepatitis
- Hepatitis C: Your Risk for Cirrhosis
- Hepatitis E
- Hepatitis B Immune Globulin - Injection
- Heparin - Injection
- Fulminant Hepatitis
- Protect Yourself From Hepatitis A When Travelling
- Hepatitis A
- Viral Hepatitis
- Hepatitis C
- Hepatitis D
- Hepatitis B: How to Avoid Spreading the Virus
- Hepatitis B
- Hepatitis Panel
- Hepatitis B Treatment Recommendations
- Hepatitis B: Should I Be Tested?
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HIV
- HIV Infection
- HIV Viral Load
- HIV: Stages of Infection
- Ways HIV Cannot Be Spread
- HIV and Exercise
- HIV: Giving Support
- HIV: Tips for Caregivers to Avoid Infection
- HIV: Preventing Other Infections When You Have HIV
- HIV Home Care
- Antiretroviral medicines for HIV
- Resistance to HIV Medicines
- HIV: Preventing Infections
- HIV: Antiretroviral Therapy (ART)
- Opportunistic Infections in HIV
- HIV: Taking Antiretroviral Drugs
- HIV: Non-Progressors and HIV-Resistant People
- HIV Screening
- HIV and Weight Loss
- HIV and Fatigue
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Infectious Diseases
- Molluscum Contagiosum
- Nail Infection: Should I Take Antifungal Pills?
- Pseudomonas Infection
- Dengue Fever
- Avoiding Infections in the Hospital
- Kissing Bugs
- Caregiving: Reducing Germs and Infection in the Home
- Neutropenia: Preventing Infections
- Chikungunya Fever
- Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS)
- Zika Virus
- Staph Infection
- Recurrent Vaginal Yeast Infections
- Fever Seizures
- Fever or Chills, Age 11 and Younger
- Fever or Chills, Age 12 and Older
- Fifth Disease
- Thrush
- Tinea Versicolor
- Mononucleosis Complications
- Mononucleosis (Mono)
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Infection
- Mumps
- Rubella (German Measles)
- Complications of Ear Infections
- Ear Infections
- Giardiasis
- Measles (Rubeola)
- Tuberculosis (TB)
- Chickenpox: Preventing Skin Infections
- Chickenpox (Varicella)
- Flu: Signs of Bacterial Infection
- Fungal Nail Infections
- Non-Surgical Nail Removal for Fungal Nail Infections
- Strep Throat
- Complicated Urinary Tract Infections
- Urinary Tract Infections (UTIs) in Older Adults
- Cranberry Juice and Urinary Tract Infections
- Vaginal Yeast Infections
- Pneumonia
- Shingles
- Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68)
- Ebola or Marburg Virus Infection
- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Treatment
- Preventing Tetanus Infections
- Recurrent Ear Infections and Persistent Effusion
- Symptoms of Pelvic Infection
- Bites and Stings: Flu-Like Symptoms
- Tick Bites: Flu-Like Symptoms
- Sore Throat and Other Throat Problems
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Tuberculosis Screening
- Ear Infection: Should I Give My Child Antibiotics?
- Pleurisy
- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Genital Examination for Men
- Smallpox
- Vaginal Yeast Infection: Should I Treat It Myself?
- Boric Acid for Vaginal Yeast Infection
- Avian Influenza
- Bacterial Infections of the Spine
- Scarlet Fever
- Central Venous Catheter: Flushing
- Sexually Transmitted Infections: Symptoms in Women
- Fever Temperatures: Accuracy and Comparison
- Hand-Foot-and-Mouth Disease
- Anthrax
- Feverfew for Migraines
- Rotavirus
- West Nile Virus
- Noroviruses
- Valley Fever
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Injuries
- Trapped Finger, Toe, or Limb
- Blister Care
- Exercises for Heel Pain or Tightness
- Broken Toe
- Broken Nose (Nasal Fracture)
- Preventing Blisters
- Hip Fracture
- Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injury
- Pressure Injuries From Scuba Diving
- Pressure Injuries: Stages
- Pressure Injuries: Prevention and Treatment
- Calf Muscle Injury
- Avulsion Fracture
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injury
- Posterior Cruciate Ligament (PCL) Injury
- Frozen or Stuck Tongue or Other Body Part
- Fifth Metatarsal Jones Fracture
- Animal and Human Bites
- Blisters
- Burns and Electric Shock
- Choking Rescue Procedure: Heimlich Manoeuvre
- Cold Temperature Exposure
- Cuts
- Ear Problems and Injuries, Age 11 and Younger
- Elbow Injuries
- Elbow Problems, Non-Injury
- Facial Injuries
- Facial Problems, Non-Injury
- Fish Hook Injuries
- Toe, Foot, and Ankle Injuries
- Groin Problems and Injuries
- Finger, Hand, and Wrist Injuries
- Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries
- Safe Hand and Wrist Movements
- Physical Rehabilitation for ACL Injuries
- Marine Stings and Scrapes
- Mouth Problems, Non-Injury
- Nail Problems and Injuries
- Puncture Wounds
- Shoulder Problems and Injuries
- Removing Splinters
- Swallowed Button Disc Battery, Magnet, or Object With Lead
- Object Stuck in the Throat
- How a Scrape Heals
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HealthLinkBC Dietitians can answer your questions about food and nutrition. For more information on bowel disease and your diet, call 8-1-1 to speak with a registered dietitian, Monday to Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., or you can Email a HealthLinkBC Dietitian. For more information on bowel disease and your diet, see Healthy Eating Guidelines for People with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Topic Overview

What is Crohn's disease?
Crohn's disease is a lifelong inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Parts of the digestive system get swollen and have deep sores called ulcers. Crohn's disease usually is found in the last part of the small intestine and the first part of the large intestine. But it can develop anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus.
What causes Crohn's disease?
Doctors don't know what causes Crohn's disease. You may get it when the body's immune system has an abnormal response to normal bacteria in your intestine. Other kinds of bacteria and viruses may also play a role in causing the disease.
Crohn's disease can run in families. Your chances of getting it are higher if a close family member has it. People of Eastern European (Ashkenazi) Jewish background may have a higher chance of getting Crohn's disease. Smoking also puts you at a higher risk for the disease.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptoms of Crohn's disease are belly pain and diarrhea (sometimes with blood). Some people may have diarrhea 10 to 20 times a day. Losing weight without trying is another common sign. Less common symptoms include mouth sores, bowel blockages, anal tears (fissures), and openings (fistulas) between organs.
Infections, hormonal changes, and smoking can cause your symptoms to flare up. You may have only mild symptoms or go for long periods of time without any symptoms. A few people have ongoing, severe symptoms.
It's important to be aware of signs that Crohn's disease may be getting worse. Call your doctor right away if you have any of these signs:
- You feel faint or have a fast and weak pulse.
- You have severe belly pain.
- You have a fever or shaking chills.
- You are vomiting again and again.
How is Crohn's disease diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical examination. You may also have X-rays and lab tests to find out if you have Crohn's.
Tests that may be done to diagnose Crohn's disease include:
- Barium X-rays of the small intestine or colon.
- Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy. In these tests, the doctor uses a thin, lighted tube to look inside the colon.
- Biopsy. The doctor takes a sample of tissue and tests it to find out if you have Crohn's or another disease, such as cancer.
- Stool analysis. This is a test to look for blood and signs of infection in a sample of your stool.
- One or more imaging tests, such as CT scan or MRI.
How is it treated?
Your treatment will depend on the type of symptoms you have and how bad they are.
There are a few steps you can take to help yourself feel better. Take your medicine just as your doctor tells you to. Exercise, and eat healthy meals. Don't smoke. Smoking makes Crohn's disease worse.
The most common treatment for Crohn's disease is medicine. Mild symptoms of Crohn's disease may be treated with over-the-counter medicines to stop diarrhea. But talk with your doctor before you take them, because they may cause side effects.
You may also use prescription medicines. They help control inflammation in the intestines and keep the disease from causing symptoms. (When you don't have symptoms, you are in remission.) These medicines also help heal damaged tissue and can postpone the need for surgery.
Crohn's disease makes it hard for your body to absorb nutrients from food. A meal plan that focuses on high-calorie, high-protein foods can help you get the nutrients you need. Eating this way may be easier if you have regular meals plus two or three snacks each day.
How do you cope with Crohn's disease?
Having Crohn's disease can be stressful. The disease affects every part of your life. Seek support from family and friends to help you cope. Get counselling if you need it.
Many people with inflammatory bowel diseases look to alternative treatments to improve their well-being. These treatments haven't been proved effective for Crohn's disease, but they may help you cope. They include massage, supplements such as vitamins D and B12, and herbs like ginseng.
Health Tools
Health Tools help you make wise health decisions or take action to improve your health.
Cause
The cause of Crohn's disease is unknown. This disease may result from an abnormal response by the body's immune system to normal intestinal bacteria.footnote 1 Disease-causing bacteria and viruses also may play a role.
Crohn's disease can run in families, so some people may be more likely than others to develop the condition when exposed to something that triggers an immune reaction. Environmental factors may also play a role in causing this disease.
Symptoms
The main symptoms of Crohn's disease include:
- Belly pain. The pain often is described as cramping and intermittent, and the belly may be sore when touched. Belly pain may turn to a dull, constant ache as the condition gets worse.
- Diarrhea. Some people may have diarrhea 10 to 20 times a day. They may wake up at night and need to go to the bathroom. Crohn's disease may cause blood in stools, but not always.
- Loss of appetite.
- Fever. In severe cases, fever or other symptoms that affect the entire body may develop. A high fever may mean that you have an infection, such as an abscess.
- Weight loss. Ongoing symptoms, such as diarrhea, can lead to weight loss.
- Too few red blood cells (anemia). Some people with Crohn's disease develop anemia because of low iron levels caused by bloody stools or the intestinal inflammation itself.
- Small tears in the anus (anal fissures) that may go away, but come back again.
Because Crohn's disease involves the immune system, you also may have symptoms outside the digestive tract. These may include joint pain, eye problems, a skin rash, or liver disease.
Other conditions with symptoms similar to Crohn's disease include diverticulitis and ulcerative colitis.
What Happens
Crohn's disease is an ongoing (chronic) condition that may flare up throughout your life. It affects different people in different ways. Some people may have only mild symptoms. Others may have severe symptoms or complications that, in rare cases, may be life-threatening.
The disease may be:
- Mild.
- Moderate.
- Severe.
- Not active (in remission).
Crohn's disease may be defined by the part of the digestive tract involved, such as the rectum and anus (perianal disease) or the area where the small intestine joins the large intestine (ileocecal disease). Some people may have features of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, the other major type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Complications
Because Crohn's disease can cause inflammation in parts of the intestines that absorb nutrients from food, it can cause deficiencies in vitamin B12, folic acid, or other nutrients. The disease can increase the risk of gallstones, kidney stones, and certain uncommon forms of anemia.
In long-term Crohn's disease, scar tissue may replace some of the inflamed or ulcerated intestines. This scar tissue can form blockages (bowel obstructions) or narrowed areas (strictures) that can prevent stool from passing through the intestines. Blockages in the intestines also can be caused by inflammation and swelling, which may improve with medicines. Sometimes blockages can only be treated with surgery.
If sores break through the wall of the intestines, abnormal connections or openings (fistulas) may form. Fistulas can form between two parts of the intestines, between the intestines and other organs (such as the bladder or vagina), or between the intestines and the skin. In rare cases, this can lead to infection of the abdominal wall.
Cancer risk
Crohn's disease of the colon and rectum that has been present for 8 years or longer increases the risk of cancer. With regular screening, some cancers can be found early and treated successfully.
Inflammatory bowel disease also increases the risk of melanoma, a serious type of skin cancer. Your doctor may recommend regular screening by a dermatologist.footnote 2
Pregnancy
Most women who have Crohn's disease can have a normal pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. The best idea is to wait until the disease is in remission before becoming pregnant. Women who become pregnant when their disease is under control are more likely to avoid flare-ups during pregnancy.
Some medicines used to treat the disease can be used during pregnancy. It's a good idea to talk with your doctor about which medicines are okay. But sometimes severe Crohn's disease can harm your baby more than medicines to keep it under control.
What Increases Your Risk
Things that may increase your risk of getting Crohn's disease include:
- Having a family history of Crohn's disease. Your risk increases if an immediate family member (a parent, brother, or sister) has the disease.
- Having Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.
- Smoking cigarettes.
Things that may cause Crohn's disease symptoms to flare up include:
- Medicines.
- Infections.
- Hormonal changes.
- Lifestyle changes.
- Smoking.
When should you call your doctor?
Call a doctor right away if you have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease and you have one or more of the following:
- Fever or shaking chills
- Light-headedness, passing out, or rapid heart rate
- Stools that are almost always bloody
- Severe dehydration
- Severe belly pain or severe pain and bloating
- Evidence of pus draining from the area around the anus, or pain and swelling in the anal area
- Repeated vomiting
- Not passing any stools or gas
If you have any of these symptoms and you have been diagnosed with Crohn's disease, your condition may have become much worse. Some of these symptoms also may be signs of toxic megacolon. This is a rare complication of Crohn's disease that requires emergency treatment. Untreated toxic megacolon can cause the colon to leak or rupture, which can be fatal.
People who have Crohn's disease usually know their normal pattern of symptoms. Call your doctor if there is a change in your usual symptoms or if:
- Your symptoms become significantly worse than usual.
- You have diarrhea that lasts for more than 2 weeks.
- You have lost weight.
Who to see
Your family doctor or general practitioner can diagnose Crohn's disease.
For help managing Crohn's disease, you may be referred to a specialist, such as an internist or a gastroenterologist.
To be evaluated for surgery, you may be referred to a:
Examinations and Tests
Crohn's disease is diagnosed through a medical history and physical examination, imaging tests to look at the intestines, and lab tests.
It may go undiagnosed for years, because symptoms usually develop gradually and it doesn't always affect the same part of the intestine.
Other diseases can have the same symptoms as Crohn's disease. But doctors can diagnose Crohn's by doing a test that looks at the inside of the intestine.
Diagnostic tests
- Colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy: Colonoscopy is often the preferred test because it can be used to examine the entire colon. Sigmoidoscopy reaches only the lowest part of the colon.
- Abdominal X-ray: This test can show possible obstructions in the belly.
- Upper gastrointestinal (UGI) series: It examines the upper part of the digestive tract.
- Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy: It looks at the interior lining of your esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
- Barium enema: This test looks at the large intestine (colon).
- Computed tomography (CT) scan: This test uses X-rays to make detailed pictures inside the body.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI): MRI uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to provide pictures of organs and structures inside the body.
- Standard blood tests and urine tests: These check for anemia, inflammation, or malnutrition. Depending on the symptoms, an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, or sed rate) or C-reactive protein (CRP) blood test may be done to look for infection or inflammation.
Other tests
Other tests may be done to confirm or evaluate the disease.
- Biopsy: This test is done on a sample of tissue collected during sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy. A biopsy also may be done to find out if a tumour is present. Bowel biopsies are painless (other than the possible discomfort of the scope procedure). They remove only a tiny piece of tissue.
- Stool analysis: This may be done to look for blood, signs of bacterial infection, malabsorption, parasites, or the presence of white blood cells. It can help tell the difference between Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which can have similar symptoms.
- Video capsule endoscopy (VCE): This test takes pictures of the digestive tract using a tiny camera that you swallow. The images are recorded by a device that you wear on your belt. The test allows your doctor to see the small intestine, which is hard to see with other tests.
- Small bowel enteroscopy: This test uses a long, lighted flexible tube with a tiny camera that sends pictures of the small intestine to a video screen. This helps the doctor look at the small intestine. The doctor can also take small samples of the tissue.
- Blood tests to find antibodies: These tests can sometimes help the doctor tell if you have Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. These tests include anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody with perinuclear staining (pANCA), anti-Saccharomyces cerevisiae antibody (ASCA), and outer membrane porin C (Omp C).
Treatment Overview
The main treatment for Crohn's disease is medicine to stop the inflammation in the intestine and medicine to prevent flare-ups and keep you in remission. A few people have severe, long-lasting symptoms or complications that may require a stronger medicine, a combination of medicines, or surgery. The type of treatment you need depends on the type of symptoms you have and how bad they are.
Managing symptoms
Mild symptoms may respond to an antidiarrheal medicine such as loperamide (Imodium, for example). This medicine slows or stops the painful spasms in your intestines that cause symptoms.
For mild to moderate symptoms, your doctor may have you take antibiotics. Sometimes aminosalicylates are used.
Severe symptoms may be treated with corticosteroids, immunomodulator medicines, or biologics. With severe symptoms, the first step is to control the disease. When your symptoms are gone, your doctor will plan your treatment to keep you symptom-free (in remission).
See Medications.
Remission
After symptoms are controlled, your treatment will focus on medicine or a combination of medicines that keeps Crohn's disease in remission.
Your doctor will want to see you about every 6 months if your condition is stable. You'll be seen more often if you have flare-ups. You may have lab tests every 2 to 3 months.
Severe disease
Some severe cases of Crohn's disease need to be treated in the hospital. In the hospital, you may get supplemental nutrition through a tube placed in your nose and down into the stomach (enteral nutrition). Or your bowel may need to rest, and you will be fed liquid nutrients in a vein (total parenteral nutrition, TPN). See Other Treatment.
Surgery may be needed if no medicine is effective or if you have complications. See Surgery.
Prevention
Crohn's disease cannot be prevented, because the cause is unknown. But you can take steps to reduce the severity of the disease. For help, see Home Treatment.
Home Treatment
If Crohn's disease doesn't cause symptoms, no treatment is needed. Mild symptoms may be treated with antidiarrheal medicines or changes in diet and nutrition.
In general, doctors recommend that you do not use non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen or naproxen. These medicines may cause flare-ups of Crohn's disease. But some people may be more likely to have flare-ups from NSAIDs than others. Talk to your doctor about whether to avoid these medicines.
You can also help yourself by:
- Not smoking. Smoking makes Crohn's disease worse.
- Eating a healthy diet.
- Not using antibiotics unless they have been prescribed for you by a doctor.
- Getting regular exercise.
Support and counselling
Crohn's disease can affect every aspect of your life. It may make you feel isolated or depressed. But you can take steps to improve your outlook and coping skills. You may want to seek professional counselling and social support from family, friends, or clergy.
Helping your child
Children who have Crohn's disease may feel self-conscious if they don't grow as fast as other children their age. Encourage your child to take medicine as prescribed. Offer help with the treatment so that your child can feel better, start growing again, and lead a more normal life. Children tend to have a harder time managing the disease than adults, so your support is especially important.
Medications
Medicines usually are the treatment of choice for Crohn's disease. They can control or prevent inflammation in the intestines and help to:
- Relieve symptoms.
- Promote healing of damaged tissues.
- Put the disease into remission and keep it from flaring up again.
- Postpone the need for surgery.
Medicine choices
The choice of medicine usually depends on how severe the disease is, what part of the intestine is affected, and whether complications are present. Medicines for Crohn's disease include:
- Aminosalicylates, such as mesalamine or sulfasalazine. Your doctor may recommend these medicines during a flare-up or at other times.
- Antibiotics. These may be tried to treat the disease itself or to treat infections that can occur with Crohn's disease. They are also used to treat fistulas and abscesses.
- Biologics, such as infliximab or adalimumab. Your doctor may have you try these medicines if other medicines for Crohn's disease haven't worked for you. In some cases, biologics are tried before some of the other medicines. They are also used to treat fistulas.
- Corticosteroids, such as budesonide or prednisone. These may be given for a few weeks or months to control swelling. These steroid medicines usually stop symptoms and put the disease in remission. But they are not used as long-term treatment to keep symptoms from coming back.
- Immune modulators, such as azathioprine and methotrexate. You may take these if other medicines don't work, if your symptoms come back when you stop taking steroid medicines, or if your symptoms come back often, even with treatment.
Surgery
Surgery for Crohn's disease may be done if:
- No medicine can control your symptoms.
- You have serious side effects from medicines.
- Your symptoms can only be controlled with long-term use of corticosteroids.
- You have complications.
Surgery is rarely done, and it's not a cure. When surgery for Crohn's is needed, as little of the intestine as possible is removed to keep the intestines working normally. The disease tends to return to other areas of the intestines after surgery.
Surgery may improve a child's well-being and quality of life and restore normal growth and sexual development.
Types of surgery
-
Bowel resection
. The diseased portion of the intestine is removed, and the healthy ends of the intestine are reattached. - Strictureplasty. The surgeon makes a lengthwise cut in the intestine and then sews the opening together in the opposite direction. This makes the intestine wider and helps with obstruction of the bowels. This is sometimes done at the same time as resection or when a person has had resection in the past. Strictureplasty is used when the doctor is trying to save as much of the intestine as possible.
-
Proctocolectomy and ileostomy
. The surgeon removes the large intestine and rectum, leaving the lower end of the small intestine (the ileum). The anus is sewn closed, and a small opening called a stoma is made in the skin of the lower belly. The ileum is connected to the stoma, creating an opening to the outside of the body. Stool empties from this opening into a small plastic pouch called an ostomy bag that is applied to the skin around the stoma. -
Intestinal transplant
. This is rarely used for Crohn's disease. In this complex procedure, the small intestine is removed and replaced with the small intestine of a person who has recently died and donated his or her organs.
What to think about
It may take time to adjust to living with an ostomy. It may help to know that most people are able to adapt and resume all of their usual activities. Talk with your doctor about support groups in your area for people with ostomies.
Other Treatment
Other treatments for Crohn's disease include balloon dilation, supplemental nutrition, and complementary therapies.
Balloon dilation
Balloon dilation isn't surgery. It may be done if you want to delay surgery, or if you have had surgery before and your doctor wants to save as much of the intestine as possible.
During the procedure, the doctor moves an endoscope through your intestine from your anus. The endoscope is a long, thin tube that has a video camera on the end. An uninflated balloon is placed across the narrowed part of the intestine. When the balloon is inflated, it makes that part of the intestine wider.
The balloon is deflated and then removed. Not as much is known about the long-term success of balloon dilation compared to surgery.
Supplemental nutrition
Some people who have Crohn's disease need additional nutrition because severe disease prevents their small intestine from absorbing nutrients.
Supplemental liquid feedings may be done through a tube placed in the nose and down into the stomach (enteral nutrition) or through a vein (total parenteral nutrition, or TPN). Enteral nutrition or TPN may be needed when:
- Crohn's disease isn't controlled with standard treatment.
- Short bowel syndrome occurs. This happens when so much of the small intestine has been surgically removed or is affected by the disease that you can't properly digest food and absorb enough nutrients.
- Bowel blockage occurs.
Supplemental feeding can restore good nutrition to children who are growing more slowly than normal. It also can build strength if you need surgery or have been weakened because of severe diarrhea and poor nutrition.
Supplemental nutrition allows the intestines to rest and heal. But it's common for symptoms to return when TPN is stopped and you go back to a regular diet. TPN doesn't change the long-term outcome of Crohn's disease.
Complementary medicine
Many people with inflammatory bowel disease consider non-traditional or complementary medicine in addition to prescription medicines. They may turn to these alternatives because there is no cure for Crohn's disease. People may also use complementary medicine for help with:
- The difficult side effects from standard medicines.
- The emotional strain of dealing with a chronic illness.
- The negative impact of severe disease on daily life.
These therapies have not been proved effective for Crohn's disease, but they may improve your well-being. Therapies include:
- Special diets or nutritional supplements, such as probiotics, evening primrose, and fish oils.
- Vitamin supplements, such as vitamins D and B12.
- Herbs, such as ginseng.
- Massage.
- Stimulation of the feet, hands, and ears to try to affect parts of the body (reflexology).
Related Information
References
Citations
- Sands BE, Siegel CA (2010). Crohn's disease. In M Feldman et al., eds., Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease, 9th ed., vol. 2, pp. 1941–1973. Philadelphia: Saunders Elsevier.
- Singh S, et al. (2014). Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with an increased risk of melanoma: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Clinical Gastroenterology Hepatology, 12(2): 210–218. DOI: 10.1016/j.cgh.2013.04.033. Accessed March 25, 2015.
Other Works Consulted
- Feuerstein JD, et al. (2017). American Gastroenterological Association Institute guideline on therapeutic drug monitoring in inflammatory bowel disease. Gastroenterology, 153(3): 827–834. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.07.032. Accessed June 25, 2018.
- Lichtenstein GR, et al. (2018). ACG clinical guideline: Management of Crohn's disease in adults. American Journal of Gastroenterology, 113(4): 481–517. DOI: 10.1038/ajg.2018.27. Accessed July 12, 2018.
- Terdiman JP, et al. (2013). American Gastroenterological Association Institute guideline on the use of thiopurines, methotrexate, and anti-TNF-α biologic drugs for the induction and maintenance of remission in inflammatory Crohn's disease. Gastroenterology, 145(6): 1459–1463. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2013.10.047. Accessed June 25, 2018.
Credits
Current as of:
April 15, 2020
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:
E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine
Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine
Arvydas D. Vanagunas MD - Gastroenterology
Current as of: April 15, 2020
Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review:E. Gregory Thompson MD - Internal Medicine & Adam Husney MD - Family Medicine & Arvydas D. Vanagunas MD - Gastroenterology
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