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Crohn's Disease Treatment Options
- By James Woolley
- Published 06/12/2008
- Diseases and Conditions
- Unrated
James Woolley
James Woolley runs a website discussing the health benefits of aloe vera including a study of the link between aloe vera and Crohn's disease and why it can be an effective treatment.
View all articles by James Woolley
Crohn's disease is a very uncomfortable disease where the bowel and intestine areas become inflamed. This can cause severe abdominal pains and may also result in nausea, vomiting, fever, diarrhoea and weight loss. It can, however, be treated in a number of different ways, even though it cannot really be completely cured.
Of course you should consult your doctor at the first sign of any of the symptoms above, and they will test to see if you have Crohn's disease and advise you on the appropriate treatment for your own particular condition. The goal then is basically to reduce the inflammation and ease the symptoms, making your life a lot more comfortable and tolerable.
The first treatment option is generally to take specific drugs that are anti-inflammatory in nature. So you may be prescribed sulfasalazine, mesalamine or corticosteroids which are designed to ease the inflammation of the affected area within your body.
You may also be given drugs to suppress your immune system so that future attacks of Crohn's disease can be averted. Antibiotics may also be prescribed because these will help remove any build up of bacteria that may be in your intestine and will treat any infections you may have.
As well as all these drugs, you may also be given other drugs
depending on your own particular condition. So for example if you suffer from diarrhoea you may be given anti-diarrhoea drugs, and if your condition may be helped by making dietary changes, you may be advised to take specific dietary supplements.
Everyone's condition is different and will respond to different treatments which is why there is not one treatment that is better than others. However most people should respond to certain drugs and should hopefully notice at least a slight improvement in their symptoms.
If no improvement is seen, then one other treatment option is to have surgery. This is very often a last resort but can certainly help to treat Crohn's disease. The goal of any surgery undertaken is to remove the affected part of the digestive tract and any scar tissue. It's more of a short-term solution that a long-term one, but some patients do see a long-term improvement in their condition as well.
Whichever treatment you try, it is important to make a few changes to your lifestyle so that you help treat your condition naturally. This means improving your diet, quitting smoking if you are a smoker and drinking plenty of water.
Overall there is no magic cure for Crohn's disease but there are many treatment options that can reduce the symptoms dramatically so that you see a noticeable improvement and can live a more normal and healthy life.
Of course you should consult your doctor at the first sign of any of the symptoms above, and they will test to see if you have Crohn's disease and advise you on the appropriate treatment for your own particular condition. The goal then is basically to reduce the inflammation and ease the symptoms, making your life a lot more comfortable and tolerable.
The first treatment option is generally to take specific drugs that are anti-inflammatory in nature. So you may be prescribed sulfasalazine, mesalamine or corticosteroids which are designed to ease the inflammation of the affected area within your body.
You may also be given drugs to suppress your immune system so that future attacks of Crohn's disease can be averted. Antibiotics may also be prescribed because these will help remove any build up of bacteria that may be in your intestine and will treat any infections you may have.
As well as all these drugs, you may also be given other drugs
Everyone's condition is different and will respond to different treatments which is why there is not one treatment that is better than others. However most people should respond to certain drugs and should hopefully notice at least a slight improvement in their symptoms.
If no improvement is seen, then one other treatment option is to have surgery. This is very often a last resort but can certainly help to treat Crohn's disease. The goal of any surgery undertaken is to remove the affected part of the digestive tract and any scar tissue. It's more of a short-term solution that a long-term one, but some patients do see a long-term improvement in their condition as well.
Whichever treatment you try, it is important to make a few changes to your lifestyle so that you help treat your condition naturally. This means improving your diet, quitting smoking if you are a smoker and drinking plenty of water.
Overall there is no magic cure for Crohn's disease but there are many treatment options that can reduce the symptoms dramatically so that you see a noticeable improvement and can live a more normal and healthy life.