What does Crohn's disease abdominal pain feel like?

Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 13, 2024
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Crohn's disease is an inflammation that occurs in the intestines, most commonly found in the terminal ileum and the right half of the colon. Due to the irritation from the inflammation, there is noticeable abdominal pain, which often presents as cramping, and sometimes as dull pain. The severity of the abdominal pain varies with the intensity of the inflammation. In addition to abdominal pain, symptoms may include diarrhea or manifestations of intestinal obstruction. Due to damage to the intestinal wall, complications such as intestinal perforation or rectal bleeding can occur, as well as fever and extraintestinal manifestations like malabsorption disorders. Crohn's disease tends to recur frequently and has a protracted course. It is not easily cured, and thus, strengthening daily care is essential.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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What to do if Crohn's disease causes a fever?

Extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease include fever or nutritional disorders. When there is a fever, symptomatic fever-reducing treatment should be applied using antipyretic medications. If the body temperature does not exceed 38°C, physical cooling methods can also be used, such as wiping the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, forehead, armpits, and groin with alcohol or a warm towel to dissipate heat physically. It is important to drink plenty of water and consume more vegetables to maintain hydration. Attention should also be given to enhancing nutrition by providing a high-nutrient, low-fat diet, which could include lean meats, eggs, and fish. Strict rest is crucial during the disease flare-ups to avoid excessive fatigue. (Please use medications under the guidance of a doctor)

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Can you smoke with Crohn's disease?

Patients with Crohn's disease are advised not to smoke, as smoking can cause many harms, including disturbances in intestinal blood circulation, which can exacerbate the symptoms of Crohn's disease. Typical symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and intestinal obstruction, as well as possible fever and nutritional disorders. The diet should consist of frequent small meals, low in fat and high in calories, and may include vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, and yams, while avoiding raw, spicy foods and foods that cause gas. During active phases, strict rest is recommended along with calorie supplementation and high nutritional support to actively prevent complications. Crohn's disease tends to recur frequently and can have a protracted course.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Can people with Crohn's disease eat eggs?

Patients with Crohn's disease can eat eggs, but should focus on consuming primarily egg whites and avoid egg yolks as much as possible. The general principle for their diet should be to have smaller, more frequent meals that are high in calories and low in fat. Vegetables such as yams, carrots, and potatoes can be included, while cold, spicy, and irritating foods should be avoided. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown cause, potentially resulting in complications like intestinal obstruction, perforation, and rectal bleeding. During active phases, it is important to rest, avoid excessive fatigue, and timely replenish needed nutrients and fluids.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Does Crohn's disease hurt?

Crohn's disease can cause abdominal pain, along with symptoms of diarrhea and intestinal obstruction. It often accompanies fever, anemia, and nutritional disorders. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease, and its specific causes are not particularly clear. It commonly affects the terminal ileum and the right half of the colon. The disease course is prone to recurrent attacks, so dietary management is important. The principle of eating small frequent meals should be followed, with a focus on light vegetables, while also ensuring nutritional enhancement. It is advisable to avoid spicy, cold, stimulating foods, and those that cause gas, such as leeks, garlic, and bean products. Treatment involves a combination of medication and surgery.

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Written by Yang Dong
Colorectal Surgery Department
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Differential Diagnosis between Intestinal Tuberculosis and Crohn's Disease

Intestinal tuberculosis often exhibits symptoms of extraintestinal tuberculosis, whereas Crohn's disease generally does not show signs of extraintestinal tuberculosis. Recurrence of intestinal tuberculosis is not common, whereas Crohn's disease has a longer duration and alternates between remission and relapse. Fistulas, abdominal abscesses, and perianal lesions are relatively rare in intestinal tuberculosis, but Crohn's disease may involve fistulas, abdominal masses, and perianal lesions. Tuberculin skin tests may be positive in patients with intestinal tuberculosis, while in Crohn's disease patients, the test may show a weakly positive result. After antituberculosis treatment, symptoms in patients with intestinal tuberculosis can significantly improve, whereas there is no significant improvement in symptoms in Crohn's disease patients following antituberculosis treatment. Furthermore, histopathological examination in patients with intestinal tuberculosis may reveal Mycobacterium tuberculosis and caseous necrosis. In contrast, Crohn's disease patients show negative results for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in pathologic testing and do not exhibit caseous necrosis.