What are the symptoms of the early stage of Crohn's disease?

Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
Updated on January 19, 2025
00:00
00:00

Crohn's disease is a chronic, non-specific inflammatory disease, primarily characterized by symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea. Initially, the symptoms are predominantly abdominal pain and diarrhea, but later stages may include weight loss and abdominal masses. It is challenging to treat and prone to relapse, with a tendency for lifelong recurrence. Colonoscopy can reveal longitudinal, deep ulcers in the intestines, and the disease can affect the entire digestive tract. It is crucial to pay attention to diet, emphasizing easy-to-digest foods. Fatty, greasy, raw, cold, fried, grilled, and sweet foods should be avoided. Consuming easily digested foods such as porridge and soup, or well-cooked noodles, or ensuring meat is thoroughly cooked can help reduce the burden on the digestive tract.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
49sec home-news-image

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
55sec home-news-image

Can people with Crohn's disease eat lamb?

Patients with Crohn's disease can eat lamb, but it should be consumed in small quantities. Eating too much can increase the burden on the intestines, leading to constipation or intestinal obstruction. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, or intestinal obstruction. It may also lead to fever or general nutritional disorders. Dietary considerations should include eating small, frequent meals, adhering to a high-nutrition, low-fat diet, consuming plenty of vegetables, eating fruits in moderation, and avoiding spicy, stimulating, and greasy foods. During active periods, it is important to rest more and treatment can involve a combination of medication and surgery. However, the course of the disease is usually long, prone to relapses, and hard to completely cure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
52sec home-news-image

What does Crohn's disease abdominal pain feel like?

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.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
57sec home-news-image

Common Complications of Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that commonly leads to complications such as intestinal obstruction, acute perforation, rectal bleeding, and poor absorption syndrome due to intra-abdominal abscesses. Due to inflammation, there is an increase in intestinal mucosa and narrowing of the intestinal lumen, which makes intestinal obstruction more likely. The decrease in protective barrier function of the intestinal mucosa makes it susceptible to acute perforation, which can also lead to rectal bleeding when perforated. Examinations for Crohn’s disease include colonoscopy, barium enema, CT scans, complete blood count, and intestinal absorption tests. The treatment involves a combination of medication and surgery, as the exact cause of the disease is not very clear, and it tends to have a prolonged course with recurrent flare-ups, making it difficult to cure completely.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
52sec home-news-image

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)