Crohn's disease can be complicated in that its symptoms are often misdiagnosed as lesser, more common illnesses. Because other digestive conditions have many of the same symptoms as Crohn's disease, the most accurate diagnosis can be obtained through an intestinal tissue sample biopsy. Due to the severity of Crohn's disease and the absence of a cure, symptoms of Crohn's disease should not be ignored.
Fatigue
Prior to being diagnosed with Crohn's, individuals typically experience a chronic form of fatigue often blamed on busy schedules or lack of rest. Upon being diagnosed with Crohn's, one may realize the fatigue experienced at the beginning was actually the body trying to convey that the health of the body was being compromised. The level of fatigue often increases with the duration of active Crohn's and flares and is accompanied by headaches and an inability to concentrate.
Nausea/Abdominal Pain
Not only is nausea a symptom of Crohn's disease, it's also a symptom of other illnesses, including flu, viruses, food poisoning and pregnancy; which makes it difficult to determine its cause unless other symptoms are present as well. In addition, abdominal pain and stomach cramps are often symptoms that occur frequently. The level of pain can vary from mild to excruciating and can be accompanied with spasms of the colon.
Diarrhea/Frequent Bowel Movements
While Crohn's patients' symptoms fluctuate with each person, one symptom nearly all have in common is diarrhea. Typically, in a healthy digestive system, twelve to 24 hours is the amount of time food remains in the digestive tract before being eliminated. Nutrients contained in food cannot be adequately absorbed by the body when they leave the digestive tract earlier than twelve hours. Diarrhea is a recurring symptom which leads to nutritional deficiencies, weight loss, anemia and dehydration.
Inflammation/Joint Pain
Crohn's disease does not limit inflammation to the colon. Inflammation is responsible for a host of symptoms such as: headache, flu-like symptoms, joint pain, back pain, arthritis, swelling, fever and sleep disturbances. While inflammation can be treated with medications, eliminating refined carbohydrates from the diet can significantly improve the levels of inflammation.
Oral Symptoms
Although Crohn's disease is a digestive disorder, it can affect all areas of the body. The mouth is the front door to the digestive system and can be plagued with ulcers, canker sores and candidiasis when Crohn's is active. Candidiasis is a systemic fungal infection resulting from a weakened immune system which can be mild or severe and problematic to treat.
Bloody Stools
One of the most disturbing symptoms of Crohn's disease is bloody stools. Depending on what part of the colon is bleeding, and in the event bleeding is mild, bloody stools can initially go unnoticed. However, when other symptoms are noted, doctors often request stool sample tests to determine whether or not blood is present. Bloody stool is a indication that the body is experiencing serious abnormalities and should never be neglected or left untreated.
Stress
Stress is a common part of day-to-day living; however, significant amounts of stress alter nerve impulses and hormones in the body. This prompts a chain reaction that creates a host of symptoms to include constipation, heartburn, irritable bowel, ulcers, high blood pressure, migraine headaches and sleep disorders. Coping with symptoms and flares of Crohn's disease can be extremely stressful, which in turn may trigger other symptoms.
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