Crohn's Disease | MedlinePlus

Crohn's Disease | MedlinePlus

MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA

• Albumin - blood (serum) test
• Barium enema
• Blind loop syndrome
• Bloody or tarry stools
• Colonoscopy
• Colostomy - slideshow
• Crohn disease
• Crohn disease - children - discharge
• Crohn disease - discharge
• D-xylose absorption

Related Health Topics

• Colonic Diseases
• Ulcerative Colitis

National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Crohn's Disease is theNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Other Languages

Find health information in languages other than English on Crohn's Disease

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• Living with Crohn's Disease
• Meeting the Challenge of Crohn's Disease
• What Is Crohn's Disease

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Summary

Crohn's disease causes inflammation of the digestive system. It is one of a group of diseases called inflammatory bowel disease. Crohn's can affect any area from the mouth to the anus. It often affects the lower part of the small intestine called the ileum.

The cause of Crohn's disease is unknown. It may be due to an abnormal reaction by the body's immune system. It also seems to run in some families. It most commonly starts between the ages of 13 and 30.

The most common symptoms are pain in the abdomen and diarrhea. Other symptoms include

• Bleeding from the rectum
• Weight loss
• Fever

Your doctor will diagnose Crohn's disease with a physical exam, lab tests, imaging tests, and a colonoscopy.

Crohn's can cause complications, such as intestinal blockages, ulcers in the intestine, and problems getting enough nutrients. People with Crohn's can also have joint pain and skin problems. Children with the disease may have growth problems.

There is no cure for Crohn's. Treatment can help control symptoms, and may include medicines, nutrition supplements, and/or surgery. Some people have long periods of remission, when they are free of symptoms.

NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

Start Here

• Crohn's Disease  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• The Facts about Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• What Is Crohn's Disease? (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Diagnosis and Tests

• Bacteria Culture Test  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Colonoscopy: MedlinePlus Health Topic  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
• Diagnosing and Managing IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
• Lower GI Series (Barium Enema)  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
• Stool Culture (American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
• Upper Gastrointestinal (GI) Series  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
• White Blood Cell (WBC) in Stool  (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

• Best Drugs to Treat Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Consumers Union of U.S.)
• Colostomy - slideshow (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• IBD and Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Probiotics: In Depth  (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
• Surgery for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Treatment Options in IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Living With

• Arthritis and IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Bone Loss in IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: Emotional Factors (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Extraintestinal Complications: Kidney Disorders (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Eye Complications in IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• General Healthcare Maintenance of IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Nutrition(North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition) - PDF
• Intestinal Complications of IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Intimate Relationship of Sex and Inflammatory Bowel Disease(Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Is Fatigue a Common Crohn's Disease Symptom? What Can Be Done about It?(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
• Liver Disease and IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Maintenance Therapy in IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Skin Complications of IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Related Issues

• Enteropathic Arthritis (Spondylitis Association of America)
• Influenza and IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Proctitis  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Short Bowel Syndrome  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
• Traveling with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• What People with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Need to Know about Osteoporosis (National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases)

Genetics

• Genetics Home Reference: Crohn disease  (National Library of Medicine)
• Learning about Crohn's Disease  (National Human Genome Research Institute)

Health Check Tools

• I'll Be Determined (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Statistics and Research

• Current Research Studies (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Epidemiology of IBD (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• The Facts about Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Crohn Disease  (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases  (National Institutes of Health)

Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: Influence of previous corticosteroid treatment on the efficacy and safety of... 
• Article: Serum vitamin D but not zinc levels are associated with different... 
• Article: Efficacy and safety of biosimilar CT-P13 compared with originator infliximab in... 
• Crohn's Disease -- see more articles 

Find an Expert

• American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons 
• Find a Gastroenterologist (American College of Gastroenterology)
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases 

Children

• Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Guide for Parents (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis: A Guide for Teachers and Other School Personnel(Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)
• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (For Children) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Nutrition Therapy and Crohn's Disease (Nemours Foundation)
• Treating Children and Adolescents (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Teenagers

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
• Teen Guide: Dealing with Crohn's & Colitis (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Women

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women's Health)
• Pregnancy and IBD (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Adults

• Managing Inflammatory Bowel Diseases as a Young Adult (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America)

Patient Handouts

• Colonoscopy (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Crohn disease (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Crohn disease - children - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Crohn disease - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Low-fiber diet (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
• Lower GI Series  (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)