Crohn’s is a serious inflammatory disease of the gastrointestinal tract. It affects predominantly the lower part of the small intestine (ileum) and large intestine (colon) but it may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s disease usually causes diarrhea, cramps, often fever and, sometimes, rectal bleeding. It may also occur appetite loss and subsequent weight loss. Symptoms vary from mild to severe but, in general, people with Crohn’s disease can lead active and proactive lives.

Crohn’s is a chronic disease and its cause is unknown. Current available medication reduces the inflammation and usually controls the symptoms but does not cure the disease. In addition, it is hard to tell the difference between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, because the former behaves as the latter. Both diseases are grouped into the category of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBDs). Differently from Crohn’s, where all layers are involved and the patient may present segments of healthy intestine, ulcerative colitis affects only the most superficial layer of the colon, continuously. Depending on the affected region, Crohn’s disease may be called ileitis, regional enteritis or colitis, etc. To avoid one condition being confused with the other, the term Crohn’s disease may be used to identify the disease in any part affected in the body (ileus, colon, rectum, anus, stomach, duodenum, etc.). It is called Crohn’s disease because Burril B. Crohn was the first name to appear as one of the 3 authors of an essay(article) describing the condition. That article was written in 1932 and became the essential and pioneer material about Crohn’s.