What is the difference between Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome?

Written by Wu Hai Wu
Gastroenterology
Updated on January 25, 2025
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The main difference between Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome is that Crohn's disease is an organic disease, also known as segmental enteritis, whereas irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder. The primary symptoms of Crohn's disease include mucous stools and pus-blood stools, and patients may also experience chills and fever. Complications may include the formation of fistulas, leading to peritonitis in patients. Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional disorder, mainly characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and constipation. The treatment for patients with irritable bowel syndrome primarily involves the use of medications to regulate the intestinal flora and to modulate the intestinal nerves.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Crohn's disease is called for short what

Crohn's disease is abbreviated as CD in English, and it is also known as segmental enteritis, localized enteritis, or granulomatous ileocolitis. The clinical symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, intestinal obstruction, fever, and nutritional disorders. It can affect organs such as the joints, skin, and liver. Complications can often include intestinal obstruction, malabsorption, acute perforation, and rectal bleeding. Clinically, it can be diagnosed through routine blood tests, blood gas analysis, colonoscopy, barium enema, CT scans, etc. Dietary guidelines generally include eating smaller, more frequent meals and a low-fat diet. The treatment principle is a combination of medication and surgery.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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Can Crohn's disease patients take tonics?

Crohn's disease is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory disease that can occur throughout the digestive tract, presenting with mucosal ulcers in a longitudinal and phased distribution. Crohn's disease can flare up in any part of the digestive tract, and currently, there are no highly effective medications to treat it, and the disease can relapse throughout a person's life. There are many supplements available on the market today, and most of them are composed of traditional Chinese medicines, animal proteins, and other substances. Some specific foreign proteins can directly or indirectly activate immune cells, thus exacerbating the immune response. This can potentially worsen the symptoms of the disease, leading to more severe mucosal damage and an overall aggravation of the condition. Therefore, it is not advisable for individuals with Crohn's disease to consume these supplements indiscriminately. It is best to maintain a good diet and lifestyle habits instead.

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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 Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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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.

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Written by Peng Tao
Gastroenterology
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Does Crohn's disease require medication for life?

Crohn's disease has a treatment course and is not lifelong medication. Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are the two most common types of inflammatory bowel disease, and the incidence is increasing in our country. It is mainly due to various external inducements causing an imbalance in the body's immunity, leading our immune system to attack our own normal tissues. In Crohn's disease, it mainly attacks the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn's disease can occur from the mouth to the anus, but the small intestine is the primary site. This disease can be quickly controlled with medication, but it will relapse after discontinuing the medication because the real cause of this disease is endogenous, an internal immune imbalance, so this disease is incurable. However, the medication has its treatment course and is not for lifelong; however, there is always a possibility of relapse throughout life.