What is Crohn's disease?

Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
Updated on May 10, 2025
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Crohn's disease is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory disease, characterized by segmental and skip lesions, longitudinal ulcers that are relatively deep, and can affect various parts of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus, primarily occurring near the end of the ileum and adjacent colon. This disease tends to recur repeatedly, and currently, there are no particularly effective treatment methods. At present, the highest incidence rates are in North America and Northern Europe, and the incidence in China is also showing an increasing trend year by year. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. Generally, this disease is difficult to cure and tends to recur throughout a person's life.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Crohn's disease is what kind of disease?

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease primarily affecting the terminal ileum and the right half of the colon. Typical symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, intestinal obstruction, and it may also lead to complications such as intestinal perforation or rectal bleeding. Additionally, it can affect joints, skin, liver, and other organs. The course of the disease is often recurrent and difficult to cure completely. Currently, there are no specifically effective drugs. Severe complications may require surgical treatment. Mild symptoms can be controlled with medication. Dietary guidelines suggest eating small, frequent meals that are high in nutrition and low in fat, and it is important to consume more vegetables and supplement with vitamin C.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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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.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Will routine blood tests be normal for Crohn's disease?

If you have Crohn's disease, conducting a routine blood test can be helpful for an auxiliary diagnosis. If the routine blood test for someone with Crohn's disease shows an increase in white blood cells, it may be indicative of a bacterial infection. Crohn's disease can lead to persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and inadequate absorption of nutrients. It may also result in anemia, low red blood cell count, and low hemoglobin levels. Diagnosis can be confirmed by considering the individual's clinical symptoms in conjunction with stool routine tests and colonoscopy examinations.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
Gastroenterology
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Early symptoms of Crohn's disease

Early symptoms of Crohn's disease include abdominal pain and diarrhea, abdominal masses, and may also be accompanied by fever, anemia, and digestive nutritional disorders, and can affect joints, eyes, skin, and other organs. Some patients may have iritis, clubbed finger arthritis, oral ulcers, and chronic hepatitis. Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease of unknown cause, commonly occurring in the ileum and right half of the colon, with a tendency to be prolonged and recurrent, and is not easy to cure completely. Currently, treatment mainly involves medication combined with surgery to prevent complications. It is important to rest adequately and maintain a reasonable diet. (Please use medication under the guidance of a professional physician.)

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
49sec home-news-image

What is Crohn's disease?

Crohn's disease is a chronic nonspecific inflammatory disease, characterized by segmental and skip lesions, longitudinal ulcers that are relatively deep, and can affect various parts of the digestive tract from the mouth to the anus, primarily occurring near the end of the ileum and adjacent colon. This disease tends to recur repeatedly, and currently, there are no particularly effective treatment methods. At present, the highest incidence rates are in North America and Northern Europe, and the incidence in China is also showing an increasing trend year by year. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. Generally, this disease is difficult to cure and tends to recur throughout a person's life.