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Crohn’s disease is a medical condition where parts of your digestive system become swollen and inflamed. It is named after Dr Crohn – the guy who first described the disease back in the 1900s.
When you have Crohn’s disease it can sometimes flare-up and you can get symptoms such as tummy pain, feeling tired, not having much energy and you may also lose weight.
There may also be times when you have no symptoms at all – this is called remission. Doctors sometimes call Crohn’s disease a “chronic condition” which just means that it’s ongoing.
So that our bodies can use the food we eat it has to be broken down into smaller bits that our bodies can absorb – this is called digestion. Digestion is very important as without it we wouldn’t be able to take food into our bodies and use it.
Digestion happens in the digestive system. The digestive system is a long tube that begins at your mouth and ends at your anus (your bottom).
Take a look at our digestive diagram below to see what happens to our food when we eat it.
After you swallow, food goes through each of these organs in turn:
Crohn’s disease can happen in any part of the digestive system, but it happens more often in the small intestine.
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About 1 in every 1500 people get Crohn’s disease. It can happen at any time in our life but most people are
between 15 and 40 years old.
38% of people who have Crohn’s disease are aged between 5 and 16 years old.
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To keep our bodies healthy it is important
that we eat the right nutrients in the right amounts.
There are six main groups of nutrients.
Please click on the words below to reveal more information:
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Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates provide our bodies with energy and come from foods like cereals, bread, pasta and potatoes.
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Proteins
Proteins are needed for our bodies to grow and repair. Proteins come from meat, fish, eggs and dairy products like milk and cheese, as well as vegetable sources like soya and other beans or pulses.
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Fats
Fats also give our bodies energy. They also act like insulation to keep us warm when it gets cold. Fats are found in foods like butter, cheese, cream, margarine and oils.
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Minerals
Minerals are needed in small amounts by our bodies to keep us healthy. There are lots of different types of minerals – such as calcium which comes from foods like milk, cheese and yoghurts. Calcium helps to keep our bones and teeth strong and healthy.
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Vitamins
Vitamins are also needed in small amounts by our bodies. There are lots of different vitamins, such as Vitamin C which helps to protect our bodies from getting infections. Fruit and vegetables contain lots of Vitamin C.
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Fibre
Fibre is important to keep food moving through our digestive system. Fibre comes from fruit and vegetables, wholemeal bread and some breakfast cereals.
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When your Crohn’s disease flares up your doctor will decide between a number of different treatments to stop your symptoms, such as medicines or a special liquid diet.
ACT has been set-up to help you if you have been started on a liquid diet by your doctor – so we will only talk to you about this treatment.
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Your doctor has recommended that you drink a special liquid diet for the next 4-8 weeks. The liquid diet can help you in many ways:
- Help to rest your digestive system which can help reduce the symptoms you are having – like pain and diarrhoea
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- Help to reduce the swelling and inflammation in your digestive system
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- It can make you feel better and have more energy
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The special liquid diet contains all of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy – so when you’re drinking this diet you don’t need to worry about eating any other foods.
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The good news is that you should start to feel better after 5 days of taking the special liquid diet. Take a look at the chart below to see how you should feel over the next 4-8 weeks.
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Please click on the words below to reveal more information:
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Dietitian
Experts in diet and nutrition. They will give you advice on what you can eat to stay healthy and will also keep a check on your weight.
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IBD Nurse
A nurse who is an expert in Crohn’s disease. They will be able to give you advice on all aspects of your health and living with Crohn’s disease.
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Gastroenterologist
A special doctor who is an expert on the digestive system. They will give you information on the medicines to take for your Crohn’s disease.
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Radiologist
A doctor who is an expert in doing x-rays and other scanning tests to look at what is going on in your digestive system.
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Rheumatologist
A special doctor who is an expert on bones, joints and muscles.
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Please click on the words below to reveal more information:
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Bowel
Another name for the digestive system. Your digestive system is divided into the oesophagus, stomach, small bowel and large bowel. The digestive system may also be called your intestines.
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Chronic
Means ongoing – so a chronic illness like Crohn’s disease may last for many years.
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Colitis
Inflammation of the colon.
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Colon
This is part of your large intestine. The colon’s job is to absorb water from your poo. The colon is about 1.5 metres long.
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Constipation
This is when it is difficult to go to the toilet and pass poo. Your poo may
be hard.
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Defecation
The process of passing undigested food (poo) when you go to the toilet. Some people also call this emptying your bowels.
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Diarrhoea
Passing a large amount of watery stools very frequently. This may also be called loose stools.
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Distention
A swollen feeling in the tummy area – caused by gas (wind) or fluid in your digestive system.
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Enteritis
Swelling/inflammation of your small intestine.
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Faeces
Undigested food – also called stools, motions or poo.
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Flare-ups
When you get symptoms of your Crohn’s disease, like tummy pain, diarrhoea or feeling tired. These symptoms may start unexpectedly after a time when you have been feeling well. Your doctor may also call this a ‘relapse’.
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Flatus
Wind, gas or farting – the passing of gas through the end of your large intestine (rectum).
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Enteral feed
A nutritional liquid which can be drunk or passed down a feeding tube. The feed contains the nutrients which your body needs to stay healthy.
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Gastrostomy tube
A feeding tube which is passed into your tummy.
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Gut
Another name for the intestine, bowel or digestive system.
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Inflammation
This is when a damaged area of the body becomes swollen, hot and red.
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Liquid diet
A liquid nutritional drink which contains all of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Click here for more information.
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Motions
Another name for faeces, poo or emptying your bowels.
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Nasogastric tube
A feeding tube which is passed down your nose and into your tummy.
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Nutritional Supplement
Drinks or puddings which are high in energy, proteins, vitamins and minerals. Your doctor or dietitian may suggest you take a nutritional supplement if you are struggling to eat enough everyday foods or if you need to gain weight.
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Relapse
Another word used by your doctor to describe when your Crohn’s disease flares-up.
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Remission
When you have no Crohn’s symptoms at all.
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Steatorrhoea
Loose stools which contain large amounts of fat. This may also be called fatty diarrhoea.
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Stools
Another word for poo, motions or faeces.
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