Don't Want to Treat Your Stomach Pain? Discover the Risks First.

When the bowel becomes inflamed, your ability to absorb nutrients from the food that you eat and to shed waste effectively becomes inefficient and can sometimes fail completely. Crohn's disease is one of many forms of inflammatory bowel disease. While the symptoms and injuries caused by Crohn's can go into remission, this is a chronic condition and will need to be monitored all your life once you receive your diagnosis.

Infection Risk

Any time the wall or lining of the bowel is open, the risk of infection becomes extreme. The risk of abscess in the abdomen or near the anus means that the Crohn's disease sufferer can no longer maintain the flora and fauna that make for a healthy gut. Treatment for abscess can run the gamut from intensive antibiotics to surgery, which again creates an infection risk.

Fistula Risk

The tissue inside the lower intestine is delicate and easily scarred. In the event of a perforation of the bowel, the open tissue can reattach to nearby tissue and create a small opening in between two sections of the bowel. This creates multiple challenges for the sufferer.

• Waste moves inefficiently, reducing the absorption of nutrients
• The small opening can easily become blocked

The inflamed and scarred tissue is also at greater risk of sensitivity and infection. Fistula repair requires surgery.

Malnutrition Risk

Food is broken down by acid inside the stomach, then it moves into the small intestine to be harvested for nutrients. The small intestine picks up different nutrients at different points. Depending on where the small intestine inflammation strikes, Crohn's sufferers can become malnourished. If you struggle with comfortable and effective evacuation and also struggle with

• iron deficiency
• B12 deficiency, or
• low levels of calcium

you may be suffering from an inflamed small intestine.

Stricture and Obstruction Risk

The bowel is a very long passage for food to be harvested and waste to be evacuated. It's folded across itself and highly flexible in a healthy person. However, Crohn's causes inflammation, and the folded areas can lead to strictures and blockages.

Intestinal blockage can be fatal. One of the symptoms of a blockage is diarrhea; the body is working very hard to eliminate toxins in the event of a blockage. There are many things that can cause a stricture, and foods high in fiber can become trapped in these narrowed areas, create more inflammation and lead to a complete blockage.

While diets high in fiber are extremely healthy for a gut that's in good shape, Crohn's sufferers often can't move fiber along. Additionally, large meals can cause a gut overload. It's critically important for Crohn's sufferers to eat small meals and get plenty of water, slowly sipped from a glass. Straw usage can increase your risk of gas, which can be painful if you're in a flare-up.

Cancer Risk

People with Crohn's Disease are at a higher risk of developing colon and rectal cancer. Getting a proper diagnosis and getting the condition under control is critical to avoiding this risk. Even when your Crohn's is in remission, you need to keep up on your scans and all recommended testing to avoid the risk of undiagnosed tumor growth.

Dietary Considerations

Every gut is different and you can suffer a flare-up even if you're following all of the dietary regulations. However, there are some common foods that can trigger a flare-up for many who suffer from Crohn's.

• Insoluble fiber, such as cruciferous vegetables
• dairy products
• liquor
• fatty foods
• sugary foods, and
• spicy foods

can lead to a flare-up. Once the tissue is inflamed, the risk infection, ulceration and abscess go up as well. Doing your best to keep your gut calm may not be enough. You may need maintenance medication.

Medication Concerns and Recommendations

One of the common medications used to treat the symptoms of Crohn's is a steroid to reduce the inflammation. If you need this treatment long-term, make sure to discuss your supplementation needs with your physician, as this treatment can reduce your ability to absorb some nutrients. Calcium and Vitamin D supplementation may need special consideration.

Pain Management

Crohn's can be painful. In addition to gut health, you may need maintenance medications to help you manage the pain of a flare-up. Self-care during flare-ups is critical for your emotional well-being and mental health.

Managing your anxiety and emotional response to a Crohn's flare-up is critical as you build a future of managing this condition. Again, Crohn's cannot be cured, but it can go into remission with proper diagnosis and care. While you're seeking help for your gut, make sure that you are also focused on protecting your mental health, particularly if you suffer from chronic pain.

Occasional gut pain, diarrhea or changes in your bowel schedule happen to everyone. If your gut is healthy, boosting your fiber intake can help. If your colon is inflamed, a high dose of fiber can be dangerous.

Initial Diagnosis

If you notice serious problems with your gut, either in stool consistency, schedule or any amount of blood in your stool, schedule an appointment with your physician. Get in as soon as you can to get a proper diagnosis so you can get busy understanding your symptoms. As you understand your symptoms, you can get to work on determining your triggers and structuring your diet, activity and liquid intake to do what it takes to get your Crohn's under control and move toward remission.

A Crohn's disease diagnosis can actually be a relief, particularly if you've been struggling with symptoms for a while. Armed with knowledge about your condition, you can get to work building a pattern of living to support a healthier gut. Medications, supplements, small meals of non-triggering foods and careful fluid intake can help you feel more in control of your condition.