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Crohn's disease introduction
Crohn's disease introduction
Crohn's disease introduction
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When someone first finds out they have Crohn’s disease, they will probably feel overwhelmed. There are so many questions. Will I be able to work, travel and exercise? Should I be on a special diet? Could my medications have side effects? How will Crohn’s disease change my life? The better informed they can become, the more equipped they will be to be an active member in your healthcare (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, 2009).
Crohn’s disease is a chronic disorder of the digestive system. I can affect any area of the gastrointestinal system from the mouth to the anus. Its inflammatory process may spread to include skin, eyes, joints, mouth and sometimes the liver (Chang, 2008). Males and females appear to be affected proportionately. Crohn’s disease can occur in people of any age, but it is mostly a disease of adolescents and young adults. However, Crohn’s disease may occur in people over 70 years old and in young children (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, 2009).
“Crohn’s disease appears to be caused by a dysfunctional inflammatory response in the gastrointestinal tract” (U. S. News, 2009). Inflammation is the body’s natural way to heal by sending immune cells to the site of the injury or invader. Researchers think that this immune system response may be triggered by bacteria or viruses, material in the intestinal contents, or a defective signal from the body’s own cells, called an autoimmune response. Inflammation results in pain, heat, redness, and swelling of the tissue. Chronic inflammation can harm the function of tissues and organs (U.S. News, 2009).
Crohn’s disease also appears to affect certain ethnic groups more than others. American Jews of European descent are four to five times more likely to de...
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...rica, 2009).
Florida Gator P/ David Lerner was just recently diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. He was ready to start practice season when he was diagnosed. Lerner was about to become the starting punter for the Gators and he thought this would probably derail him. After consist treatment the disease was under control, but not gone. He was able to start for the team, and earn a scholarship.
Lerner states, “Maybe I can’t eat a couple of things here and there that I want to eat, but at the end of the day, it’s really not the worst thing in the world”(Washington Post, 2011).
People with Crohn’s disease accept their condition differently. Each person with the disease must adjust in their own way, but they must adjust. Even though there is no cure at this time, research is ongoing and promises to improve the health and quality of life for those with Crohn’s disease.
in the upper GI tract. Gastric and duodenal ulcers can also result from Crohn’s disease and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome (ZES). The patient does not report a history of Crohn’s disease nor is he symptomatic for it. His symptoms do not indicate (ZES). ZES is a hyper secretory gastric acid disorder that results in multiple peptic ulcers, kidney stones, watery diarrhea and malabsorption.
Lupus is inflammatory disease caused when the immune system attacks its own tissues and organs, and this inflammation affects many different body parts such as the joints, skin, kidneys, blood cells, brain, heart and lungs. Second is the Celiac disease and it is an autoimmune reaction from eating gluten, and it may lead to damage in the small intestine because this disease attacks the villi, the projections that line the small intestine for protection. The last example is Rheumatoid Arthritis, an inflammatory disorder in which affects many joints, mainly in hands and feet, and then causing your joints to painfully swell and possibly cause bone erosion.
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease. It is a fairly common disease that affects a large population causing abdominal pain, frequent bloody stools, and fatigue
Sawicki, GS, Sellers, DE, Robinson, WM. 2009. High treatment burden in adults with cystic fibrosis: challenges to disease self-management. The Journal of Cystic Fibrosis 8(2), pp. 91-96.
“Crohn’s is usually thought of as an old person’s disease,” said Michael. The harsh reality is that many Crohn’s sufferers are college-aged teens, many of whom were diagnosed as young children.
Being diagnosed with a chronic illness is a life-altering event. During this time, life is not only difficult for the patient, but also for their loved ones. Families must learn to cope together and to work out the best options for the patient and the rest of the family. Although it may not be fair at times, things may need to be centered on or around the patient no matter what the circumstance. (Abbott, 2003) Sacrifices may have to be made during difficult times. Many factors are involved when dealing with chronic illnesses. Coping with chronic illnesses alter many different emotions for the patients and the loved ones. Many changes occur that are very different and difficult to get used to. (Abbott, 2003) It is not easy for someone to sympathize with you when they haven’t been in the situation themselves. No matter how many books they read or people they talk to, they cannot come close to understanding.
There is a strong family genetic predisposition for this condition, specifically with the Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) genes DR3, DQ2 and DQ8. The Caucasian population and people of European descent experience celiac disease. Moreover, women seem to have a higher prevalence than males for this illness. Incidence within the general population is 1 in 3,000 citizens. People from Mediterranean and African ancestries, Jews, and Asian cultures rarely suffer from this disease. Children can also be affected. Patients who suffer from celiac disease may also experience additional autoimmune diseases like arthritis, systemic lupus, sojourn syndrome, down syndrome, intestinal cancer, lactose intolerance, type I diabetes, intestinal insuffici...
in the first place and was suffering from other major illnesses. The society does not
...s of normal flora in the intestines causing more competition for space making it hard for C. difficile to flourish. The intestine is put back into homeostasis. The risk for problems associated with antimicrobial use like the development of antimicrobial resistant bacteria are decreased or completely eliminated with the use of stool transplantation making it an effective treatment for Clostridium difficile infection.2
One very special case can be displayed by none other than David Beckham, the famous international football star. He says that he has tried various treatments, but the biggest success came from learning to live with the disease (Healthguru, n.d.). His family is also very supportive of his condition, which shows how important family support is. Quoted by Victoria Beckham, his wife, “We've got three fridges - food in one, salad in another and drinks in the third. In the drinks one, everything is symmetrical. If there's three cans, he'll throw one away because it has to be an even number” (Frith,
Freddie Steinmark was one of the toughest football players to ever play the sport. He was one of the smartest kids in his high school class. Freddie’s dad pushed him to be the best he can be. He had struggled with a mysterious pain in his left leg. Many people have battled the same disease as Freddie but not a single soul could deal with it the same way as Freddie.
Wakefield, A. J., Murch, S. H., Anthony, M. A., Linnell, J., Casson, D. M., Malik, M., Berelowitz, M., Dhillon, A. P., Thomson, M. A., Harvey, P., Valentine, A., Davies, S. E., & Walker-Smith, J. A. (1998). Ileal-lymphoid-nodular hyperplasia, non-specific colitis, and pervasive developmental disorder in children. Lancet, 351(9103), 637–641.
The uncertain nature of chronic illness takes many forms, but all are long-term and cannot be cured. The nature of chronic illness raises hesitation. It can disturb anyone, irrespective of demographics or traditions. It fluctuates lives and generates various inquiries for the patient. Chronic illness few clear features involve: long-lasting; can be managed but not cured; impacts quality of life; and contribute to stress. Chronic illnesses can be enigmatic. They often take considerable time to identify, they are imperceptible and often carry a stigma because there is little sympathetic or social support. Many patients receive inconsistent diagnoses at first and treatments deviate on an individual level. Nevertheless, some circumstances require
In rare cases when a patient does not respond to drug treatment or diet and lifestyle changes, surgery may be necessary. Doctors will remove part or all of the colon in attempt to stop the condition. Surgeries for UC are generally successful but significantly decrease quality of life because the patient has to deal with frequent stools due to the absence of a colon.
One of the most common mysteries in the world is the development of autoimmune diseases. An autoimmune disease is when the immune system, which usually keeps your body healthy thinks that your healthy cells are antigens and attacks them. This is irony right? It is against properties of evolution for an immune system to attack itself causing sickness and possibly death if untreated. There are about 80 different types of autoimmune diseases, which usually have periods of little to no symptoms and worsening symptoms. What particularly creates confusion in the world is the autoimmune disease, inflammatory bowel disease, which affects almost about five million people worldwide.