Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and microscopic colitis are all types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Since Crohn’s disease affects the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, you may have symptoms like constipation or abdominal cramps.
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract that affects 1% of people in the United States. It’s a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
It can be hard for anyone who doesn’t have Crohn’s disease to understand what it’s like to experience a flare-up. (This is when symptoms suddenly intensify or return after a period of calm.)
The symptoms of a Crohn’s disease flare-up can vary, depending on which part of the GI tract is affected. Some common symptoms include:
- diarrhea
- fatigue
- rectal bleeding
- abdominal cramps
- constipation
- nausea
- loss of appetite
- feeling like your bowel movements are incomplete
Even though Crohn’s mostly affects the GI tract, it can sometimes cause inflammation in other places. For example, you
- joint pain
- eye inflammation
- skin inflammation
- fatigue
If you have Crohn’s disease, these symptoms may make it hard for you to function comfortably in a work or social setting. In more severe cases, symptoms can make it difficult to keep a job or a long-term relationship.
People can experience different symptoms and different degrees of severity, but it’s common to find it hard to cope with the challenges of this disease.
Crohn’s takes an emotional toll
If you have Crohn’s disease, you may experience feelings of guilt and sadness during a flare-up.
Due to the sensitive nature of Crohn’s symptoms, it can be hard to explain to friends and colleagues why you have to cancel plans or make an abrupt exit. At times, people may also feel like a burden to others, which could intensify feelings of guilt.
Symptoms, like bleeding and cramps, are frightening and may lead to increased levels of stress and anxiety. This, in turn, can worsen flare-ups.
Other symptoms, like diarrhea and constipation, are often embarrassing to talk about and may make experiencing a flare-up a lonely and isolating experience.
Crohn’s can be unpredictable
For many people with Crohn’s disease, the unpredictable nature of flare-ups can also be extremely frustrating. There’s no way to know when one might happen, and the symptoms are often so bad that you’re forced to stop whatever you’re doing — no matter how important it is.
Whether you’re in the middle of a presentation at work or out celebrating a friend’s birthday, if you experience a flare-up, it immediately becomes your top priority. Since there’s currently no cure for Crohn’s, you might also feel helpless or hopeless.
Research advances
Just because there’s no cure, it doesn’t mean there’s no hope.
Crohn’s research is always advancing, and researchers are developing more knowledge about how this disease develops in the body.
These days, there are a number of immune-suppressive therapies that may even lead to disease remission. Certain medications and lifestyle choices are also now known to help reduce the intensity of flare-ups.
Before you look for the best strategies to help manage your Crohn’s flare-ups, the first thing you may wish to do is to see your doctor.
Your doctor will be able to tell you how severe your symptoms are and when you need to manage them in a medical setting or if you can do it at home.
To know with certainty that you have Crohn’s disease, and to determine the severity of your symptoms, your doctor will carry out a physical exam and ask you questions.
In addition, the doctor may:
- run blood tests
- refer you to an endoscopy or colonoscopy, and, in some cases, take a tissue sample (a biopsy)
- run imaging tests, like an X-ray, CT, or MRI
- carry out a stool test
Based on the results of these tests, your doctor may decide you need treatment that may include prescription medications.
Different types of medications are offered for different needs. In certain severe cases, some people may need surgery.
Lifestyle changes
In some cases, you may be able to manage your symptoms naturally or by making lifestyle changes in combination with other therapies.
According to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation (CCF), a number of strategies may help keep Crohn’s flare-ups at bay. These include both physical and lifestyle strategies.
Physical strategies:
- Practice good anal hygiene. This includes showering with a hand shower, cleansing the anal area with wet wipes instead of toilet paper, applying appropriate skin protectants to the skin around the anus. You can also take a bath in warm salt water to reduce soreness.
- Take over-the-counter medications. This includes taking diarrhea medications, such as Imodium or Pepto-Bismol, medicinal mouth washers for canker sores, and analgesics for general symptoms of pain. Speak with your doctor to find the best options for you.
- Rest your joints. To reduce joint pain, try resting the affected joints, applying heat on the painful area, and doing physical therapy exercises.
Other strategies:
- Take multivitamins. Crohn’s disease may interfere with your body’s ability to absorb important nutrients. Consider asking your doctor to get a test for vitamin deficiencies and a recommendation for the right multivitamins for you.
- Eat a healthy diet. Eating a balanced diet will also help your body get the nutrients it needs. It may also help reduce canker sores.
- Have regular medical checkups. Seeing your doctor regularly, even when your symptoms are in remission, will help you avoid an unexpected return of symptoms that can become severe.
- Track your symptoms. In between appointments, it’s helpful to record your symptoms so that your doctor can see how they’re progressing and how they’re affecting your life.
- Exercise. Regular physical activity, even if it’s low intensity, may improve your health and boost your immune system. It can also help improve bone strength and reduce stress.
- Limit smoking. If you smoke, quitting can be difficult. Finding support for the process is important because smoking can make your symptoms worse. Resources for quitting are available at smokefree.gov.
- Reduce stress. Stress may worsen symptoms. Ways that may help you reduce stress include meditation, yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, hypnotherapy, biofeedback, and guided imagery.
- Build a support system. Talking with someone you trust about your symptoms may help relieve the sense of isolation that can come with a flare-up. Support groups and discussion forums are also available (both online and in person) if you’re looking for a community outside your immediate social circle. Try looking for the local chapter of CCF in your area, as well as support groups in your area.
We asked people with Crohn’s disease to describe their Crohn’s flare-ups in three words. Here’s what they said:
“Diarrhea, nausea, pain” — @emilyt804
“Scary, isolating, tiring” — @paigejoanna
“Debilitating, unpredictable, frustrating” — @bakerstreetjedi
“Guilt, sadness, pain” — @adelaidejuliette
As you can see, living with Crohn’s disease can be challenging, frustrating, and stressful. If you’re one of the thousands of Americans with Crohn’s disease, know that you’re not alone — and you’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.
Crohn’s disease isn’t the result of something you did wrong, nor is it something you should feel ashamed of or guilty about. Living with the condition requires a lot of strength, so don’t waste your energy on what others might think.
If you sense that someone is judging you for your Crohn’s disease, it’s likely that they’re either uninformed about the condition or compensating for their own insecurities.
It may surprise you how understanding people are once they learn about what you’re going through. Don’t be afraid to open up to your support system, and don’t feel bad if your flare-ups require you to alter your schedule.
Remember: Crohn’s disease may delay you, but it does not define you. For more information about how to manage Crohn’s disease flare-ups, speak to your doctor or a healthcare professional.
