Crohn's disease: a practical guide
Short patient information to print or keep.
Know your disease pattern
Crohn's can occur from mouth to anus, often in the terminal ileum or colon. It may be patchy and involve the whole bowel wall. Complications are possible, but not inevitable.
Why you may need more than one test
Colonoscopy and biopsies assess the colon and usually the last part of the small bowel. Scans can examine other parts of the small bowel and the bowel wall. Poo tests check for infection or measure inflammation. I use these results together to decide what treatment you need.
Treat the cause of symptoms
Inflammation, narrowing, infection or other problems may cause symptoms. Treatment may include medicines, nutrition therapy or surgery. Steroids are short-term treatment. Do not change medicines yourself. Agree monitoring with your GP and IBD service.
Understand surgery and capsules
Surgery can treat damaged bowel but does not cure Crohn's. Recurrence checks remain useful. A camera capsule can get stuck in a narrowing. Obstructive symptoms or known narrowing need imaging before considering a capsule. Established Crohn's also needs patency assessment before camera testing.
Protect nutrition and follow-up
Avoid unnecessary food restriction. Get individual fibre advice for narrowing. Stop smoking with support. Review deficiencies and medicine safety. Colon cancer surveillance depends on colonic disease and individual risk. Follow-up is documented in endoscopy and/or histology reports.
Recognise urgent symptoms
Severe pain, swelling with vomiting or inability to pass wind, heavy bleeding, dehydration, fever with marked illness or painful anal swelling needs urgent assessment. Do not add fibre or laxatives for suspected blockage. Painful red eyes or changed vision also need urgent assessment.
Symptoms that need urgent assessment
Seek urgent assessment for severe or worsening pain, a swollen abdomen with repeated vomiting or inability to pass wind, heavy bleeding, dehydration, or fever with marked illness. A painful swelling around the anus can be an abscess. Do not add fibre or laxatives for suspected blockage. A painful red eye or changed vision also needs urgent assessment.
Call 111 if you collapse, have heavy bleeding with faintness or are too unwell to travel safely. Do not wait for a routine appointment or an email reply.
General information. Follow your own care instructions.