e or a result of this disease. Doctors believe however, that there is little proof that Crohn's disease is caused by emotional distress or by unhappy childhood (Crohns disease-website).Crohns disease may occur at any age but occurs most often between the ages of 15 and 40 years. Crohns disease tends to run in some families. About 20 percent of people with Crohns disease have a blood relative with an inflammatory bowel disease. Crohns disease rates appear to run higher in those that smoke. This means an individual who may inherit an inflammatory bowel disease, is more likely to develop Crohns disease if they smoke (Satsangi, 1996, p.40). Both sexes are affected with the women as a slightly higher chance. Crohns disease occurs more often in Jewish and upper-middle class urban populations (Lewis et al, 1996, p.1231).Symptoms / ComplicationsThe principal symptoms of Crohns disease are diarrhea and abdominal pain. Other symptoms include abdominal cramping and tenderness (often in lower right area), abdominal distention, fever, fatigue, and rectal bleeding. Bleeding may be serious and persistent, leading to a low red blood cell count or anemia. As the disease progresses, malnutrition, dehydration, electrolyte, imbalances, increased peristalsis, and pain around umbilicus may occur. Another symptom to be cautious of is extraintestinal and includes arthritis and finger clubbing. Cutaneous fistulas, common in the perianal area and rectovaginal fistulas also occur. Fistulas also communicating with the urinary track may cause urinary tract infections (Lewis et al, 1996, p.1234).The most common complication in Crohns disease is blockage of the intestine. Blockage occurs because the disease tends to thicken the bowel wall with swelling and fibrous scar tissue, narrowing the passage. Crohns disease also can lead to complications that affect the other parts of the body. These systemic complications include various forms of arthritis, skin problems, in...
