What Is Crohn’s Disease? Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention

Treatment for Crohn’s disease usually involves a number of different drugs.

Some of these drugs are meant to prevent flares of your disease — periods in which your symptoms return or worsen. Others are prescribed to reduce inflammation and treat symptoms when a flare takes place.

You may also be prescribed antibiotics to treat symptoms or complications due to a bacterial infection.

For some people with Crohn’s disease, a time will come when medication alone won’t be enough, and surgery will be required.

Surgical treatments may include removing a diseased area of the intestines, opening a narrowed or blocked area, or surgically draining abscesses.

Most surgical treatments allow people with Crohn’s to live symptom-free for a number of years.

Alternative therapies can also help to reduce symptoms and maintain remission.

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How Can Your Diet Affect Crohn’s Disease?

There’s no single diet that helps all people with Crohn’s disease.

You may find that certain dietary changes reduce uncomfortable symptoms during flares, such as bloating, gas, and diarrhea.

Foods that commonly trigger symptoms include whole grains, nuts and seeds, raw fruits and vegetables, spicy foods, fatty or greasy foods, dairy products, and caffeinated or alcoholic beverages.

If you experience malnutrition due to Crohn’s disease, you may also need to focus on getting enough of certain nutrients in your diet.

When your symptoms are at their worst, it’s often helpful to focus on easy to digest meals and snacks.

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