CROHN'S DISEASE - ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are two different but clinically similar diseases. Both are classified under inflammatory bowel disease.

The exact cause of both diseases are not yet known, but both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis have influences of environmental factors and genitical history.

Now a days, the most accepted theory regarding the cause is that there would be a disturbance of the immune system, triggered by some viral or bacterial infection. Due to which body immune system mistakenly attack normal cells of the digestive tract, resulting in a state of chronic inflammation of the intestines, a process which is similar to autoimmune diseases

Both male and female are equally affected. It usually appears between 16 and 42 years.  30% of patients with inflammatory bowel disease have at least one first-degree relative having similar disease.

It has not been possible to verify any connection of the disease with some type of diet or with emotional stress. There is also no evidence of contraceptive influence.

Interesting fact, smoking has a divergent influence on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, as it increases the patient's risk of developing Crohn's, but decrease the risk of having ulcerative colitis.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CROHN'S DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease which can affect any part of our digestive tract, starting from the mouth to the anus. However, 75% of the patients present lesion on the distal part of ileum, which is the last part of small intestine and the transition region between the small intestine and the colon.

It is characterized by inflammation in all layers of the gut wall, with diffuse lesions along the digestive tract. A typical characteristic of Crohn's is to present areas of healthy gut between inflamed areas.

On the other ulcerative colitis affects only the colon and rectum. The lesion is usually continuous and affects only the most superficial layer of the intestinal mucosa, leading to inflammation and ulcer formation.

SYMPTOMS OF CROHN'S AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS

The symptoms are very similar for both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. The most common are:

- Diarrhea  
- Loss of blood in stool 
- Abdominal pain. 
- Fever  
- Weight loss. 
- Tiredness. 
- Anemia

Few clinical findings are more common in Crohn's and others in ulcerative colitis.

As Crohn's disease affects all layers of the gut wall, fistulas, obstructions and perforations of the digestive tract are more common.

Crohn's disease can affect any part of the digestive tract. Whereas, inflammation of the rectum is characteristic of ulcerative colitis, which may or may not occur in Crohn's disease. A suggestive picture of inflammatory bowel disease with no lesion in the rectum points towards the diagnosis of Crohn's disease.

The presence of ulcers in the colon is typical of ulcerative colitis, but may also occur on Crohn's.

Stool with blood is more common in ulcerative colitis , though occurs in both diseases.

 The clinical course of the disease is usually milder in ulcerative colitis than in Crohn's. 

EXTRA-INTESTINAL MANIFESTATIONS OF CROHN'S DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Skin lesions: Pyoderma gangrenosum and erythema nodosum. 
Eye lesions: Uveitis, irites and episclerites. 
Musculoskeletal injuries: Arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. 
Amyloidosis. 
Thrombosis and embolisms 
Sclerosing cholangitis.

DIAGNOSIS OF CROHN'S DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS

Colonoscopy with biopsy

TREATMENT OF CROHN'S DISEASE AND ULCERATIVE COLITIS

There are more than 64 homeopathic medicines that can be used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. The correct medicine for each and every patient is selected on the basis of the totality of the symptoms. Both  physical and psychological state of the patient is considered while prescribing the correct medicine. Few homeopathic medicines have been quite commonly used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.Best homeopathy medicine for Ulcerative colitis

At Aura Homoeopathy Clinic we treats the suffering person as a whole, out team of doctors focus on the elimination of the exciting and fundamental causes by annihilating the disease signs and symptoms.