Crohn’s disease treatment options
Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory intestinal disease characterized by the inflammation or swelling of the gastrointestinal or GI tract. The common symptoms of Crohn’s disease are abdominal pain or cramps, diarrhea, rectal fissures, rectal bleeding, weight loss, appetite loss and fever.
This article will shed light on the various Crohn’s disease treatment options. Crohn’s disease treatment aims at controlling the GI tract inflammation, correcting nutritional deficiencies and alleviating the troublesome symptoms. The nature of Crohn’s disease treatment depends on the site of inflammation, severity and complications associated with Crohn’s disease. The kind of treatment employed depends on the patient’s response as well. The popular Crohn’s disease treatment options may be discussed below:
Treatment through drugs:
Crohn’s disease can be treated through the following drugs:
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- Anti-inflammatory drugs can treat Crohn’s disease. These drugs contain a special inflammation suppressing substance called Mesalamine. One commonly administered masalamine containing drug is Sulfasalazine. The other such drugs include Pentasa, Asacol or Dipentum. These drugs may produce side-effects like nausea, vomiting, headache or heartburn
- Cortisone or Steroids can also treat Crohn’s disease. A popular drug belonging to this group is Prednisone. Prednisone is given in high doses when the Crohn’s disease symptoms are severe and later when the severity is abated, the dosage is lowered. These drugs can however cause alarming side-effects
- Crohn’s disease can also be treated by means of immunosuppressive medications. The commonly prescribed immunosuppressive drugs include azathioprine or 6-mercaptopurine. These drugs are often prescribed along with corticosteroids because they are known to increase the effectiveness of corticosteroids
- Antibiotics treat bacterial over-growth due to Crohn’s disease related developments like fistulas or strictures in the small intestine. The commonly administered antibiotics include metronidazole, ampicillin, cephalosporin, sulfonamide or tetracycline.
- Infliximabs may also be prescribed as a Crohn’s disease treatment drug. This group of drug enjoys the approval of the American Food & Drug Administration.
- Crohn’s disease symptoms can also be treated through various anti-diarrheal agents like codeine, loperamide or diphenoxylate.
Alternative treatment for Crohn’s disease:
The various alternative Crohn’s disease treatment measures may be listed below:
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- Exclude histamine rich food items from diet. You are not supposed to consume things like tomatoes, spinach, meat, egg, dairy products, white floor. Also stay away from alcoholic, carbonated or caffeinated beverages. Include in your diet food items like carrots, garlic, celery, papaya, kale, oatmeal and brown rice. Emphasize on proper steaming or boiling of these vegetables rather than steaming
- Take 1 tsp of cod liver oil daily. It is high in Omega-3 fatty acids and will bring down inflammation
- Drinking Aloe Vera juice can cure Crohn’s disease
- Intake of red clover and boswellia extracts can also lessen GI tract inflammation.
- Surgery: Crohn’s disease surgery includes the removal of the most affected part of the intestine. The need for surgery arises when the patient does not respond to medications and the Crohn’s disease related issues like intestinal bleeding, blockage, abscess or perforations worsen uncontrollably. Colectomy is an example of a Crohn’s disease surgery.
So these are the various Crohn’s disease treatment options. Remember that Crohn’s disease cannot be cured completely but can certainly be kept under check.