Living With Crohn’s Disease: Symptoms, Risks, and Lifestyle Tips

Reviewed by: Dr. Steven Knauf, D.C.

By: Martha Michael

Nearly a half-million Americans suffer from Crohn’s disease, including celebrities who have used their platforms to spread awareness of this inflammatory condition of the digestive tract. From Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready to NBA player Larry Nance Jr. to Broadway star Audra McDonald, many examples exist of people living full lives while managing their symptoms.

You may not be familiar with the risks or causes of Crohn’s disease, but there are effective ways to live a full and active life despite its presence.

What is Crohn’s disease?

A chronic condition causing inflammation of the gastrointestinal system, Crohn’s disease can affect any number of organs from your mouth to your anus. A form of inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, the most common incidence of Crohn’s disease involves the large and small intestines.

Inflammatory bowel diseases include:

• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Microscopic colitis

There are five types of Crohn’s disease, each affecting a different part of your gastrointestinal tract.

• Crohn's colitis: Affecting the large intestine or colon
• Ileitis: Affecting the ileum, or the lower part of the small intestine
• Gastroduodenal Crohn's disease: Affecting the stomach and duodenum
• Ileocolitis: Affecting the colon and last part of the small intestine
• Jejunoileitis: Affecting the upper part of the small intestine

What are the symptoms of Crohn’s disease?

According to the Mayo Clinic, when tissues swell due to an inflammatory condition, it can result in painful, sometimes debilitating symptoms. Crohn’s disease may occur suddenly or develop gradually over time, while symptoms can ebb and flow.

Active Crohn’s disease may cause:

• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain or cramping
• Fatigue
• Blood in the stool
• Fever
• Mouth sores
• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss
• Anal pain
• Drainage from the anus

People with severe Crohn’s disease may struggle with another range of symptoms that include the following:

• Kidney stones
• Low iron
• Inflammation of the bile ducts or liver
• Eye swelling
• Irritation of the skin
• Slow physical development in children

What causes Crohn’s disease?

According to the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation website, Crohn’s disease is characterized by the body’s immune system attacking healthy tissue in the digestive tract. A healthy immune response involves attacking organisms such as viruses and fungi, which are not harmless bacteria in the GI system.

The inflammation caused by an immune system with Crohn’s disease never disappears completely. It results in chronic symptoms caused by ulceration, inflammation, and thickening of the intestinal walls.

What are the risk factors of Crohn’s disease?

There are some factors leading to Crohn’s disease that are out of your control, but it’s also linked to certain lifestyle choices, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Location

Where you live can impact your chance of developing an autoimmune disease, including an inflammatory bowel disease. A higher percentage of people in developed countries are diagnosed with Crohn’s disease than in less developed areas. There is a greater risk of developing an inflammatory bowel disease while living in a city than being a resident of a rural community. Experts point to environmental factors and diets, including several processed foods in urban areas.

Genes

Like many health issues, genes play a role in your risk of developing all types of inflammatory bowel diseases. In approximately 20 percent of cases, patients diagnosed with Crohn’s disease have a family member with the same diagnosis. A genetic mutation can also lead to an autoimmune disorder such as Crohn’s disease.

Smoking

IBDs are among many illnesses caused or exacerbated by smoking tobacco. You double your risk of Crohn’s disease if you smoke cigarettes.

Stress

Though there’s no research showing that a stressful lifestyle causes Crohn’s disease, patients report worse symptoms when they’re under stress. When pressures mount, you have a higher risk of suffering from flare-ups.

What lifestyle factors can mitigate Crohn’s disease?

Battling symptoms of Crohn’s disease may be the motivation you need to stop smoking. Several other lifestyle choices may also affect how well you handle the impact of an autoimmune disorder. The Birmingham Gastroenterology website suggests several lifestyle changes to help you manage Crohn’s disease symptoms.

Hydration

Staying hydrated is one of the best habits to develop when you have Crohn’s disease. The digestive tract may have difficulty absorbing water, and if you’re suffering from symptoms such as diarrhea, you’re losing water. Choose water over sodas because the sugar and caffeine in drinks can reduce your body’s ability to become hydrated.

Exercise

The benefits of exercise are typically a big part of the strategy for lowering blood pressure and maintaining a healthy weight. Regular exercise also boosts your immune system and improves the function of your gastrointestinal system. It can also reduce some of the common mental health challenges, such as depression and anxiety, that can plague patients with chronic diseases.

Healthy Diet

Like exercise, eating fresh foods that include fruits and vegetables can provide a health boost that makes it easier to manage symptoms of Crohn’s disease. You may want to avoid spicy food and reduce your dairy products and caffeine intake. Doctors at The Joint Chiropractic can help you design a diet plan to manage symptoms and maximize your health.

Specific dietary practices can significantly impact the management of gastrointestinal illnesses, such as colon cancer or Crohn’s disease.

• Graze throughout the day rather than eating large meals
• Avoid foods that are high in fiber, such as nuts, seeds, and bran
• Reduce your intake of fat and greasy foods, such as butter and cream
• Avoid foods that cause gas, such as beans

Chiropractic care

Although chiropractic care does not cure Crohn’s disease, it may provide supportive relief for those managing it. Routine chiropractic care helps restore proper communication between the nervous and digestive systems and may support optimal digestive function.

Working to reduce stress and add healthy practices to your routine—such as regular chiropractic visits, good food, and aerobic exercise—is always a good idea and a great start when it comes to lowering the impact of Crohn’s disease on your ability to function. It was that level of commitment that enabled NFL player David Garrard to recover and go on to become the quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Olympic swimmer Kathleen Baker, who earned both silver and gold medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, says she hopes to inspire people living with Crohn’s disease. In an article by the online community Bezzy IBD, Baker is quoted underscoring the importance of pursuing goals despite physical setbacks: “I always say that you might not be able to get there on the same path that you once did, but you can take a different path to get there.”

The information, including but not limited to text, graphics, images, and other material contained on this page, is for informational purposes only. The purpose of this post is to promote broad consumer understanding and knowledge of various health topics, including but not limited to the benefits of chiropractic care, exercise, and nutrition. It is not intended to provide or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your chiropractor, physician, or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new health care regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this page.