Crohn's disease is one of the two main forms of inflammatory bowel diseases. In Crohn's disease, the inflammation can occur anywhere from the mouth to the anus. However, the disease commonly affects the area where the small intestine (ileum) joins the colon. Men and women have an equal chance of developing Crohn's disease. Although the disease affects patients from any ethnic background, research shows that it is prevalent among the Eastern European Jewish population.
There are five types of Crohn's disease including:
Common symptoms of Crohn's includes diarrhea that occurs for more than 6 weeks, abdominal pain and weight loss. Blood and mucus in the stool is present for up to 50% of patients with Crohn's disease.
The exact cause of Crohn's disease is not known. However, scientific research has identified three contributing factors to the development of Crohn's disease.
The three factors are: