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Crohn's disease symptoms vary, depending on which part of your gut is affected, such as your mouth, stomach, bowel or bottom (anus).
Common symptoms include:
The symptoms can be mild or severe. They usually come and go over time, called flare-ups and remissions. A flare-up can last from a few days to several months.
You may also have symptoms affecting other parts of your body, such as joint pain, sore eyes and skin rashes.
Symptoms most commonly start in teenagers and younger adults, but it can happen at any age.
Symptoms of Crohn's disease can be similar to other conditions that affect your gut, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, diverticular disease and coeliac disease.
But do not try to diagnose the problem yourself. Get medical help if you're worried.
You can call 111 or get help from 111 online.
If a GP thinks you could have Crohn's disease, they may arrange blood tests and tests on a sample of your poo.
You'll need to be referred to a specialist in hospital for more tests to confirm the diagnosis and to start treatment.
Hospital tests you may have include:
There's no single test to diagnose Crohn's disease. It often takes time to get a diagnosis, as the symptoms vary and can be similar to other conditions.
There's currently no cure for Crohn's disease. But there are treatments that can help you stay without symptoms for long periods (in remission).
The type of treatment you have will depend on your symptoms. You'll probably need different treatments over time.
You'll be supported by a team of healthcare professionals including a specialist doctor (gastroenterologist). You'll have regular check-ups and tests.
Treatments to prevent or treat flare-ups include:
Some people may be offered a special liquid diet (enteral nutrition) instead of medicines. This may be recommended for children or people who cannot take steroids.
You might be offered surgery to treat Crohn's disease if your symptoms only affect certain parts of your gut, or if you have severe symptoms and medicines are not working.
Surgery may involve:
You may also need surgery to treat any complications affecting your gut.
Surgery can work well to reduce symptoms. But there's a chance that symptoms will come back in another part of your gut after surgery.
The surgeon will explain the risks and benefits of the operation, and what will happen.
If you have Crohn's disease, there are things you can do to help with the symptoms.
Crohn's disease can make it harder for your body to absorb nutrients from your food, so it's important to have a healthy diet. But there's no clear evidence that a special diet or particular foods help with Crohn's disease.
Some people find that certain foods affect symptoms such as diarrhoea, bloating or constipation, but this is different for everyone.
eat a healthy, balanced diet – your healthcare team can give you dietary advice to make sure you get all the nutrients you need
try keeping a diary of your symptoms and things like what you eat, any changes in your medicines, or stress, to see if certain things seem to affect your symptoms
have vaccinations such as the flu vaccine and pneumococcal vaccine if you take medicines that affect your immune system – but check that the vaccine is suitable for you, as some types (live vaccines) may not be recommended
get a RADAR key if you need one, to unlock accessible public toilets – you can usually get one from a charity
do not smoke, as it can increase the risk of flare-ups
do not make big changes to your diet without getting advice from your healthcare team
do not take medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, unless they're recommended by a doctor
It's common for Crohn's disease to cause complications. These can be serious, but getting the right treatment for your Crohn's disease symptoms will reduce the risk.
Over time, inflammation and damage to your gut can lead to:
Crohn's disease can also cause other complications, including vitamin deficiencies and problems with your joints, bones, skin, eyes, kidneys and liver.
Crohn's disease is a lifelong condition. It affects everyone differently. How it affects you depends on your symptoms, how well your treatment works, and whether you get any complications.
Some people have mild symptoms, meaning they need to poo more often and may have symptoms such as stomach pain. Others have more severe symptoms that affect their general health, or have serious complications.
Symptoms usually come and go, so you may have times when you feel well and times when your symptoms have a big impact on your daily life.
It's important to speak to a specialist if you want to try for a baby or find out you're pregnant.
You can usually have a healthy pregnancy if you have Crohn's disease. But if your symptoms are not well controlled, this can make it more difficult to get pregnant or cause problems in pregnancy.
You might need to change your treatment, as some medicines used for Crohn's disease are not suitable if you're pregnant. Some medicines can also affect male fertility.
Symptoms of Crohn's disease are caused by a problem with your immune system, which causes it to attack part of your gut.
It's not fully understood why this happens. It's thought to be partly caused by the genes you inherit from your parents.
You may be more likely to get Crohn's disease if:
Crohn's disease can be a difficult condition to live with, both physically and emotionally.
If you or someone in your family needs help with daily living because of illness or disability, you may be able to get social care and support.
As well as support from your healthcare team, you may find it helpful to talk to other people with Crohn's disease, either at a local support group or online.
There are also national charities that can offer support and information about Crohn's disease.
Information and support for people affected by Crohn's disease or colitis.
Charity for children with Crohn's disease and their families.
