Crohn's Disease

This book concentrates on Crohn's disease, but also has chapters on ulcerative colitis, mainly to explain their similarities and the differences between them. Its aim is to help to understand what is happening in the course of IBD (inflammatory bowel diseases), and how modern medicine is used to relieve them and to prevent the serious complications that caused so many tragedies in the past. The book starts by explaining how the normal bowel works. It shows how it can go wrong and how, if it becomes inflamed, it can produce the three main symptoms of diarrhoea, bleeding and mucus production. If they continue, your health deteriorates quickly: the book covers the methods by which doctors can correct them and help you towards recovery. It describes the tests and investigations provided in a modern gastroenterology unit, as the specialist makes the diagnosis and estimates the extent of the illness. It is not just the illness but how much of the bowel is affected that makes the difference in treatment and how quickly and completely recovery is made. Other bowel problems that mimic Crohn's disease are described and there is a section on the possible causes of Crohn's.