- Crohns disease is a chronic, or long lasting, disease that causes inflammationirritation or swellingin the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. - The exact cause of Crohns disease is unknown. Researchers believe that factors such as an autoimmune reaction, genes, and environment may play a role in causing Crohns disease. - Crohns disease can occur in people of any age. However, it is more likely to develop in people - between the ages of 20 and 29 - who have a family member, most often a sibling or parent, with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) - who smoke cigarettes - The most common signs and symptoms of Crohns disease are diarrhea, abdominal cramping and pain, and weight loss. - A health care provider diagnoses Crohns disease with the following: - medical and family history - physical exam - lab tests - upper GI series - computerized tomography (CT) scan - intestinal endoscopy - Which treatment a person needs depends on the severity of the disease and symptoms. - Good nutrition is important in the management of Crohns disease. A health care provider may recommend that a person make dietary changes. - People with Crohns disease should talk with their health care provider about how often they should get screened for colon cancer. 
What to do for Crohns Disease ?