Crohn’s Disease and Arthritis: Arthritis as a Symptom of IBD

Crohn's disease, also known as Crohn’s syndrome, is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that may affect any part of gastrointestinal tract. Basically, it’s an inflammation of the colon and small intestine. You shouldn’t confuse IBD with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn’s disease included, can be caused by many different factors:

• Environmental factors (smoking, hormonal contraception, stress, large intake of milk and dairy products)
• Immune factors
• Genetic factors (importance of knowing family medical history)
• Bacterial factors

IBD can be caused by one of these factors, and sometimes by a combination of all three. So far, a cure for Crohn’s disease has not been found, but the treatments of its symptoms are possible, to some extent. Signs and symptoms of IMD Signs and symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease have a wide range, and can be similar for all of the types. This makes those diseases hard to diagnose and differentiate, which can also make the treatment harder. Signs and symptoms are:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Skin rash
• Thrombosis
• Arthritis
• Pneumonia
• Anemia
• Constipation and stomach pain

Causes for IMD can vary from improper domestic hygiene, smoking, intake of unpasteurized milk, childhood infections, large intake of sugar and contraception. This means that in cases of IMD changing the patterns of a person’s lifestyle can be helpful in treatment. Those changes can include different dietary habits or cut back on cigarettes. Together with more accepted treatments like drugs with a high level of anti-inflammatory steroids, IBD symptoms can be suppressed. Crohn’s disease and arthritis Scientific studies about IBD show that there are important and revealing parallels betwee Crohn’s disease and rheumatoid arthritis. The thinking behind it suggests that inflammatory in colon triggers inflammation in our joints. This is known as an immune response of our body, which is why arthritis and Crohn’s disease share some of the same inflammatory characteristics. It is also suggested that arthritis, in a way, acts as a symptom of Crohn’s disease. This means that in a case of IBD, arthritis is a secondary disease activated by IBD. Both in arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease, it is found that patients have a certain genetic predisposition for their condition, which means that, based on genetic markers in your blood, doctors can tell if you have larger or smaller chances of getting sick from IBD. IBD is caused by bacteria in your intestine, and is, in effect cause of arthritis in some cases. Some researchers and doctors suggest that one the way of decreasing IBD symptoms is low-starch diet. Basically, what it means is that relationships between bacteria in your bowels are in ruins, and all kinds of microbes are running wild and rampant, causing chaos in your body. By lessening the intake of starch (sugars), you can stop feeding bacteria, and lessen the symptoms of IBD. Characteristics and types of arthritis Arthritis is an inflammatory disease of joints that occurs after years of wear and tear, muscle damage, and exhaustion. Pain is often described as constant, sharp and limited to joints. Symptoms of arthritis are: Swelling of joints and joint pain

• Inability to move hands and feet
• Fatigue
• Sleep loss
• Joint movement reduction

Most common types of arthritis are:

• Osteoarthritis (degenerative disease of the joints)
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Septic arthritis
• Psoriatic arthritis
• Still’s disease

In the first line for treatment of arthritis stand anti-inflammatory steroids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like NSAIDs, ibuprofen and paracetamol. Sadly, there is no known cure for many forms of arthritis. The best way to do anything about the joint disorder is prevention. Medication can actually help in relieving the pain, but more often than not that is not enough. There are many other joint pain products on the market today: Arthritis gloves Cold packs (their cooling effect relieve the pain in joints) Topical NSAIDs (anti-inflammatory cream) Walking aids and aids for your joints Try to avoid remedy scams, like metal bracelets, jewels and magnets. They will not cure your joint pain; they only look nice. Conclusion: Living with inflammatory bowel disease and arthritis comes with many challenges. If they are not treated properly, they can lead to other diseases, or their symptoms can get worse. Once diagnosed, it is of utmost importance that you get started with your treatment, so you can continue with your normal life. IMD and arthritis are not fatal. That is something everyone suffering from these diseases has to keep in mind. Your treatment of arthritis can start right in your own home in a mix of physical exercises and healthy anti-inflammatory diet:

• Yoga
• Stretching routines
• Tai Chi
• Swimming and bike riding
• Fruits and vegetables
• Decreased intake of sugar and saturated fats
• Whole grain and brown rice
• Walnuts
• Fish

All of these workouts and diet choices can (in accord with medication) reduce the symptoms of arthritis and IBD, and help restore your health. References: http://www.medicalmingle.com/dorismburu/blog/2016/01/13/6_unusual_things_that_make_osteoarthritis_pain_feel_worse https://www.behance.net/gallery/33083365/Hip-Arthritis-Symptoms-and-Treatment