Symptoms & Signs
Symptoms depend on what part of the gastrointestinal tract is affected. Symptoms range from mild to severe, and can come and go with periods of flare-ups.
The main symptoms of Crohn’s disease are:
- Crampy abdominal (belly area) pain
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Loss of appetite
- Pain with passing stool (tenesmus)
- Persistent, watery diarrhea
- Unintentional weight loss
Other symptoms may include:
- Constipation
- Eye inflammation
- Fistulas (usually around the rectal area, may cause draining of pus, mucus, or stools)
- Joint pain
- Liver inflammation
- Mouth ulcers
- Rectal bleeding and bloody stools
- Skin rash
- Swollen gums
Diagnosis & Tests
A physical examination may reveal an abdominal mass or tenderness, skin rash, swollen joints, or mouth ulcers. Tests to diagnose Crohn’s disease include:
- Barium enema
- Colonoscopy
- Computed tomography (CT scan) of the abdomen
- Endoscopy, including capsule endoscopy
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen
- Sigmoidoscopy
- Enteroscopy
- Upper GI series
A stool culture may be done to rule out other possible causes of the symptoms.
This disease may also alter the results of the following tests:
- Albumin
- C-reactive protein
- Erythrocyte sedimentation rate
- Fecal fat
- Hemoglobin
- Liver function tests
- White blood cell count
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Crohn’s disease : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
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Crohn’s disease : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
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Crohn’s disease : Treatment
Review Date : 10/18/2009
Reviewed By : David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc., and George F Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
