Causes, symptoms and treatments of Crohn’s Disease and Colitis

While they are two separate and distinct diseases affecting the digestive system, Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis are both inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). They are life-long conditions that damage the lining of the digestive system by causing inflammation, sores, bleeding and scarring.

“Canada has the highest incidence and prevalence in the world,” explains Dr. Eric Hurowitz, Gastroenterologist with The Scarborough Hospital. “In fact, when new Canadians settle here from countries where Crohn’s disease is almost unheard of, they are affected with the condition as commonly as those born in Canada. Why that is, no one is sure.”

Dietary changes and infections are often suggested as causes, but there is new interest in the theory that higher rates of inflammatory bowel disease exist in the developed world because our colons are too sterile.

“The basic idea is that the immune system needs to be challenged by bacteria and parasites and when there aren’t enough around, for unknown reasons, it starts to attack normal healthy tissue,” Dr. Hurowitz adds. “Probiotics and prebiotics are now being studied to see if they may be helpful.”
 
The treatment of Crohn’s disease and Ulcerative Colitis is generally very effective, however, no special diet has ever been shown to be therapeutic or dangerous, Dr. Hurowitz adds.

“Bowel anti-inflammatories form the platform of treatment for most patients, but some people will need more potent drugs to get their disease and symptoms under control,” he says.
 
Symptoms vary from person to person, but the main ones are:

1. Abdominal tenderness or swelling, pain and cramps.
2. Diarrhea.
3. Fever.
4. Loss of appetite and weight.
5. Rectal bleeding.

November is Crohn’s and Colitis Awareness Month. For more information, visit http://www.ccfc.ca/site/c.ajIRK4NLLhJ0E/b.6319851/k.BDBF/Home.htm

12 things to avoid if you suffer from heartburn

Heartburn (the medical term is pyrosis) is the regurgitation of stomach acid into the esophagus. The discomfort is a burning sensation, sometimes in the pit of the stomach or sometimes in the throat. It can happen day or night.

“It is very common, and almost all the population will experience it at some time or other,” explains Dr. Eric Hurowitz, a gastroenterologist at The Scarborough Hospital. “One way you can tell if it’s really acid reflux is by taking a liquid or chewable antacid like Tums or Rolaids. If the symptoms go away, even if it’s only for 10 or 15 minutes, at least you know acid is causing it.”

However, since the burning sensation of acid reflux is often described as chest pain or pressure, Dr. Hurowitz adds, “we never want to mistake someone’s complaint for heartburn if it’s really a symptom of something more serious, like heart attack or angina.”

While there’s a misconception that hot or spicy foods provoke heartburn, Dr. Hurowitz says certain foods (i.e., big meals, higher fat content, etc.) can chemically weaken the lower valve of the esophagus, leading to more symptoms.

Here are the key things that can make heartburn worse:

1. Smoking
2. Coffee (both regular and decaffeinated) and other drinks that contain caffeine (i.e. colas)
3. Alcohol
4. Citrus fruits
5. Tomato products
6. Chocolate
7. Mints or peppermints
8. Fatty foods
9. Onions
10. Spicy foods (pizza, chili, curry)
11. NSAIDS such as ASA (an example is aspirin), Ibuprofen (examples Advil, Medipren, Motrin), COX-2 Inhibitors (an example is Celebrex)
12. Some other medicines (check with your doctor to find out if any apply to you).