How to Treat Crohns with Natural Remedies
Go to the doctor if you think you might have Crohn’s., Get a medical exam., Ask your doctor about symptom relief., Make a treatment plan with your doctor., Consult your doctor about alternative therapies.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Go to the doctor if you think you might have Crohn’s.
The disease can be debilitating and requires medical supervision.
If you have the following symptoms, you should get checked:
Diarrhea.
Fever.
Many people with Crohn’s suffer from low fevers during flare ups.
Exhaustion.
Abdominal cramps and discomfort.
If it is severe, you may also feel nauseous or vomit.
Bloody stool.
This may be fresh red blood in your stool or you may pass black or tarry stool.
Mouth sores.
Lack of hunger and weight loss.
Pain or drainage around the anus.
Inflammation of your skin, eyes, and joints.
Inflammation of the liver or bile ducts.
Delayed growth and sexual maturation in children. -
Step 2: Get a medical exam.
The doctor will likely do a series of tests to determine whether you have Crohn’s.
This may include:
Blood tests to check whether you are anemic.
Stool tests to determine if you are passing blood.
A CT scan.
During a CT scan you will lie very still inside the scanner while it takes a series of X-rays of your body.
The machine will take a series of images which get put together to form a detailed picture of your organs.An MRI.
During an MRI you will lie inside a machine which will use magnets and radio waves to create a picture of your organs.
The machine may be loud.
Tell the doctor if you are pregnant or have metal or electronic implants in your body.
You should also tell the doctor if you have had an injury that left metal shards in your body or are a welder.An endoscopy to take pictures of the inside of your digestive tract.
This may be done by having you swallow a camera in a capsule or by using a scope. , Crohn's can cause diarrhea and abdominal discomfort that can make it difficult to go about your daily life.
Your doctor may be able to recommend medications for quick relief.Anti-diarrheal medications.
This could be either a fiber supplement (Metamucil, Citrucel) or stronger medication like loperamide (Imodium).
Pain relievers.
Your doctor may recommend painkillers with acetaminophen (Tylenol, and others).
Other over-the-counter painkillers may exacerbate your symptoms.
This includes ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and others) and naproxen (Aleve and Anaprox). , What your doctor recommends will vary based on the severity of your condition.
If you have a preference for natural remedies, discuss this with your doctor.
It may be possible to use natural remedies in addition to other options.
However, it is crucial to discuss it with your doctor because some remedies and supplements may interact with medications.
Your doctor may suggest several different types of medications:
Anti-inflammatory drugs.
These may be prescribed to reduce the inflammation of the digestive tissues and get your Crohn’s flare up to go into remission.
In general two types may be prescribed:
Oral 5-aminosalicylates or corticosteroids.
Oral 5-amniosalicylates have side effects that include diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn, and headaches.
Corticosteroids may be associated with puffiness in the face, facial hair, night sweats, insomnia, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, eye problems, and increased vulnerability to infections.
Immune system suppressors.
These drugs may be prescribed in different combinations.
These drugs reduce inflammation by lowering the activity of the immune system.
They may have serious side effects over the long term including increasing your risk of infections, cancer, and liver problems.
Some of these medications cannot be used by men or women for 6 months before they try to have a baby because they may cause birth defects.
Antibiotics.
The effectiveness of antibiotics as a treatment is controversial.
However, if you have fistulas or abscesses, they can speed up healing.
They may also reduce the levels of pathogenic bacteria in your digestive tract, promoting healing and remission. , These may be done in addition to medication, if your doctor feels it is necessary.
Talk to your doctor to figure out what is likely to be best for you.Nutrition therapy.
This is important if your symptoms were so severe that they have resulted in malnutrition.
Children may also require nutrition therapy if they are not absorbing enough nutrients to grow and develop.
Nutrition can be administered through a feeding tube or intravenously.
It will also enable your digestive tract to rest which can promote healing and lessening of inflammation.
Surgery.
If nothing else works, your doctor may need to do surgery to remove unhealthy parts of your intestines, treat abscesses and fistulas, or expand areas of the intestine that have become too narrow. -
Step 3: Ask your doctor about symptom relief.
-
Step 4: Make a treatment plan with your doctor.
-
Step 5: Consult your doctor about alternative therapies.
Detailed Guide
The disease can be debilitating and requires medical supervision.
If you have the following symptoms, you should get checked:
Diarrhea.
Fever.
Many people with Crohn’s suffer from low fevers during flare ups.
Exhaustion.
Abdominal cramps and discomfort.
If it is severe, you may also feel nauseous or vomit.
Bloody stool.
This may be fresh red blood in your stool or you may pass black or tarry stool.
Mouth sores.
Lack of hunger and weight loss.
Pain or drainage around the anus.
Inflammation of your skin, eyes, and joints.
Inflammation of the liver or bile ducts.
Delayed growth and sexual maturation in children.
The doctor will likely do a series of tests to determine whether you have Crohn’s.
This may include:
Blood tests to check whether you are anemic.
Stool tests to determine if you are passing blood.
A CT scan.
During a CT scan you will lie very still inside the scanner while it takes a series of X-rays of your body.
The machine will take a series of images which get put together to form a detailed picture of your organs.An MRI.
During an MRI you will lie inside a machine which will use magnets and radio waves to create a picture of your organs.
The machine may be loud.
Tell the doctor if you are pregnant or have metal or electronic implants in your body.
You should also tell the doctor if you have had an injury that left metal shards in your body or are a welder.An endoscopy to take pictures of the inside of your digestive tract.
This may be done by having you swallow a camera in a capsule or by using a scope. , Crohn's can cause diarrhea and abdominal discomfort that can make it difficult to go about your daily life.
Your doctor may be able to recommend medications for quick relief.Anti-diarrheal medications.
This could be either a fiber supplement (Metamucil, Citrucel) or stronger medication like loperamide (Imodium).
Pain relievers.
Your doctor may recommend painkillers with acetaminophen (Tylenol, and others).
Other over-the-counter painkillers may exacerbate your symptoms.
This includes ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, and others) and naproxen (Aleve and Anaprox). , What your doctor recommends will vary based on the severity of your condition.
If you have a preference for natural remedies, discuss this with your doctor.
It may be possible to use natural remedies in addition to other options.
However, it is crucial to discuss it with your doctor because some remedies and supplements may interact with medications.
Your doctor may suggest several different types of medications:
Anti-inflammatory drugs.
These may be prescribed to reduce the inflammation of the digestive tissues and get your Crohn’s flare up to go into remission.
In general two types may be prescribed:
Oral 5-aminosalicylates or corticosteroids.
Oral 5-amniosalicylates have side effects that include diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn, and headaches.
Corticosteroids may be associated with puffiness in the face, facial hair, night sweats, insomnia, hyperactivity, high blood pressure, diabetes, osteoporosis, eye problems, and increased vulnerability to infections.
Immune system suppressors.
These drugs may be prescribed in different combinations.
These drugs reduce inflammation by lowering the activity of the immune system.
They may have serious side effects over the long term including increasing your risk of infections, cancer, and liver problems.
Some of these medications cannot be used by men or women for 6 months before they try to have a baby because they may cause birth defects.
Antibiotics.
The effectiveness of antibiotics as a treatment is controversial.
However, if you have fistulas or abscesses, they can speed up healing.
They may also reduce the levels of pathogenic bacteria in your digestive tract, promoting healing and remission. , These may be done in addition to medication, if your doctor feels it is necessary.
Talk to your doctor to figure out what is likely to be best for you.Nutrition therapy.
This is important if your symptoms were so severe that they have resulted in malnutrition.
Children may also require nutrition therapy if they are not absorbing enough nutrients to grow and develop.
Nutrition can be administered through a feeding tube or intravenously.
It will also enable your digestive tract to rest which can promote healing and lessening of inflammation.
Surgery.
If nothing else works, your doctor may need to do surgery to remove unhealthy parts of your intestines, treat abscesses and fistulas, or expand areas of the intestine that have become too narrow.
About the Author
Lori Bishop
Enthusiastic about teaching creative arts techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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