The cause of Crohn's disease is unknown. The study focused on three possible causes, namely: Abnormalities of the immune system function, infections and food. Although not found the presence of autoantibodies, regional enteritis is thought to be a hypersensitivity reaction or may be caused by the infective agent is unknown. These theories were put forward for their granulomatous lesions similar to lesions found in fungi and pulmonary tuberculosis. There are some interesting similarities between regional enteritis and ulcerative colitis. Both are inflammatory diseases, although the lesions are different. Both of these diseases have manifestations outside the digestive tract that is uveitis, arthritis and skin lesions that are identical.
Clinical symptoms are most often arise include:
- Abdominal pain.
- Diarrhea that is not relieved by defecation, occurring in 90% of patients.
- Scarring and the formation of granulomas affect the ability of the intestine to transport the product from the upper intestine via the gastrointestinal lumen constriction resulting in abdominal pain like cramps. Because peristaltic intestinal stimulation by food, pain occurs after a meal. To avoid pain, patients tend to limit food intake, reducing the amount and type of food so that the normal nutritional needs are not met.
- Weight loss, malnutrition, anemia secondary. As a result, people become thin because of inadequate food intake and fluid loss continuously.
- Inflamed bowel can be perforated. Anal and intra-abdominal abscess formation. Fever and leukocytosis. Abscesses, fistulas, and fissures are common.
- Clinical course and symptoms vary. In some patients there were periods of remission and exacerbation, while others followed the severity of the cause.
- Overall widespread symptoms of the gastrointestinal tract and generally include joint problems (arthritis), skin lesions (erythema nodosum), ocular disorders (conjunctivitis), oral ulcers.
9 Nursing Diagnosis related to Crohn's Disease
- Diarrhea related to the inflammatory process.
- Acute pain related to an increase of peristalsis and inflammation.
- Fluid volume deficit related to anorexia, nausea, and diarrhea.
- Imbalanced Nutrition: less than body requirements related to dietary restrictions, nausea, and malabsorption.
- Activity intolerance related to fatigue.
- Anxiety related to planned surgery.
- Ineffective individual coping related to recurrent diarrhea episodes.
- Risk of Impaired skin integrity related to malnutrition and diarrhea.
- Knowledge deficit: the process and management of the disease.