What is Crohn's disease

Crohn's disease, an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), causes ulcers to form in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract anywhere from the mouth to the anus.

Symptoms include stomach cramps and pain that comes and goes, diarrhea, and blood in your stool. Other symptoms include losing weight, feeling sick to your stomach, having joint pain and feeling tired. Some people who have Crohn's disease have severe symptoms, while others have less severe symptoms. Some people who have the disease have long periods without symptoms, even without getting treatment. Others with more severe disease will need long-term treatment or even surgery.

Almost 500,000 people in the United States have Crohn's disease. Anyone can get Crohn's disease, but it's more common in women, whites and Jewish people. It is not known what causes Crohn's disease. It seems to run in families, but there is no known pattern of inheritance.