Crohn's Disease Symptoms & Diagnosis

Symptoms

Symptoms include:

• Diarrhea
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Rectal bleeding
• Anemia
• Weight loss
• Fatigue, weakness
• Nausea
• Fever
• Mouth sores
• Sores, abscesses in the anal area

Diagnosis

The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history. A physical exam will be done.

Tests may include:

• Blood tests
• Stool examination
• Barium swallow —a series of x-rays of structures inside the throat that are taken after drinking a barium-containing liquid
• Barium enema x-ray —insertion of fluid into the rectum that makes your colon show up on an x-ray
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy —a thin, lighted tube inserted into the rectum to examine the rectum and the lower colon
• Colonoscopy —a thin, lighted tube inserted through the rectum and into the colon to examine the lining of the colon
• Biopsy —removal of a sample of colon tissue for testing (may be performed as part of a flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy)

If you are diagnosed with Crohn's disease, your doctor will give you guidelines to follow.