The patient has a sense of well being that is normal or close to normal. There are few, if any, complications outside the intestinal tract. The physician does not detect any mass when pressing the abdomen. The red blood cell count is normal or close to normal, and the patient is not underweight. In severe Crohn's disease, the patient has movements frequent enough to require opiates or other potent anti-diarrheal medication.
Abdominal pain is severe and usually located in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen.
The red blood cell count is low. The patient has a poor sense of well being and experiences complications that may include weight loss, joint pain, inflammation in the eyes, reddened or ulcerated skin, fistulas, abscesses, and fever. Complications of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Toxic Megacolon Toxic megacolon is a serious complication that can occur if inflammation spreads into the deeper layers of the colon. In such cases, the colon enlarges and becomes paralyzed. X-rays are needed to confirm the diagnosis, but barium enemas and colonoscopies should not be performed.