This can lead to stiffness and arthritis-like symptoms. Inflammation in other sites can also cause skin ulcers, mouth sores, problems in the eyes, hepatitis, and complications in the kidneys. Silent blood loss from ulcers into the intestine can cause anemia, leading to weakness and fatigue. About fifty percent of women with Crohn's disease report pain during sexual intercourse. Crohn's disease is also associated with psoriasis.
Recent reports suggest a genetic link between Crohn's disease and psoriasis.
Diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease is not always straightforward. Often the early symptoms, especially if mild, are confused with irritable bowel syndrome. The usual tests helpful in making a diagnosis are sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy - tests where a thin tube with a fiberoptic light source is used to inspect the lining of the lower bowel, often with the collection of tiny tissue samples whose microscopic inspection aids in diagnosis. In difficult cases of Crohn's disease small bowel endoscopy, where a long lighted tube is passed through the mouth to the intestines with the help of sedation, is sometimes needed for diagnosis. Cultures and other studies of the stool are also helpful to rule out other identifiable causes of inflammatory bowel-type symptoms.