According to CCFA, people who have a relative with the disease have at least a 10 times greater risk of developing Crohn's than that of the general population. If the relative is a sibling, the risk is 30 times greater. Gray's second cousin and a nephew also have the disease. A doctor may suspect Crohn's disease in anyone with recurring, crampy abdominal pain or diarrhea, particularly if the person has weight loss, fever or inflammation in the joints, eyes, and skin. Treating the Symptoms Since there is no cure for Crohn's disease, the goals of treatment are to control inflammation, relieve symptoms, and correct nutritional deficiencies.
Treatment depends on which part and how much of the intestine is affected.
Corticosteroids such as prednisone can control inflammation as well. These drugs are the most effective for active Crohn's disease, rather than for remission maintenance, but they can cause serious side effects, including greater susceptibility to infection, weight gain, increased blood sugar levels, thinning of the bones, elevated blood pressure, and personality disorder. Both corticosteroids and 5-ASAs are not approved specifically for Crohn's disease. Many Crohn's disease patients require surgery to relieve chronic symptoms that do not respond to drug treatment or, like Gray, to correct complications such as an abscess that has begun to perforate. The bowel is cut above and below the diseased area and reconnected.