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P. Chidambaram reportedly suffering from Crohn's Disease

Former Home Minister and politician P. Chidambaram was rushed to the hospital after he complained of stomach pain. According to reports

, the politician has not been keeping well for a while now and is reportedly suffering from Crohn's Disease .

According to doctors, he has been suffering from a chronic ailment for quite a while now and needs immediate attention and treatment. In the light of his poor health, he has also been referred to special treatment hospitals. Pleading his case, his attorney, Kapil Sibal also said that in the past month, he had also lost close to five kilos and had been taken to the hospital several times on October 7, 23, 25 and 28.

What is Crohn's Disease?

Crohn's Disease is a type of inflammatory disorder that severely affects the gastrointestinal tract in the body. Often considered painful, chronic and even life-threatening, it causes extreme and acute inflammation to the digestive tract and the bowels.

Although India sees fewer cases than the world each year, the statistics for the disease are still comparatively high. The disease causes inflammation to various organs along with the digestive tract, including the gut and the tract lining, from the mouth to the anus at times, which can be very painful and affect digestion.

Symptoms
Signs differ from patients to patients and the symptoms differ with every stage, gradually worsening as the disease progresses. For most people, the colon and the small intestine are majorly compromised. While an exact cause for the disease is a little difficult to zero down, the disorder is said to be triggered from a reaction in the immune system, when it starts to attack the good bacteria in the body and triggers inflammation. Sometimes, genetic factors and physiology can also affect the chances of developing this problem. Smoking is another factor that is associated with Crohn's disorder.

Symptoms can come and go, depending on your condition. In the most active period, the most common signs of trouble are:

-Fever
-Diarrhea
-Abdominal pain
-Reduced appetite
-Weight loss
-Pus or drainage around the anal joints.
-Blood in the stool
-Fistula and internal bleeding
-Fatigue and tiredness
-Mouth sores
-Deficiency in food absorption
-Severe inflammation of the eyes, joints, liver and the skin
-Painful ulcers
-Delayed growth, in young children
-Skin rashes.
-Blood loss and anemia.

People can also go without seeing or showcasing any symptoms for a long period of time. This phase is known as remission.

Since Crohn's disease diagnosis often takes a toll on the appetite, patients might also suffer from a loss of hunger and in severe stages, they might need to be fed intravenously. The diet, too, needs to be constantly monitored and evaluated. If growth stunts and patterns are to be avoided, along with digestive problems, foods like dairy, alcohol, spicy foods and some grains are a strict no-no.

Treatment
Till date, no effective cure or remedy has been found to treat Crohn's disease. However, an effective treatment plan is aimed at relieving the symptoms and the grade of the disease. There are also certain therapies that can help to reduce the symptoms, induce remission into the body and considerably improve the quality of life.

A doctor should be consulted at once if you have unexplained bouts of fever lasting for more than two days and diarrhea complications aren't treated using OTC medications.

Usual treatment plans involve medications as well as nutritional supplements and even surgery to cut down on aggressive inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, antibiotics and replacement meals are offered. Depending on the patient's symptoms and response to the medicines, treatment plans can be altered.

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