What should you know about mild Crohn's disease?

Crohn's disease can affect different parts of the digestive tract and may cause diarrhoea, abdominal pain, tiredness, reduced appetite or weight loss. Symptoms can be mild during a quieter phase and become more active later. Diarrhoea and abdominal pain are common presentations of Crohn's disease, but either symptom can have many other causes. Assessment may include your history, examination, blood tests and sometimes specialist investigations.

Take prescribed treatment as directed and keep a record of bowel changes, pain, fever, appetite and energy. Drink enough to replace fluid lost through loose stools. Choose foods you tolerate and avoid cutting out broad food groups without professional guidance. Rest when fatigue is prominent, keep appointments, and tell your clinician about smoking, medicines and supplements because these can affect care decisions. A GP consultation can help coordinate review and referral.

Contact your clinician promptly if diarrhoea or pain is increasing, stools contain blood, you develop fever, lose weight, cannot maintain fluids, or feel unusually weak. Seek urgent care for severe abdominal pain, repeated vomiting, a swollen abdomen, fainting or heavy rectal bleeding. These signs may reflect active inflammation, dehydration or another problem that needs immediate assessment.

How will we tell whether symptoms are active Crohn's disease? Which blood tests or other checks are needed? What should I do if diarrhoea, pain or fatigue suddenly increases?