Before your Doctor just ups and tells you that you have Crohn's disease he or she will run several test to rule out other conditions. Such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is something that I am all to familiar with . He or she will also want to rule out that you do not have colon cancer or even diverticulitis(when one or more of your diverticula in your digestive tract becomes inflamed ). To rule out these other conditions test must be ran. The test that your Doctor will require you to take are a blood test, fecal occult blood test , Colonoscopy, Double ballon endoscopy, MRI(Magnetic reasonace imaging ), CT scan (Computerized tomography), Capsule endoscopy, small bowel imaging and last but not least a Barium enma .
Your doctor may suggest blood tests to check for anemia a condition in which there aren't enough red blood cells to carry adequate oxygen to your tissues or to check for signs of infection.
You may need to provide a stool sample so that your doctor can test for blood in your stool.
A Colonoscopy is a test that allows your doctor to view your entire colon using a thin, flexible, lighted tube with an attached camera. During the procedure, your doctor can also take small samples of tissue (biopsy) for laboratory analysis, which may help confirm a diagnosis.
Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a procedure where , your doctor uses a slender, flexible, lighted tube to examine the sigmoid, the last section of your colon.
The CT scan and the MRI are both used as another way to get a bigger picture of organs and tissues.
Capsule endoscopy is another test that the Doctor will give you, If you have signs and symptoms that suggest Crohn's disease but other diagnostic tests are negative. In order for you to take this test you swallow a capsule that has a camera in it. The camera takes pictures, which are sent to a computer that you wear on your belt. The images are then downloaded, displayed on a monitor and checked for signs of Crohn's disease. Once it's made the trip through your digestive system, the camera exits your body painlessly in your stool.
Double balloon endoscopy is when a longer scope is used to look further into the small bowel where standard endoscopes don't reach.
Small bowel imaging is the test that looks at the part of the small bowel that can't be seen by colonoscopy. After you drink a solution containing barium, X-ray, CT or MRI images are taken of your small intestine. The test can help locate areas of narrowing or inflammation in the small bowel that are seen in Crohn's disease. The test can also help your doctor determine which type of inflammatory bowel disease you have.
Barium enema This diagnostic test allows your doctor to evaluate your large intestine with an X-ray. Before the test, you receive an enema with a contrast solution containing barium. The barium dye coats the lining of the bowel, creating a silhouette of your rectum, colon and a portion of your small intestine that's visible on an X-ray. This test is rarely done anymore because of the availability of colonoscopy and CT scanning.
I know that this sounds like a lot of test to take to figure out if you have Crohn's disease or not. In the long you will be thankful to find out if you really do have Crohn's or could you be actually suffering from colon cancer. Or something nonlife threatening should as IBS, but just as uncomfortable and life changing. So if your doctor suggests these test , please take them its better to be safe than sorry.
Until the next time your chilling with your Homegirl of Health listening to the hot health 411 , remember "No prescription needed" to start working towards a healthier life
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