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Definition

By Mayo Clinic staff

Crohn's disease, a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), is a condition in which the lining of your digestive tract becomes inflamed, causing severe diarrhea and abdominal pain.  The inflammation often spreads deep into the layers of affected tissue. Like ulcerative colitis, another common IBD, Crohn's disease can be both painful and debilitating and sometimes may lead to a life-threatening complication.

While there's no known medical cure for Crohn's disease, therapies can greatly reduce the signs and symptoms of Crohn's disease and even bring about a long-term remission. With these therapies, many people afflicted with Crohn's disease are able to function normally in their everyday lives.

Symptoms

DS00104

Sept. 23, 2008

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