Surgery to remove part of the intestine can help Crohn's disease but cannot cure it intolerance-soy-intolerance The inflammation tends to return next to the area of intestine that has been removed intolerance-soy-intolerance Many Crohn's disease patients require surgery, either to relieve symptoms that do not respond to medical therapy or to to correct complications such as blockage, perforation, abscess, or bleeding in the intestine intolerance-soy-intolerance The digestive system intolerance-soy-intolerance The doctor may also do a colonoscopy intolerance-soy-intolerance For this test, the doctor inserts an endoscope--a long, flexible, lighted tube linked to a computer and TV monitor--into the anus to see the inside inside of the large intestine intolerance-soy-intolerance The doctor will be able to see any inflammation or bleeding intolerance-soy-intolerance During the exam, the doctor may do a biopsy, which involves taking a sample of tissue from the lining of the intestine to view with a microscope intolerance-soy-intolerance The doctor may do an an upper gastrointestinal (GI) series to look at the small intestine intolerance-soy-intolerance For this test, the patient drinks barium, a chalky solution that coats the lining of the small intestine, before x rays are taken intolerance-soy-intolerance The barium shows up white on x-ray film, revealing inflammation or other abnormalities in the the intestine intolerance-soy-intolerance The doctor may recommend nutritional supplements, especially for children whose growth has been slowed intolerance-soy-intolerance Special high-calorie liquid formulas are sometimes used for this purpose intolerance-soy-intolerance A small number of patients may need periods of feeding by vein intolerance-soy-intolerance This can help patients who need extra nutrition temporarily, temporarily, those whose intestines need to rest, or those whose intestines cannot absorb enough nutrition from food intolerance-soy-intolerance The most common complication is blockage of the intestine intolerance-soy-intolerance Blockage occurs because the disease tends to thicken the intestinal wall with swelling and scar tissue, narrowing the passage intolerance-soy-intolerance Crohn's disease may may also cause sores, or ulcers, that tunnel through the affected area into surrounding tissues such as the bladder, vagina, or skin intolerance-soy-intolerance The areas around the anus and rectum are often involved intolerance-soy-intolerance The tunnels, called fistulas, are a common complication and often become infected intolerance-soy-intolerance Sometimes fistulas can be be treated with medicine, but in some cases they may require surgery intolerance-soy-intolerance The most common symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, often in the lower right area, and diarrhea intolerance-soy-intolerance Rectal bleeding, weight loss, and fever may also occur intolerance-soy-intolerance Bleeding may be serious and persistent, leading to anemia intolerance-soy-intolerance anemia intolerance-soy-intolerance Children with Crohn's disease may suffer delayed development and stunted growth intolerance-soy-intolerance The U.S intolerance-soy-intolerance Food and Drug Administration has approved the drug infliximab (brand name, Remicade) for the treatment of moderate to severe Crohn's disease that does not respond to standard therapies (mesalamine substances, corticosteroids, immunosuppressive agents) and and for the treatment of open, draining fistulas intolerance-soy-intolerance Infliximab, the first treatment approved specifically for Crohn's disease, is an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) substance intolerance-soy-intolerance TNF is a protein produced by the immune system that may cause the inflammation associated with Crohn's disease intolerance-soy-intolerance Anti-TNF removes TNF from the bloodstream bloodstream before it reaches the intestines, thereby preventing inflammation intolerance-soy-intolerance Investigators will continue to study patients taking infliximab to determine its long-term safety and efficacy intolerance-soy-intolerance Theories about what causes Crohn's disease abound, but none has been proven intolerance-soy-intolerance The most popular theory is that the body's immune system reacts to to a virus or a bacterium by causing ongoing inflammation in the intestine intolerance-soy-intolerance Treatment for Crohn's disease depends on the location and severity of disease, complications, and response to previous treatment intolerance-soy-intolerance The goals of treatment are to control inflammation, correct nutritional deficiencies, and relieve symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhea, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding intolerance-soy-intolerance Treatment may include drugs, nutrition supplements, surgery, or a combination of these options intolerance-soy-intolerance At this time, treatment can help control the disease, but there is no cure intolerance-soy-intolerance What are the complications of Crohn's disease? What are the complications of Crohn's disease? What are the the symptoms? What are the symptoms? What causes Crohn's disease? What causes Crohn's disease? What is the treatment for Crohn's disease? What is the treatment for Crohn's disease? Zinc intolerance-soy-intolerance Free radicals--molecules produced during fat metabolism, stress, and infection, among other things--may contribute to inflammation in Crohn's disease intolerance-soy-intolerance Free radicals | 