Crohn’s Disease is an inflammatory disease of the digestive tract. It can create severely debilitating symptoms including:
- Diarrhoea
- Abdominal pain/ cramps
- Malabsorption
- Weightloss
Crohn’s has a significant impact on the digestive system. The disease can have a flow on affect resulting in secondary complications which include:
- Arthritis
- Fatigue
- Skin rashes
- Bowel obstruction
- Increased incidence of bowel cancer
Current main-stream treatments can come with significant side effects. Anti-inflammatory medication, such as steroids and NSAID’s can result in:
- Heart attack
- Stomach ulcer
- Osteoperosis
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
Finding effective alternative treatment methods with little or no side effects for Crohn’s is the ideal. Natural medicine intervention has shown some promise. Helping to reduce symptoms without the side effects of many western medicine interventions.
Fish Oil
Increasingly recognised for it’s anti-inflammatory properties Fish Oils can have a significant impact in the treatment of inflammatory conditions including Crohn’s.
A pilot randomised double blind control trial on the effect of Fish oil in reducing Crohn’s relapse found significant benefit over a 12 month period. Reference
Acupuncture
More and more research is being carried out finding the effectiveness of acupuncture in the treatment of pain and inflammation. It is believed acupuncture enhances the release of endorphins, which are part of the bodies own pain blocking mechanism.
A randomised double blind control trial found significant benefit using acupuncture and moxibustion 3 times per week over 12 weeks in:
- Crohn’s Disease Activity Score
- Quality of Life
- Laboratory tests including HGB, CRP and ESR
- Histological tests (tissue samples)
74% of patients in the treatment group entered remission after the treatment period. Reference
Herbal Medicine/ Nutrition –anti-inflammatories
- Aloe Vera
- Boswellia
- Licorice
- Slippery Elm
- Curcumin
- Psyllium
- Bromelain
A range of studies have shown the positive impact these herbs/ supplements can create in the case of crohn’s with nil side effects. Reference
Whilst natural medicine has been shown to have positive impacts in inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s it is important to recognise that self diagnosis and prescription comes with real health risks. Being diagnosed and treated by a fully qualified natural medicine practitioner will ensure the best health outcomes. For more information about how you can find high impact low side effect treatments for your health always seek advice from your qualified alternative medicine practitioner.
