This is one of the autoimmune disorders. Also known as inflammatory bowel disease, it inflames and damages the inner lining of the gastrointestinal tract producing ulcers and bleeding. The inflammation and ulceration causes the intestinal walls to thicken. In that state, the lining loses its ability to absorb water from the waste that passes through to the colon. As a result, the stool becomes watery and you suffer diarrhea. If you neglect yourself, the lining goes on to produce excess mucus and may bleed. Over time the blood loss can lead to anemia and fatigue producing the classic symptoms of chronic Crohn's disease. However, this disease is not necessarily limited to the intestines leading down to the rectum. It can affect can affect the "top half" of the feeding system from the mouth down through the stomach. Put another way, if your immune system turns against the body, it can attack the healthy tissue in all the connected areas.
There are a number of symptoms that can show up, including loss of appetite, consequent weight loss, abdominal pain, diarrhea, pain while passing stool, rectal bleeding, joint pain, mouth ulcers and swollen gums. These symptoms can flare up, disappear and reemerge in a cycle over the years. Despite the investment of significant research effort, the exact cause of the disease remains a mystery. It therefore follows there is no cure for this disease. The best that can be done is to manage the symptoms of the illness and maintain the best possible quality of life. A range of drugs is prescribed to suppress the immune system (which reduces the inflammation), to ease the digestive process, and to relieve the pain. Prednisone is synthetic corticosteroids used to suppress the operation of the immune system and for the anti-inflammatory effect. As one of the corticosteroids, there are potentially quite severe side effects if it is prescribed over any significant period of time. The usual treatment strategy is therefore to restrict its use to treating moderate to severe stages of the disease. Because the anti-inflammatory effect effect comes quickly, it is suitable for resolving the flare-ups. It should not be used over the longer term because the adrenal glands will stop working and leave you dependent on the drug. It takes time and patience to wean you off the drug and encourage your adrenal glands to start working naturally.
In consultation with your regular doctor, you should discuss when Prednisone can be used, at what dosage, and for how long. To make life slightly easier at home, the drug can be taken orally or by inserting it directly into the rectum. Once the flare-up subsides, you should stop as quickly as possible. Without this stop-start approach, there may be some thinning of your bones, impotence or menstrual irregularities. Finally, Crohn's Disease patients should eat a high-fibre balanced diet of protein and other nutrients to help the digestive process.