Understanding Crohn's

Crohn's disease is a chronic condition in your digestive tract. Most often it causes symptoms like fever, abdominal pain, diarrhea, and weight loss. People with Crohn's may also be at higher risk for liver problems.

Liver problems can happen at any stage of your illness. Doctors aren't sure how the two diseases relate to each other. But if you have Crohn's, it's important to get checked regularly to see how your liver is working.

Often people with Crohn's disease who also have liver damage may not be aware of any additional symptoms. Usually, only sign of a liver problem is found in routine blood tests.

Fatty liver disease is the most common liver complication in people with Crohn's. Your doctor may recommend weight loss and better control of your blood cholesterol levels to help your body get rid of the extra fat in your liver.

Some medications used to treat Crohn's disease can cause liver damage. That's why it's important that your doctor tests for liver inflammation and damage.

Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. While it's usually caused by a viral infection, there is a condition called autoimmune hepatitis that can happen with Crohn's. It can lead to permanent liver damage if it's not treated.

If routine blood tests show problems with your liver, your doctor may do additional tests to find out if the problems are related to your Crohn's disease. Knowing the cause can help guide your treatment.

Liver damage often can be reversed, but about 5% of people with Crohn's develop serious liver disease. Regular testing can catch liver problems early – before you have symptoms – and when they are easier to treat.