Heating Pads, Ice Packs, Fish Oil, and Dietary Changes
Crohn’s disease is a digestive condition, and it can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Crohn’s disease is also considered an autoimmune disease because it occurs when the immune system attacks a person’s gastrointestinal tract. While Crohn’s disease often causes abdominal pain, there are several things you can do to naturally relieve the pain of this condition.
Crohn’s Disease
While the specific cause of Crohn’s disease is not known, the condition occurs when the immune system attacks an individual’s gastrointestinal tract, according to Wikipedia. Individuals with Crohn’s disease may experience a variety of symptoms, as the condition may affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract. Digestive symptoms of the disease include: weight loss, abdominal pain, sore and/or abscesses around the anal area, which may be itchy or painful and have discharge, and diarrhea, which may or may not be bloody. Individuals with Crohn’s disease can also experience non-digestive symptoms, such as being tired, fever, mouth ulcers, swollen or stiff joints, red lumps on the skin that are sore, and eye pain.
Crohn’s disease often has periods of remission and flare-ups. In periods of remission, an individual may not experience any symptoms of the condition, whereas while in a flare-up, an individual experiences his or her typical Crohn’s disease symptoms. You can relieve the symptoms of this condition naturally in several ways, these being some of them.
Heating Pads and Cold Packs
Heating pads and cold/ice packs can relieve the pain associated with Crohn’s, especially abdominal pain and muscle or joint pain. Ice packs and heating pads provide good immediate relief for the pain you are experiencing.
Fish Oil
Some research indicates fish oil omega-3 fatty acid may help prevent Crohn’s disease relapse. For instance, Ecology Health Center sites a study where participants either received 500mg capsules of fish oil three times a day or a placebo. In order to participate in the study, participants had to be in remission from Crohn’s disease for at least three months, but less than two years. Additionally, participants had to be off of conventional medication for at least three months.
The study lasted for one year. The researchers discovered that while 32% of participants in the fish oil group experienced relapse of Crohn’s disease, 73% of those who took placebos experienced relapse. The researchers speculate the omega-3 fatty acids may have contributed to prolonged remissions with their anti-inflammatory properties.
Dietary Changes
Some individuals with Crohn’s disease have found that altering their diets can help their condition. For instance, in one study, researchers compared the effect a high-sugar or low-sugar diet would have on two groups of people with Crohn’s. They found that many people in the high-sugar diet group had to quit eating sugar because the diet made their condition worse. On the other hand, those who ate a low-sugar diet tended to do better than those eating a high-sugar diet. While doctors and researchers are not sure how exactly sugar damages the intestines, many doctors recommend individuals suffering with Crohn’s disease avoid all sugar.
Preliminary research has also associated diets high in animal fat and proteins (other than from fish) and Crohn’s disease. It may be beneficial for individuals suffering from the condition to eat less milk and meat fat and more vegetables and fruits.
Dietary changes, utilizing ice packs and heating pads, and taking fish oil are three ways in which you may help reduce Crohn’s disease symptoms during flare-ups.
Sources:
Ecology Health Center: Fatty Acids for the Treatment of Crohn’s Disease
Peace Health: Crohn’s Disease
Wikipedia: Crohn’s Disease
We Are Crohn’s: Reducing Pain from Crohn’s Disease
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