Crohn’s disease is a type of chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. But it can also affect other areas of your body, such as your mouth and joints.
Common symptoms of Crohn’s include cramping, diarrhea, and constipation. But this disease can affect more than just your GI tract. In fact, a few of the possible side effects of Crohn’s disease can happen in completely different — and unexpected — areas of your body.
Read on to learn about 7 surprising ways that Crohn’s disease can affect your body and what you can do to help ease the symptoms.
1. Crohn’s disease mouth sores
Up to 50% of people with Crohn’s will develop mouth ulcers at some point as a result of the condition. Occasionally, these sores are the first symptom of the disease. They can also be a reaction to certain medications used to treat the disease.
The most prevalent type of mouth ulcer is a minor aphthous ulcer (commonly referred to as a canker sore), which can last up to 4 weeksTrusted Source.
Cobblestoning, which presents as swollen, raised bumps along the inside lining of the cheeks and behind the lips, is another type of mouth lesion that can occur with Crohn’s. These bumps can be painful and can make eating difficult at times. Topical steroids are a common form of treatment.