Crohn's Disease And Colitis Specialist

Gastro Center of Maryland -  - Gastroenterologist

Gastro Center of Maryland

Gastroenterologists located in Annapolis, MD, Columbia, MD, Riverdale, MD, & Olney, MD

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are inflammatory bowel diseases treated by Dr. Pia Prakash, Dr. Josh Rosenbloom, Dr. Eduardo Castillo, and Dr. Dado Xu at the Gastro Center of Maryland, serving all Maryland residents.

Crohn's Disease and Colitis Q & A

What is Crohn's disease?

Crohn's disease is an immune-mediated disease that causes inflammation in the gastrointestinal tract and can involve any segment, mouth to anus. The small intestine is most commonly inflamed. People with Crohn’s disease can exhibit many different symptoms. Common symptoms include:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea or changes in stool
  • Fever
  • Loss of appetite
  • Small rips or tears near the anus
  • Anemia
  • Fatigue

Crohn's disease can also affect areas outside of the digestive tract including the joints, eyes, and skin. When diagnosing Crohn's disease, the doctor will look at all of these factors before determining what course to take.

What is colitis?

Colitis is inflammation and swelling of the lining of the colon. There are many possible causes of colitis. The most common causes include:

  • Infection
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Ischemic colitis

Symptoms of colitis and severity may vary. These symptoms include:

  • Diarrhea
  • Blood in the stool
  • Abdominal pain
  • Chills
  • Dehydration

Similar to Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative colitis can involve areas outside the digestive tract and lead to fatigue along with inflammation of the joints, eyes or skin.

How are Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis treated?

Because Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis involve the immune system, the medications used inhibit the body's ability to produce inflammation which is usually our natural healing response. These medications reduce the inflammation in the intestines. The goal is to create a state of remission where the inflammation is controlled and the tissues within the bowel are able to heal.  In addition to medications, maintaining a healthy diet can help improve the symptoms seen in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Major Insurance Providers Accepted

At Gastro Center of Maryland, we accept most major insurance plans. Here is a short-list of just some of the most popular plans we accept.

Click HERE for the Full Insurance List, or contact our office if you do not see your insurance provider listed.

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AARP
Aetna
Allied Benefit Systems
Amerigroup
Bankers Life and Casualty Company
Blue Cross Blue Shield
CareFirst
CHAMPVA
Cigna
CoreSource
Corvel
GHI
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Humana
Maryland Physicians Care
Mutual of Omaha
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