Determining Severity of Crohn's Disease
As with ulcerative colitis, the fewer movements, the milder the disease. In mild disease, abdominal pain is absent or minimal. The patient has a sense of well being that is normal or close to normal. There are few, if any, complications outside the intestinal tract. The physician does not detect any mass when pressing the abdomen. The red blood cell count is normal or close to normal, and the patient is not underweight.
In severe Crohn's disease, the patient has movements frequent enough to require opiates or other potent anti-diarrheal medication. Abdominal pain is severe and usually located in the lower right quadrant of the abdomen. (It should be noted, however, that the location of the pain might not indicate the site of the actual problem -- a phenomenon known as referred pain.) The red blood cell count is low. The patient has a poor sense of well being and experiences complications that may include weight loss, joint pain, inflammation in the eyes, reddened or ulcerated skin, fistulas, abscesses, and fever.
Determining Severity of Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is considered mild if a patient has the following symptoms: four or less movements a day; only occasional blood in the stool; a normal temperature, pulse rate, and hemoglobin or red blood cell count; and no abnormalities observed on x-rays of the colon.
Ulcerative colitis is considered serious if the following symptoms are present: more than six movements a day; frequent to persistent blood in the stool; fever; a rapid pulse; anemia; abnormal x-rays of the colon; and tenderness in the abdomen when pressed, with possible distention.
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