Community Forum

Have a question, or want to share your own tips and experiences? Join the discussion in the community forum. You must be registered to participate. Our forums are moderated by Crohn's & Colitis Foundation staff to facilitate a safe environment.

"Stricture" Scar tissue or immflamation

Tue, January 06, 2009 1:00 AM

My question is how does one know if there Stricture is Scar tissue or just immflamation?
I've had a colonoscopy and SMBFT and my GI said that my Stricture was Scar tissue. Are those tests really the determining factor?

Thanks
Wolfie

wolfie
Joined Sep 21, 2008

Tue, January 06, 2009 1:00 AM

Reply posted for Wolfie.

Wolfie - I would listen to your doctor. As it was explained to me many years ago, scar tissue, which causes stricture, is developed in the following pattern: (1) You have a flare up. (2) You treat the flare up and go into remission. (3) The area of the flare up scars over, just as a cut does when it heals. (4) You flare again in the same area where your Crohn's is present. (5) You treat the flare and go back into remission. (6) The area of the flare creates some more scar tissue. This process continues each time you have a flare in that area. Over time, the scar tissue becomes thick enough that it narrows the intestinal tract in that area. When it gets narrow enough to show up on a scan or GI test, it is then called a stricture. If the doctor can reach it during a colonoscopy, he can often times do a balloon inflation treatment and break up some of the scar tissue. This is not painful, as the lining of the intestines does not have any nerve cells. (My experience has been, though, that I feel as though someone has pounded on my belly; and that is uncomfortable for several hours after the colonoscopy is finished. It is only a dull ache, not a sharp pain.) Unfortunately, this is only a temporary fix for the stricture, and as you have more flares in the area, more scar tissue with begin to form and the process starts all over again. Hope this helps. - Bob

rjb10345
Joined Nov 23, 2008

Related Topics

IBD and trauma

Janeliza
Joined Apr 13, 2022

Hi all! I've had Crohn's since 2014 with m....

read more

Life Insurance?

Aperson1
Joined Dec 2, 2022

40 y.o. male looking to get life insurance. ....

read more

IBD and exercise/sport

JS25
Joined Aug 14, 2023

This is my first post. I am 28 and I was diagnosed....

read more

Welcome to the Crohn's & Colitis Community!

This website is associated with the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation.

Please read our Top 12 Rules before posting messages and sharing stories. Always be courteous and sensitive to others!

Intended audience. The Crohn's & Colitis Foundation Online Community is intended for patients and their caregivers, family and friends. The Community is not intended for industry representatives or advertisers and these individuals are not permitted to participate on the site.

Meet the Crohn's & Colitis Community! Browse our site to see what our community is talking about and find issues important to you.

Join in and share your stories. After you feel comfortable with our site, register to share your thoughts on a regular basis.

Stay secure. Remember that our site can be viewed by anyone on the Internet. With the exception of our registration and personal pages, search engines are available within this site. To guard your privacy, follow these simple rules: do not share your address, phone number, details about your family, or anything else you would feel uncomfortable with others reading. If you post your personal email, be aware that you may receive spam e-mail from spammers who gather addresses off of the web.

Read and react to posts with care. If you don’t agree or are offended by someone’s post, take a step back and think before you reply. Since we can’t talk in-person to each other, we must recognize that we may be misunderstanding stories or posts. Please be sensitive to others’ feelings and ask for clarification before acting out.

Search before starting new topics. To keep our message boards easy to use, please use the search bar to locate topics of interest before starting a new thread. If you start a new thread, please use obvious subject headings and words that will catch the attention of others. Topics will be archived after 21 days of inactivity. To view past topics and posts, click on archive topics within each of the forums.

Stick to our guidelines. To keep this site safe for everyone, please do not post: doctors' names, treatment facility names and treatment specifics, contact information for others without their consent, links to websites with uncertain content or advertisements, requests for fundraising, items for sale, requests for study, survey and/or questionnaire participation or provocative information.

Sharing photos. Please use good taste and appropriate images when adding photos to your profile or personal stories. Photos should be in .jpg format.

Not following the rules? Crohn's & Colitis Community moderators routinely scan the message boards and will delete tasteless posts. If you post inappropriate messages or pictures or use offensive language in a post on multiple occasions, you will be notified via email and your account will be inactivated.

Report foul play. Help the Crohn's & Colitis Community moderators by reporting anyone that posts inappropriate messages or pictures by clicking the 'Report Abuse' button under the message or emailing ccfacommunity@ccfa.org.

Questions or concerns? Please feel free to email us at ccfacommunity@ccfa.org with any questions or concerns. We want you to feel comfortable here.

Terms & Conditions. By posting your story, questions, concerns and other information on the Community, you grant the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation or its authorized agent permission to publish, reproduce, record and use your stories as Crohn's & Colitis Community or the authorized agent sees fit in any medium or forum in a manner which helps to further the Crohn's & Colitis Community mission. You agree to release and hold harmless Crohn's & Colitis Community from any and all liability by any third party that may arise from the release of information to any third party or by any third party and agree that all text and other content made by you, for you or the person for whom you are the parent/guardian, shall be the exclusive property of Crohn's & Colitis Community. The Crohn's & Colitis Community cannot verify every claim made by a third party contributor to our Community and is not responsible for the authenticity of information posted.

Thank you! The Crohn's & Colitis Community is successful because of members like you!

Thanks!
The Crohn's & Colitis Community Team

*Any postings on the Crohn's & Colitis Community site should not replace your physician's advice. Always check with your personal physician before taking any action regarding your health.