Amy Dowden opens up about her battle with Crohn's disease

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The symptoms may be constant or may come and go every few weeks or months. When they come back, it’s called a flare-up.

Skin tags are fairly common in people with Crohn’s disease, according to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation.

Skin tags often develop around the anus. When the swellings go down, the skin around them thickens and forms small flaps, the organisation states.

“When the tags enlarge and become tender and rubbery, this may be a sign that Crohn’s disease is becoming active,” a fact sheet from the organisation reads.

Crohn’s disease affects people of all ages. The symptoms usually start in childhood or early adulthood.

Crohn’s can also cause skin problems.

The most common skin problem is erythema nodosum, which affects about one in seven people with Crohn’s, and is more common in women than men, according to Crohn’s and Colitis UK.

“It consists of raised tender red or violet swellings 1.5cm in diameter, usually on the legs. This condition tends to occur during flare-ups and generally improves with treatment for Crohn’s,” the charity site reads.

Crohn’s Disease symptoms may range from mild to severe, and will vary from person to person.

The most common symptoms during a flare-up are abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

The exact cause of Crohn’s disease is unknown, though it is thought several things could play a role.

These factors include smoking, a problem with the immune system, an abnormal balance of gut bacteria, and a number of other things.

Crohn’s Disease is one of the two main forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).

There’s no cure for Crohn’s disease, but treatment can help reduce or control your symptoms.

It is estimated that Crohn’s Disease affects about one in every 650 people in the UK.

Crohn’s appears to be slightly more common in women than in men.

If you think you have symptoms of the condition you should speak to your GP.

These symptoms might include blood in your poo or diarrhoea for more than seven days.

“A GP will try to find out what’s causing your symptoms and may refer you for tests to check for Crohn’s disease,” the NHS website states.

If you are diagnosed with the condition, the health service suggests that you will usually have a team of health professionals helping you, possibly including a GP, a specialist nurse and specialist doctors.

If symptoms are well controlled, you can live a normal life with the condition.

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