Which digestive condition can lead to severe abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits?

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that can significantly affect the gastrointestinal tract, leading to a variety of symptoms. One of the hallmark manifestations of Crohn's disease is severe abdominal pain, which often occurs due to inflammation and ulceration in the digestive tract. Additionally, patients frequently experience changes in bowel habits, with some individuals alternating between diarrhea and constipation, or experiencing periods of bowel obstruction.

The inflammation associated with Crohn's can affect any part of the digestive tract, but it most commonly impacts the ileum (the last part of the small intestine) and the colon. This widespread inflammation can result in complications such as strictures and fistulas, further exacerbating abdominal pain and altering regular bowel function. The combination of these symptoms makes Crohn's disease a clear candidate for causing severe abdominal pain and changes in bowel habits.

Other conditions like gastritis or peptic ulcers primarily affect the stomach and can lead to discomfort, but they do not typically produce the level of altered bowel habits associated with Crohn's disease. Diverticulitis, while it can cause abdominal pain and change bowel habits as well, usually involves inflammation or infection in diverticula and is characterized by distinct symptomatology compared to Crohn's.