Crohn's Disease: Sam Faiers reveals she's a sufferer, but what is it?

We've been speculating on her huge weight loss and worrying about her obvious ill health during Big Brother, and for good reason.

TOWIE star Sam Faiers has finally received a diagnosis that explains her recent health worries are down to a serious, and lifelong, condition - Crohn's Disease.

Experts aren't quite sure what causes Crohn's but it's thought that stress, viruses or a dietary reaction can trigger it. It causes inflammation of the lining of the digestive system bringing on symptoms such as abdominal pain, weight loss, ulcers, tiredness and exhaustion, and diarrhoea.

Smoking and genetics may also have an influence and the disease is far more common in the western world. And at 23, Sam is in the most common age bracket for the illness to strike - 16 to 30.

Poor Sam has lost a stone and a half in just a few weeks and will now have to drastically change her diet. She may even need surgery. What's frustrating about the condition is that it doens't get better. Though sufferers will experience periods of improvement and near normality, these are often followed by relapses.

The first step for doctors is to bring down the inflammation, which is causing the symptoms. Anti-inflammatory drugs are tried first and may be followed by immunosuppressants if those don't work. Surgery in extreme cases is used to remove inflamed sections of the intestine.

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Your diet with Crohn's

Often the first step diet-wise in the treatment of Crohn's is to embark on a liquid-only diet in an attempt to bring the inflammation down.

During a flare-up, a liquid-only diet may be returned to but on a day-to-day basis, sufferers are encouraged to find out what works for them as the condition affects everyone differently.

The liquid diet lasts between two and eight weeks and provides all the nutrients the body needs, so there's no need to eat any other food.

Sufferers may also struggle to get enough nutrients from their food as most of these are absorbed into the body through the intestines. Unintentional weight loss is often a sign of this so Sam's doctors will no doubt be checking her for levels of vital minerals and vitamins such as calcium and iron, and supplements may be necessary.

Sarah Rogers from Crohn’s and Colitis UK told the Mirror that the star could face surgery after her new diet: “Sadly, 50 per cent of people diagnosed do require surgery.

"But if she is placed on the right drugs, and if the liquid diet has the desired effects and it all settles down, if she’s lucky, she can avoid surgery.”

Poor Sam! We've got everything crossed for her.