Inflammation of the rectal mucosa is a fairly common problem in medical practice. Symptoms of proctitis can be different, ranging from the release of a small amount of mucus along with feces, ending with sharp, severe pain in the anus. In any case, a person with such a disease needs qualified help.
The main causes of proctitis
Before you learn about how the main symptoms of proctitis look, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the main causes of the development of such a disease. To date, it is customary to distinguish primary and secondary forms of the disease. Primary proctitis, as a rule, has an infectious origin. Bacteria (including those that lead to sexually transmitted diseases, such as chlamydia, gonococci), as well as viruses (such as herpes virus) and Escherichia coli, can act as pathogens. As for the secondary forms of the disease, they arise against the background of inflammation of other parts of the digestive tract. In addition, proctitis may be the result of uncontrolled use of antibiotics. People also face this problem during radiation therapy. Damage and further inflammation of the mucous membrane may be the result of the falling into the rectum of foreign solid objects.
Symptoms of Proctitis
The course of the disease largely depends on the nature of its origin. For example, in the presence of infection, proctitis begins with weakness, fever. In addition, the symptoms include severe pain in the lower intestine and the anus. Along with this, constipation occurs, which only exacerbates the situation, since the process of bowel movement is extremely painful for patients. Since sores often form on the walls of the mucous membrane, mucus and blood are released along with feces (or even instead of them).
Chronic proctitis and its symptoms
Most often, the chronic form of the disease is the result of improper treatment of the acute condition of the patient. In this case, the symptoms of proctitis are slightly different - there is neither fever, nor constant sharp pain. Patients complain only of frequent constipation and occasional soreness, as well as a feeling of incomplete bowel movement. From time to time in the feces you can notice a small amount of mucus and impurities of the blood. In some cases, proctitis is complicated by anal fissures and hemorrhoids.
Proctitis treatment
In this case, conservative treatment methods are used. Features of therapy are determined by the cause of the disease:
- Antibiotics for proctitis are prescribed only in the presence of a bacterial infection.
- If the cause is viruses, then the patient is prescribed immunomodulating drugs.
- Extremely important is the proctitis diet. It is necessary to exclude from the diet all products that can cause irritation: canned food, spices, salt, spicy seasonings, etc. Food should be soft (wiped) and warm.
- An important part of the treatment is the daily cleansing enemas from a decoction of chamomile or other medicinal plants that help remove fecal residues, as well as remove the inflammatory process.