The treatment methods and symptoms of intestinal colitis should be well known to anyone who often has lower abdominal pain. Pathological processes that can not be ignored also include impaired stool and appetite, digestive upset. Quite often, they all become signs of intestinal colitis. In this article, we will talk in detail about this disease, about what symptoms it is characterized, how it is treated, and whether there are effective methods of prevention.
About the disease
Before delving into the methods of treatment and symptoms of intestinal colitis, we will dwell on what this disease is. To understand this, you will need knowledge of the basics of human anatomy.
The intestine is the terminal part of the digestive tract that ends in the large intestine. In it, nutrients are never absorbed into the blood, unlike subtle ones. It is intended solely to collect undigested food residues and bring them out through the rectum. From an anatomical point of view, the rectum is part of the large intestine.
In addition to the rectum, it also distinguishes the transverse, blind, sigmoid, ascending and descending colon. Its total length ranges from 90 to 150 centimeters.
Food debris that enters the intestinal lumen contains a large amount of electrolytes and water. They are absorbed through the mucous membrane of the colon, entering directly into the bloodstream. This is due to the fact that the mucous membrane is rich in blood vessels.
At the same time, a large number of various microorganisms live in the large intestine. Some of them relate to opportunistic microflora. Perhaps its most striking representative is E. coli. In this case, most of the microflora are lactobacilli and bifidobacteria, which do not cause disease, by their presence preventing other microorganisms from multiplying.
So, colitis refers to various diseases in which dystrophic or inflammatory processes develop in the human body. They affect the mucous membrane of the colon, due to which the intestine is unable to function normally.
Causes
This disease occurs for various reasons. Among them, intoxication, imbalance in microflora, colonization of the intestinal tract with multicellular parasites, and drug therapy are distinguished. In the latter case, antibiotics have a particularly detrimental effect on the human body.
Note that with some varieties of colitis, the causes of the disease remain unknown. For example, these include lymphocytic and collagen colitis.
It is also not known for certain why ulcerative colitis occurs. According to the most common version, the ailment is associated with autoimmune processes.
In addition, colitis is often caused by other diseases. In particular, gastritis, cholecystitis, gout, enteritis, various autoimmune diseases. Colitis also occurs, provoked by radiation exposure, poisoning by toxic substances.
Intestinal colitis in adults is often ischemic. This type of disease is caused by insufficient blood supply to the walls of the intestines, which leads to a disruption in their normal functioning. The most characteristic ischemic variety of the disease for elderly patients. Often it occurs against a background of intestinal inversion, diabetes mellitus, with injuries, anemia or hernia.
Also among the factors that contribute to the development of intestinal colitis, experts distinguish:
- stress
- wrong diet;
- mechanical effects on the rectum (e.g., enema abuse);
- hereditary factors;
- allergic reactions;
- food poisoning;
- unhealthy passion for "hungry" diets.
In most cases, the disease develops under the influence of not just one, but several factors at once. In most cases, the disease occurs in adults, although it happens when children suffer from it.
Kinds
The methods of treatment and symptoms of intestinal colitis differ depending on what kind of disease the disease found in the patient belongs to. When it comes to total damage to most of the inner surface of the colon, we are talking about pancolitis. This is rare, more often only some sections of the colon are affected.
When inflammation develops only in the rectum, then this type of ailment is called proctitis, and if the sigmoid and rectum are affected, then proctosigmoiditis. The latter type is also called distal colitis. Finally, if the disease is also complicated by inflammation of the small intestine, we can talk about enterocolitis.
Also, experts distinguish the following types of colitis:
- catarrhal;
- erosive;
- diffuse;
- ulcerative.
When the disease develops in adults for a long time, then this indicates chronic intestinal colitis. With its exacerbation, they speak of acute colitis.
Colitis is also often provoked by an intestinal infection. In this case, it is divided into two types. Specific colitis is caused by salmonella or dysentery bacillus. Streptococci, conditionally pathogenic microflora, staphylococci lead to the formation of nonspecific colitis. The diseases that cause clostridial bacteria are called pseudomembranous colitis. These types of bacteria with strong reproduction emit a large number of toxins that affect the intestinal mucosa.
Symptoms
Now we will dwell in detail on the methods of treatment and symptoms of intestinal colitis in adults. They vary depending on what form and stage the disease belongs to.
Chronic colitis in most cases is characterized by aching, dull and bursting pains in the lower abdomen. As a rule, they can be traced along the route of the colon. In the chronic form of the disease, pain intensifies before defecation, after eating, physical exertion, as well as with mechanical action on the abdominal cavity. For example, after traveling by public transport.
Severe pain in the form of colic is uncharacteristic of a chronic form. As a rule, they are observed with spastic colitis. Moreover, they mainly have a paroxysmal character.
It should be noted that the chronic type of the disease is often characterized by a variety of symptoms of various intensities.
Talking about the classic methods of treatment and symptoms of intestinal colitis in adults, the following symptoms are distinguished:
- a feeling of incomplete emptying of the rectum;
- diarrhea, which is replaced by attacks of constipation;
- stool with traces of mucus (it can be with greenish or colorless veins);
- false urge to defecate;
- lack of appetite, nausea;
- spotting in the stool;
- bitterness in the mouth;
- bouts of vomiting;
- flatulence;
- burping.
With exacerbations of the disease, symptoms of intoxication of the whole organism are observed. In this case, it is not easy to determine the treatment. Symptoms of intestinal colitis are similar to signs of SARS. This temperature is up to 38 degrees, headaches, tachycardia, fatigue and weakness.
With intestinal ulcerative colitis, diarrhea is most frequent, reaching 20 times a day. Moreover, the discharge has a very meager volume. The appearance of constipation is accompanied by involvement in the pathological process of the small intestine.
When a patient begins to have intestinal inflammation, the symptoms may be similar to allergic reactions. This is itching on the mucous membranes, skin rashes. Vision may be impaired, joint pain, problems with the gall bladder and liver may appear.
Chronic colitis, which develops over time, often leads to dehydration. It is accompanied by dry mouth, dizziness, vitamin deficiency, anemia, weight loss, anuria. In the chronic stage, exacerbations occur several times a year.
It should be noted that gastrointestinal colitis appears regardless of the patient's gender. The appearance of colitis during pregnancy can adversely affect the bearing of the fetus.
Diagnostics
Only a doctor can determine the presence of intestinal disease. If there are suspicions and characteristic symptoms, it is recommended to consult a gastroenterologist so that he selects effective therapy.
Diagnosing colitis is not easy. The difficulty lies in the fact that severe symptoms may indicate other diseases. For example, hemorrhoids or enteritis. At this stage, it is important to determine whether there are other dangerous ailments. Among them, such diseases of the large intestine as malignant tumors or atypical appendicitis are distinguished. Also, chronic colitis can often be confused with irritable bowel syndrome. The signs of these ailments are extremely similar to each other. The main difference is that with irritable bowel syndrome, only a violation of the autonomic nervous system of the intestine, as well as peristalsis, occurs. In this case, the mucous membrane does not suffer.
When diagnosing nonspecific colitis, it is important to exclude dysentery, Crohn's disease, helminthic invasions, and amoebiasis. The diagnosis is made only after a thorough endoscopic examination.
In this case, specialists use the following methods:
- visual examination of the patient;
- collection of complaints analysis and medical history;
- analysis of feces, blood and urine;
- colonoscopy;
- sigmoidoscopy;
- mucosal biopsy;
- radiography and computed tomography.
All these studies allow the doctor to determine if there are changes in the composition of urine and blood, whether there is blood in the feces, which may indicate intestinal bleeding. These procedures help determine the condition of the mucous membrane in the focus of the disease, the type of pathogen in infectious colitis.
Forecast
If the patient begins to ignore the disease, it progresses and develops into more severe forms. Erosive colitis can turn into ulcerative. At the same time, it is impossible to cure chronic colitis on your own, so you should not expect that the disease will go away by itself.
Exceptions are only acute forms that provoke infections. For example, dysentery or salmonellosis. After recovery, the unpleasant consequences finally disappear, they no longer bother patients. With the wrong treatment tactics, the disease develops into a chronic one.
At this stage, the disease is a provoking factor for very dangerous diseases, including tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. Even if the worst does not happen, the ailment can lead to dangerous septic processes in the circulatory system, peritonitis. These complications already directly carry a threat to the patient's life.
Treatment
The methods of therapy depend on the origin of the disease. In most cases, conservative methods are used to treat intestinal colitis.
An exception may be only ulcerative colitis, which can not do without surgical intervention. Also, operations to remove part of the intestine have to be done with Crohn's disease and autoimmune diseases.
Treatment of intestinal colitis in an adult patient is carried out on an outpatient basis. Being in the hospital is required only with exacerbations.
Basically, the patient will have to take medications prescribed by a doctor. In addition to drug methods, with this disease it is also recommended:
- physiotherapy;
- diet;
- massage of the abdomen;
- mud therapy;
- physiotherapy;
- intestinal shower.
An important point in the treatment of colitis is diet. It is developed individually in each case by a specialist. It is selected in such a way that food does not provoke inflammatory processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
Among the main principles of the diet is the exclusion from the diet of raw, salted, pickled, fried and smoked foods. Food should be fractional (eat at least six times a day). You should also minimize the amount of chocolate, alcohol, foods high in fiber, carbonated drinks.
Dairy and flour products, fatty meats, sweets, oatmeal, millet, and barley porridge are prohibited. Fresh vegetables and fruits are allowed when the patient is suffering from severe chronic constipation. But if the main manifestation of the disease becomes diarrhea, then it is allowed to eat only pureed fresh apples. All food should be as pure as possible, as small as possible.
The diet should include crackers, stale bread, mucous soups. Poultry products are allowed, which should be cooked in the form of meatballs or meatballs. Vegetables can only be chopped, pre-cooked.
Prevention
There are effective methods of prevention that can prevent the development of this disease. The likelihood of colitis is many times reduced when the patient eats right throughout his life, adheres to a balanced and rational diet.
It is also advised to avoid stress, timely treat inflammatory diseases of other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as get rid of infections. It is forbidden to take antibiotics on your own without a doctor's prescription.
You should also remember the risk factors that can trigger this disease. These are diabetes mellitus, smoking, high blood cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity. Therefore, moderate physical activity and the absence of bad habits are also important preventive methods.
Colitis in childhood
All parents must remember the treatment methods and symptoms of intestinal colitis in children in order to seek help in a timely manner if signs of this ailment appear. It is worth remembering that this is a dangerous inflammatory disease, which is characterized by dystrophic changes in the large intestine.
Intestinal colitis in children appears for certain reasons:
- stress;
- the presence of bacterial and viral infections;
- heredity;
- food poisoning, malnutrition;
- the presence of autoimmune diseases;
- adverse ecology;
- bowel dysfunction;
- uncontrolled use of antibacterial drugs;
- abnormal development of the digestive organs;
- allergy.
Symptoms and Therapy
Symptoms and treatment of intestinal colitis in children largely coincide with the signs of this disease in adults. Therapy is determined based on the characteristics of the course of the disease, its causes. The main symptom of intestinal colitis in children is abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Side effects include bloating, chills, frequent urge to defecate, blood clots in the feces, and dehydration.
Treatment can be therapeutic and surgical. Surgical intervention is allowed only in cases where other methods do not bring the desired results, and the child is suffering from severe pain. As a rule, surgery is prescribed only for diagnoses of Crohn's disease, ischemic colitis, nonspecific colitis.
With this ailment, treatment is aimed primarily at eliminating the causes of the disease. You should start with a radical review of the baby's nutrition. Food should be easily absorbed by the body, be light. You should drink plenty of fluids, all this will help restore the functions of the colon.
Against abdominal pain and diarrhea, a diet with certain medications and plenty of fluids is used. In this case, the patient should observe bed rest, not overwork. In most cases, these measures are enough for the intestines to restore stable functioning.
In severe cases, you have to resort to strong drugs. It can be antibacterial drugs and antibiotics that are prescribed in the treatment of infections that accompany colitis. Combinations of various powerful drugs are also recommended for Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis.
Therapy, as a rule, begins with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs. If they are ineffective, use drugs that suppress the immune system.
Most often, in children, colitis appears due to poisoning, malnutrition, insufficient amount of fluid drunk during the day. Therefore, to prevent this ailment, it is enough to carefully monitor what the child eats and drinks. , , .