Inflammation of the colon is one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. In medical practice, this pathological condition is called colitis. To understand what causes the inflammatory process, and what are its signs, we will consider all the points of this deviation in more detail.
Causes of the disease
Inflammation of the colon, or rather colitis, can occur as a result of any infections, viruses, gross errors in nutrition, as well as as a result of the ingress of household and industrial poisons into the human body. In addition, the presented deviation quite often forms repeatedly, in the form of an independent disease that has an immune nature. By the way, often inflammation of the colon occurs as a result of any disturbances that have occurred in the small intestine or stomach. In any case, with such a pathology, you should definitely contact specialists for professional help.
Inflammation of the colon: symptoms, treatment of the disease
Most often, a disease such as colitis is accompanied by pain in the intestines. These signs are one of the leading symptoms of this deviation. Such a dangerous disease can affect not only the large, but also the small intestine. If the inflammatory process arose in both departments, the patient feels aching and unpleasant pain, which is usually localized on the sides of the abdominal cavity.
In medical practice, inflammation of the colon (the symptoms of such a disease may vary) are divided into four types:
- acute colitis;
- ulcerative;
- chronic;
- spastic.
Consider the signs of the manifestation of each type of colitis in more detail.
Acute inflammation of the colon
The very first symptoms of this disease to any degree are:
- pain in the abdomen, head and muscles;
- nausea;
- bloating;
- loss of appetite;
- vomiting
In addition, unstable stools are characteristic of acute colitis: constipation can be replaced quickly by diarrhea. Also, impurities of blood and mucus appear in the stool of the patient. In this case, a person can feel a significant loss of strength, malaise and lethargy, and in more severe cases, there is an increased body temperature and the formation of a white coating on the tongue.
It is also worth noting that colitis is accompanied by frequent and painful urge to the toilet "for the most part."
Chronic disease and its symptoms
In that case, if the inflammation of the colon is acute and, lasting several days, is not subjected to proper treatment, then it goes into a chronic stage. In this case, the patient may note less intense pain. However, they do not stop completely and disturb the patient for a rather long time.
If such an inflammatory process has turned into a chronic form, then a person can observe the following symptoms:
- spasmodic abdominal pain, especially in the direction of the colon;
- lack of appetite;
- nausea;
- general weakness;
- alternating constipation and diarrhea;
- bloating due to fermentation of food in the intestines;
- dyspeptic symptoms;
- weight loss.
In addition, with chronic inflammation of the large intestine , the patient may experience bursting and increased gas formation. In this case, the stool is most often liquid and regular (up to four times a day).
Symptoms of ulcerative colitis
Colitis (ulcerative) is an inflammation of the colon mucosa, accompanied by the appearance of ulcers. The presented form of a disease of the gastrointestinal organ develops for a rather long time. In this case, the patient may experience periods of remission and exacerbation. One of the first signs of such a deviation is cramping pain in the lower abdomen. After a certain period, the patient may experience bleeding during bowel movements. Blood during a trip to the toilet is usually allocated in an amount of up to 300 ml. If a person has a period of exacerbation, then it can go in a stream, as a result of which the patient's blood pressure decreases significantly.
In addition, with ulcerative colitis, colon enlargement, the occurrence of perforation and the development of peritonitis are possible. Only an experienced specialist can determine the severity of the disease and detect ulcers on the mucous membrane during an examination of this organ (with a procedure such as sigmoidoscopy).
Signs of Spastic Colitis
With this form of bowel disease, the feces in a patient may look like fairly dense lumps (sheep feces). In order to exclude this deviation, the patient is recommended to take tests for a laboratory test, as well as undergo x-ray and sigmoidoscopy procedures.
How to treat an inflammatory disease of the large or small intestine?
In the event that you experience pain or noticed any unusual symptoms, you should immediately undergo an examination. But first you need to seek the advice of such a specialist as a gastroenterologist. After all, only he will be able to diagnose you with "inflammation of the colon". The treatment of this disease at any stage of development primarily involves the observance of a special diet. After all, it is proper and healthy nutrition that is the key to a speedy recovery.
Thus, after identifying the presented disease, the doctor prescribes the use of antibiotic or antiparasitic drugs. But this is only if this deviation did not arise as a result of the use of other drugs.
In addition to tablets, you can get rid of such a disease with the help of traditional medicine (taking special tinctures of sage and chamomile or decoction of the root of the mountaineer snake).
Diet for colitis
As mentioned above, with such a disease, you should adhere to a strict diet. In the first two days, you must completely refuse to eat. Next up are foods that are rich in vitamins and easily digestible. The following ingredients are banned: meat and eggs, as well as other protein foods. Preference should be given to cereals, boiled potatoes and low-fat fresh milk.