Inflammation of the small intestine (enteritis) is a chronic polyetiological disease that, if left untreated, can lead to mucosal atrophy and other unpleasant consequences. What causes it? What are the prerequisites? By what symptoms can you find out about their presence? And, most importantly, how to treat it? This and many other things will be discussed now.
About the disease in brief
Inflammation of the small intestine is manifested by a decrease in its functionality, as well as structural changes in the internal mucosa. Among all the pathologies affecting the digestive system, it is the most common. Many people have experienced an acute form, and about 25% of the inhabitants of our planet suffer from a chronic form, according to statistics.
The small intestine is actively involved in many stages of food processing. If it is inflamed, then many of its functions are impaired. This concerns the absorption of nutrients and the hydrolysis of complex foodcomponents. Based on this, it can be understood that enteritis poses a serious danger not only for the gastrointestinal tract, but for the whole organism as a whole.
Reasons
Inflammation of the small intestine mucosa can have different preconditions. In general, the reasons can be identified in the following list:
- Features of nutrition. At risk are people who are unable to eat normal food, as well as lovers of fried, smoked and fatty foods. The lack of a diet leads to malfunctions in the entire digestive tract. According to statistics, this is the most common cause. It occurs in 75-80% of cases.
- Helminthiasis. Due to Giardia and ascaris, inflammation of the small intestine also often develops.
- Infectious defeat. If a person has consumed an expired or low-quality product, then the likelihood of contracting shigella or salmonella increases significantly.
- Dysbacteriosis. If there are already problems with the large intestine, then there is a great chance of spreading them to the small intestine.
- Autoimmune diseases. Enteritis, which arose for this reason, is rare. Such cases are difficult to treat. The most common autoimmune disease is Crohn's disease. It can cause not only inflammation of the small intestine - the entire gastrointestinal tract is at risk. And the cause of autoimmune diseases is some kind of failure of the body's defense system.
- Allergy. As a rule, for this reason, enteritis occurs in children. But it also occurs in adults, although less often.
- Genetic features. Surely manyIt is known that the specificity of the digestive system is due to heredity. And therefore, if one or more parents had an enzymatic deficiency, then the child will receive the same features and a “bouquet” of possible problems. Among them is a predisposition to colitis, enteritis, etc.
- Heat intolerance. It is important to mention such a thing as "summer diarrhea". Behind this name lies the overactivity of the small intestine, which makes itself felt in extreme heat (not all people tolerate it well).
In addition to the above, the cause of inflammation of the small intestine may be a recent operation or injury.
Manifestations of disease
Now we should talk about the symptoms of inflammation of the small intestine. Alarming signs can be identified in the following list:
- Pain, which is localized in the navel and above the womb. It can have a aching, bursting, dull character. Slightly less common are dagger pains. In the event that the pain spreads or changes its position, it is likely that the process has captured other areas of the gastrointestinal tract.
- Uncomfortable sensations: rumbling, feeling of transfusion or movement in the abdomen.
- Diarrhea. If isolated inflammation of the small intestine is diagnosed, the symptom does not occur. In addition to diarrhea, other changes in the feces can be traced - stickiness, fatty and mucous impurities. And the frequency of calls sometimes reaches 15-20 times a day.
- False urge to defecate. They are found in the system process.
- Sickness and weakness.
- Increased body temperature. Can vary from 37.5°C to 40°C. Accompanied by signs of general intoxication of the body.
- Bad appetite.
- Bloating and flatulence.
- Rashes if enteritis has an allergic origin.
- Vomiting, nausea, feeling of fullness in the epigastric region.
Typically, symptoms last 7-10 days. Even if they all match, do not self-medicate. Otherwise, enteritis will simply become chronic.
Tests
Well, above was briefly described about the features of inflammation of the small intestine. Treatment will be discussed a little later, but for now we need to pay attention to the specifics of the diagnosis.
First of all, the gastroenterologist collects the patient's history, conducts an initial examination, and performs palpation of the abdomen. Tests are required. And here are the ones:
- Complete blood count. Helps to detect signs of inflammation. They are indicated by a high level of leukocytes and ESR.
- Fecal analysis. With its help, enzymatic deficiency is determined, and the usefulness of the digestive function is also assessed. It is also possible to detect infectious lesions. Usually fat, starch, muscle fibers are found in the biomaterial.
- Biochemistry of blood. Allows you to identify signs of malabsorption syndrome.
Instrumental studies
They also help detect acute or chronic inflammation of the small intestine. As a rule, suchresearch:
- FGDS.
- Endoscopy with capsule.
- Colonoscopy.
- X-ray.
It is very difficult to carry out an endoscopic examination. The device can only be entered into the terminal departments. The procedure itself involves taking a biopsy of the mucosa for histological analysis. Usually it is possible to identify atrophic and dystrophic phenomena from the intestinal villi and epithelial cells.
X-ray examination, which is carried out with the introduction of a contrast agent, allows you to identify changes in the folded structure, identify segmental lesions, ulcers, tumor formations. The state of intestinal motor function is also assessed.
Differential Diagnosis
It is carried out if a person is suspected of chronic inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestines. It is very important to differentiate this ailment from diseases that are also characterized by emaciation and persistent diarrhea.
Symptoms are similar in diabetes mellitus, thyrotoxicosis, Simmonds and Addison's diseases. Similar manifestations are observed in amyloidosis, malignant neoplasms, ulcerative colitis. Crohn's disease and abdominal syndrome also need to be ruled out.
Still often, problems in the gastrointestinal tract are detected due to pathologies of the liver, stomach, pancreas and hormone-producing tumors.
Inflammation of the mesentery of the small intestine
This disease deserves special attention. The mesentery is a kind of ligament that fixes the organs of the abdominal cavity. It is also responsible for transmitting nerve impulses through the NS receptors, supporting immunity and providing oxygen with nutrients.
Very rarely, the mesentery becomes inflamed on its own. This usually occurs against the background of peritonitis. It is almost impossible to recognize pathology, since the clinical picture is diverse. The most common and characteristic symptom is pain in the navel, which manifests itself in varying degrees of intensity.
Of non-obvious symptoms, one can note an increase in the lymph nodes of the mesentery, hyperemia and swelling of the inflamed area. Then foci of granulation tissue begin to develop, which later become scars.
Acute treatment
Now we can discuss therapeutic measures. What kind of treatment is shown to the patient is determined by the doctor. Because drugs that can eliminate, for example, catarrh of the small intestine with an allergic component, will be completely powerless in the fight against the disease that has arisen due to dysbacteriosis.
It is very important to act directly on the cause. Be that as it may, the acute form is treated in a hospital. Usually patients are placed in the gastroenterology department, but if the disease is of a viral nature, then the person is sent to the infectious disease.
Each patient is shown bed rest, plenty of fluids, diet food, restorative and symptomatic treatment.
If severe dysbacteriosis develops, then the intestinal flora is corrected. And diarrhea is eliminated with astringents. If aprotein metabolism is disturbed, then polypeptide solutions are administered.
Typically, treatment does not take more than one week. When acute symptoms subside, the person is discharged.
Chronic Therapy
It is also necessary to talk about its specifics within the framework of the topic concerning the symptoms and treatment of inflammation of the small intestine. In this case, a person is also admitted to a hospital for therapy.
Doctors prescribe diet number 4, which implies the rejection of rough, sour, spicy foods, as well as everything that can harm the mucous membrane. It is important that the diet is enriched with carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Avoid milk and fiber-rich foods.
During periods of remission, a balanced diet is indicated, which contains enough minerals, vitamins and valuable elements.
Medicines
The insufficiency of digestive enzymes is corrected with such drugs as Festal, Pancitrate and Pancreatin. Absorption is stimulated by drugs with nitrates. Protective drugs successfully restore the functionality of cell membranes.
In the treatment of diphtheria inflammation of the small intestine (or any other), "Loperamide" is often prescribed, which suppresses excessive propulsive motility.
Patients who have diarrhea are shown astringents, antiseptics, absorbent and enveloping medicines. Phytotherapy is often used for these purposes (decoctions of sage, chamomile, bird cherry, St. John's wort, alder cones, blueberries).
A fordysbacteriosis adjustments are prescribed eubiotics and probiotics. Intravenous administration of amino acid solutions may be indicated. But this is if the absorption is pronounced, and is accompanied by a severe protein deficiency.
Sometimes diverticula and polyps develop against the background of enteritis. If such neoplasms make themselves known, then their surgical removal is prescribed.
Forecast
If enteritis has a mild or moderate course, then with proper treatment prescribed by a doctor, it disappears in a few days.
When the disease is running, things are a bit more complicated. The severe form often leads to complications, including necrosis, bleeding, severe dehydration, perforation.
Chronic ailment, which occurs with alternating exacerbations and remissions, is slowly progressing. Enteritis worsens, inflammation spreads throughout the gastrointestinal tract, signs of malabsorption increase. If proper measures are not provided, then a fatal outcome is quite possible. The cause will be severe violations of internal homeostasis, as well as exhaustion.
Also enteritis often entails the addition of infections.
In mild and severe forms, working capacity is maintained. But, of course, the person experiences difficulties. He is uncomfortable with physical exertion and emotional stress.
Prevention
To prevent inflammation of the small intestine, follow these recommendations:
- Eat right, enrich your diet with he althy foods.
- Carefullyprocess food. Avoid possible toxic foods.
- Observe hygiene recommendations.
- Take medicines with caution, and be sure to only according to indications.
But the most important thing is the timely detection and subsequent treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, endocrine and metabolic disorders.
And at the first suspicious symptoms, you should immediately go to the doctor, without taking any antispasmodics and analgesics, as they "lubricate" the symptomatic picture, and this greatly complicates the diagnosis.
