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 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 household and industrial poisons entering the human body. In addition, the deviation presented is quite often re-formed, in the form of an independent disease, which is of an immune nature. By the way, inflammation of the colon often occurs as a result of any disorders 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,accompanied by pain in the intestines. It is these signs that 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 has arisen in both departments, then 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) is divided into four types:
- acute colitis;
- ulcerative;
-
colon inflammation symptoms chronic;
- spastic.
Let's look at the signs of each type of colitis in more detail.
Acute inflammation of the colon
The very first symptoms of this disease in any degree are:
- pain in the abdomen, head and muscles;
- nausea;
- bloating;
- loss of appetite;
- vomit.
In addition, unstable stools are characteristic of acute colitis: constipation can quickly be replaced by diarrhea. Also in the feces of the patient appear impurities of blood and mucus. In this case, a person may 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 go to the toilet "in a big way".
Chronic disease and its symptoms
In the event that inflammation of the colonintestines is acute and, lasting several days, is not properly treated, then it passes into the chronic stage. In this case, the patient may note less intense pain. However, they do not stop completely and disturb the patient for quite a long time.
If such an inflammatory process has become chronic, then a person may experience the following symptoms:
- cramping pains in the abdomen, especially towards the large intestine;
- lack of appetite;
- nausea;
- general weakness;
- alternating constipation and diarrhea;
- bloating due to fermentation of food in the intestines;
- dyspepsia;
- weight loss.
In addition, with chronic inflammation of the large intestine, the patient may experience bloating 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 the disease of the gastrointestinal tract 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 released in an amount of up to 300 ml. If aif a person has a period of exacerbation, then it can go in a stream, as a result of which the patient's blood pressure drops significantly.
Among other things, with ulcerative colitis, expansion of the large intestine, 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 the examination of this organ (with a procedure such as sigmoidoscopy).
Signs of spastic colitis
In this form of bowel disease, the patient's feces may look like rather dense lumps (sheep feces). 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?
If you experience pain or notice any unusual symptoms, you should immediately undergo an examination. But first you need to seek advice from a specialist such as a gastroenterologist. After all, only he can diagnose you with inflammation of the colon. Treatment of this disease at any stage of development primarily involves the observance of a special diet. After all, proper and he althy nutrition is the key to a speedy recovery.
Thus, after revealingpresented disease, the doctor prescribes antibiotic or antiparasitic drugs. But this is only if this deviation did not result from the use of other drugs.
In addition to pills, you can get rid of such a disease with the help of traditional medicine (taking special tinctures of sage and chamomile or a decoction of the root of the knotweed snake).
Diet for colitis
As mentioned above, with such a disease, a strict diet should be followed. In the first two days, you must completely refuse to eat. Next, you should eat foods rich in vitamins and easily digested. The following ingredients are banned: meat and eggs, as well as other protein foods. Your preference should be given to cereals, boiled potatoes and low-fat fresh milk.
