Inflammation of the small intestine mucosa is a very common disease that often occurs in medical practice. That is why it is worth knowing what are the causes and main symptoms of enteritis. After all, patients with a similar diagnosis simply need medical help.
Main causes of enteritis
Of course, in most cases, the disease is associated with the activity of certain pathogenic microorganisms. For example, infectious enteritis may be the result of dysentery or salmonellosis. However, there are some risk factors that make it much more likely to develop the disease:
- Risk factors include uncontrolled drug use;
- in addition, the disease can develop as a result of malnutrition, constant consumption of spicy and spicy foods and alcohol;
- inflammation of the mucous membrane can also lead to the use of certain toxins, in particular, s alts of heavy metals and arsenic;
- enteritis can develop against the background of parasitic diseases, for example, whenthe presence of worms in the intestines that damage the mucous membrane;
- some diseases of the circulatory system, in particular vascular insufficiency, create excellent conditions for the development of the inflammatory process;
- if we are talking about chronic enteritis, then it usually occurs with improper treatment of the acute form of the disease.
Main symptoms of enteritis
In fact, the signs of the disease can be different, it all depends on the form of the disease, the stage of its development and severity. In any case, the symptoms of enteritis are usually divided into two forms: intestinal and extraintestinal.
- As a rule, at the initial stages of the development of the disease, the normal absorption of bile acids is disrupted, which leads to disruption of normal digestion. Patients complain of persistent diarrhea. In addition, pain in the middle part of the abdomen can also be attributed to the symptoms. Pain increases significantly 3 to 4 hours after eating. Flatulence and bloating are also symptoms of enteritis.
- As for extraintestinal signs, they are associated with a violation of normal metabolism and absorption processes, since as the disease progresses, the mucous membrane becomes thinner and gradually ceases to perform its main functions. This group of symptoms includes constant fatigue, decreased performance, increased irritability. Due to anemia and malabsorption of vitamins, dry skin, brittleness and hair loss, swelling, muscle weakness appear.
Enteritis: how to treat?
Treatment depends on the form and severity of the disease. As a rule, the doctor prescribes a course of antibiotics. It is also necessary to take sorbents (activated charcoal), which quickly remove toxins from the intestines. An extremely important part of treatment is the right diet. In the first two days, the diet should be limited to 500 ml of rice water. In the future, the menu can gradually introduce additional products recommended by the doctor. The intake of vitamins and preparations containing useful minerals, in particular iron, is also shown - this will help fill the nutrient deficiency. In case of dysbacteriosis, the patient is prescribed drugs containing live cultures of beneficial bacteria.
