Colitis is what? Ulcerative colitis: symptoms, treatment

Colitis is a fairly common disease that affects mainly people of adulthood. This is an extremely unpleasant disease, which significantly worsens the quality of human life. In the absence of treatment, the inflammatory process can lead to a mass of unpleasant consequences.

That is why people are often interested in the question of what this illness is. What are the first symptoms of inflammation? When should I see a doctor immediately? What kind of treatment does modern medicine offer? Are there any means of prevention? This information will be useful for many readers. So, next we will consider different types of intestinal colitis and their treatment.

What is colitis?

Colitis is an inflammatory disease that affects the mucous membranes of the large intestine. According to statistical data, men from the age of 40 to 60 are most often affected by this ailment, and in women the age threshold is even lower: among patients, even twenty-year-olds appear.

To date, there are many varieties of this disease. The reasons for it may be different. For the most part, the inflammatory process is associated with the activity of bacterial microorganisms and viruses. The risk factors are also the disorders in the immune system, insufficient blood supply to the intestinal tissues (observed with increased pressure, vasospasm, diabetes, atherosclerosis), as well as malnutrition (fiber deficiency), bad habits (smoking), the presence of infections in other departments Digestive system. In addition, there is a certain genetic predisposition.

In most cases, colitis is quite well amenable to drug treatment, especially if the therapy was started in a timely manner. That is why it is important to know about the main causes and the first symptoms of the disease.

The main types of intestinal colitis and the causes of their occurrence

Unfortunately, this disease can not be called rare. Not surprisingly, many patients are interested in additional information about the disease. One of the most common questions: "What is ulcerative colitis of the intestine?" Symptoms, treatment and causes of pathology also do not stand aside. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to know that there are dozens of different forms of inflammation of the intestine and several frequently used classification systems.

For example, depending on the course of the disease, acute is given (symptoms are pronounced and appear quickly, inflammation of the intestine is often associated with gastritis or enteritis) and chronic colitis (the symptoms go away, then exacerbate).

Depending on the location of the inflammatory process, forms such as proctitis (inflammation of the rectum), sigmoiditis (affected sigmoid colon), transversitis (transverse colon) and tiflitis (inflammation of the caecum) are isolated . In some cases, the mucosa of the entire large intestine becomes inflamed - a similar condition is called pancolitis. In addition, it is possible to defeat several departments at the same time.

Depending on the causes of the disease, it is customary to distinguish the following types:

• Infectious colitis. It develops against the backdrop of activity of bacterial microflora. The disease can be caused by streptococci or staphylococci. Infection can enter the digestive system from the outside, for example, colitis develops against the background of dysentery. In addition, inflammation occurs against the background of a decrease in the activity of the immune system, as a result of which the intensive multiplication of opportunistic microflora begins.
• Ischemic colitis. It develops in the event that the normal blood supply of the large intestine is broken, which is observed, for example, in atherosclerosis of the branches of the abdominal aorta.
• People with chronic radiation sickness develop a so-called radiation colitis.
• There is also a toxic form of colitis, which is caused by exposure to toxins or medications. For example, quite often, inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and other organs of the digestive tract leads to an uncontrolled intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
• Quite common and dangerous is ulcerative colitis, which is accompanied by the formation of ulcers on the walls of the intestine. Unfortunately, the exact etiology of this disease is unknown - the scientists managed to find out that the autoimmune process, genetic heredity and certain infectious agents play a role in the formation of the disease.

Naturally, there are other classification schemes, as well as forms of inflammation. For example, colitis can develop against a background of allergies. In addition, in parallel, erosion of the mucosa or its gradual atrophy can develop.

What are the symptoms of acute colitis?

As you can see, there are a variety of types of intestinal colitis. Symptoms of acute forms for the most part look the same, regardless of the form of the disease, so it is worth familiarizing with them.

Often, an acute inflammatory process begins with an increase in temperature and the appearance of signs of general intoxication of the body. In particular, patients complain of weakness, body aches, pain in the muscles, headache, loss of appetite, chills.

There are more specific symptoms that accompany colitis. How is this disease manifested? First of all, disorders of the digestive system. In particular, many patients complain of severe abdominal pain, especially in the navel. Often, any meal is accompanied by a rumbling, swelling.

A feature of inflammation of the large intestine are permanent diarrhea - acts of defecation increase to 5-6 times a day. Often patients feel the urge immediately after eating, in the morning or even wake up at night. Fecal masses, as a rule, are relatively liquid and fetid, which is associated with the activity of intestinal bacteria.

There are some quite dangerous symptoms of ulcerative colitis of the intestine. In particular, in the presence of serious damage to the mucosa, the appearance of blood impurities in the fecal masses. If unchanged blood appears constantly, you should definitely tell the doctor about it.

Chronic colitis and peculiarities of its course

Chronic colitis of the intestine is a very dangerous disease. The periods of exacerbation are replaced by periods of relative calm, when a person feels normal, therefore does not consider that he needs medical help. Moreover, the chronic form of the disease is much more difficult to treat.

This disease is also accompanied by a violation of the digestive process. Patients often suffer from problems with the stool - diarrhea is often replaced by constipation, and vice versa. Sometimes the act of defecation is accompanied by pain in the abdomen. In addition, the inflammatory process can spread to other parts of the digestive system.

It is worth noting that in the absence of treatment, gradual changes are observed in all organ systems. Sick people lose their appetite, resulting in a loss of body weight. In addition, food is not fully digested, which gradually leads to the development of anemia, hypo- and avitaminosis, a violation of the normal balance of electrolytes, exhaustion. The disease affects the emotional state of a person - depression, worsening of mood, increased irritability, problems with sleep, constant fatigue are observed. Therefore, in no case should not ignore the problem.

Modern diagnostic methods

What should I do if you are concerned about symptoms that resemble colitis? What to do in such cases? Of course, first and foremost you need to go to the doctor. The fact is that under the same symptoms can mask other, more serious diseases, including cancer.

To begin with, the doctor must collect a complete medical history. He will probably ask about the symptoms present, their intensity, timing of occurrence, etc. These facts are very important, so be sure to provide the specialist with all the necessary information.

In the future, a standard inspection follows. The doctor will palpate the abdomen to detect abnormally enlarged organs. If you suspect a colitis, you need a rectal examination, during which the specialist will be able to quickly detect edema or swelling in the rectum .

The patient is also required to pass blood tests (to detect inflammation, latent bleeding, blood clotting disorders) and feces (infection or blood impurities can be detected). The results of laboratory studies in this case are very informative.

If necessary, prescribes rheumatoscopy and colonoscopy - these studies help to carefully examine the mucosa of the large intestine. If the cause of the colitis can not be determined, or if there is a suspicion of the presence of a malignant process, a biopsy is also performed during the examination - tissue collection with further laboratory testing of the samples.

There are some other studies that help not only to detect colitis, but also to assess the degree of mucosal damage, to find out the location of the inflammatory process, etc. For example, an x-ray examination with a barium enema allows a doctor to study the features of anatomy and assess the condition of the large intestine. Often, patients are recommended and computer tomography, which allows the specialist to put a specific diagnosis, assessing the characteristics of the inflammatory process.

In any case, in the process of diagnosis it is important not only to find out whether the patient has colitis. Causes, degree of lesion, location of localization, stage of development - all these are no less important points on which the choice of treatment scheme directly depends.

Medical methods of treatment

What to do after you have been diagnosed with colitis? How to treat it, only the doctor knows, so in no case should you try to cope with the problem yourself. The choice of drugs directly depends on the cause of the disease.

For example, with the infectious form of the disease, it is necessary to take antibacterial drugs. Treatment of ulcerative colitis of the intestine involves the use of a whole complex of medicines. In particular, aminosalicillates and glucocorticoids (hormonal substances that suppress the inflammatory process) are used.

When suspected of having an autoimmune reaction, cytostatics are used, drugs that inhibit the activity of the immune system. Quite often, patients are prescribed the reception of "Mercaptopurine", "Methotrexane", "Azathioprine" and other drugs.

Naturally, an important part is symptomatic treatment. In the presence of severe pain, analgesics are prescribed, which help alleviate the condition of the patient. Spasmolytic drugs, in particular "Papaverin" and "No-Shpa", help restore normal intestinal peristalsis. In the presence of severe diarrhea, designate "Loperamide" or other antidiarrhoeic drugs. The presence of bleeding requires the use of haemostatic drugs, for example, Tranexam or Dicinone.

In some cases, additional activities are required. For example, with severe digestive disorders, patients are shown intravenous administration of nutrients. Uninterrupted diarrhea can lead to dehydration, so patients are injected with mineral solutions that help maintain a balance of fluid and electrolytes.

Immediately it is worth noting that the decision on hospitalization is made by a doctor. In mild cases, treatment at home is possible, but only if all the recommendations of the treating specialist are observed. If the patient is in serious condition (intestinal bleeding, dehydration, exhaustion), then he must constantly be under the supervision of medical personnel - such rehabilitation therapy can be carried out only in a hospital.

When is surgery necessary?

Unfortunately, conservative treatment of ulcerative colitis of the intestine (or any other varieties of this disease) is not always effective enough. In such cases surgery is required.

Indication for the operation is the ineffectiveness of drug therapy in severe forms of the disease. In addition, the surgical procedure is carried out if the patient develops so-called "emergency" conditions that are life-threatening. In particular, it is toxic dilatation, the onset of malignant tissue degeneration, as well as intestinal perforation, massive bleeding, etc.

Quite often, radical procedures are performed in which the large intestine is completely removed. In some cases, doctors impose a permanent ileostomy on the anterior abdominal wall for emptying, while retaining the stump of the intestine. Unfortunately, such treatment leads to a loss of ability to anal defecation, resulting in patients becoming disabled. Partial removal of the intestine is also performed, but the percentage of relapse is very high among patients.

How are chronic forms of the disease treated?

Unfortunately, getting rid of chronic inflammation is very difficult. Therefore, the therapy in this case is symptomatic, and it is aimed at maintaining normal intestinal function and preventing complications.

During periods of exacerbation, which, incidentally, are accompanied by almost the same symptoms as acute forms, patients are prescribed anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, analgesic drugs. It is also extremely important to provide the body with the necessary amount of liquid to prevent dehydration.

During the remission period, the right diet is on the forefront of therapy. In particular, it is necessary to exclude foods that irritate the intestinal mucosa. In addition, doctors recommend eating only warm food (the same applies to drinks). But during the exacerbations the diet should be more strict. In addition, some doctors prescribe patients a periodic intake of vitamin-mineral complexes, which help prevent the development of beriberi, and also normalize the work of the immune system.

Proper diet is an important part of therapy

Today, many people are interested in questions about what actually is ulcerative colitis of the intestine. Symptoms, treatment and the causes of this ailment we have already discussed. But it should also be understood that proper nutrition is an integral part of therapy. Moreover, with severe forms of the disease and chronic inflammatory processes, a special diet should be observed even after the end of the course of treatment.

Colitis is an inflammation of the intestines, which, accordingly, affects the processes of digestion. That is why a diet with a similar disease must be sparing. To begin with, it should be noted that all dishes should be either steamed or boiled (the ration can be slightly varied with baked food). Patients are recommended fractional meals - there is a need often (sometimes up to 7-8 times a day), but in small portions to prevent stagnation and fermentation of food in the large intestine. By the way, the last meal should not be later than 7 pm.

It is necessary to include in the diet a sufficient amount of animal protein - it can be eggs, low-fat meat (for example, poultry, veal, rabbit), but in no case fried dishes.

There are some categories of foods that irritate the intestinal mucosa, which leads to increased symptoms. Such food from the diet should be completely ruled out. In particular, patients are forbidden to eat fat meat, raw vegetables (fiber, of course, necessary, but vegetables need to boil), as well as legumes, corn, mushrooms, spices. The menu should not include fried, greasy and salty foods. The banned products also include sunflower seeds, carbonated drinks, alcohol, dried apricots and prunes.

If the patient does not suffer from excess weight, then the ration must necessarily be high-calorie (at least 2-3 thousand calories per day) in order to avoid a sharp loss of weight.

Intestinal colitis: treatment with folk remedies

Of course, many people are interested in questions about whether there are any other ways to get rid of such a disease. Is it possible to cure at home, for example, ulcerative colitis?

Treatment with folk remedies, of course, exists. But here you need to be very careful. First, before starting any home remedy, be sure to consult a doctor - only he can assess the possible benefits or harm.

In most cases, folk medicine men recommend taking a decoction of chamomile, sage, and centaury. To prepare it you need to take one teaspoon of dry herbs of each of the plants, mix and pour a glass of boiling water. After the herb is infused, the liquid can be filtered. It is recommended to take one tablespoon every two hours. The duration of the course of treatment should be at least a month - only then will visible apparent results of such therapy.

There are other recipes. For example, in case of colitis, the dried crusts of watermelon are considered useful. 100 g of peel need to pour 400 ml of boiling water and let it brew. You need to drink half the glass 4 to 6 times a day. In addition, you can prepare a decoction of pomegranate crusts. 2 g dry crust must be filled with a glass of water and simmer for half an hour. Take recommended two tablespoons twice a day.

In any case, it is boring to understand that folk treatment of colitis is possible only as an auxiliary method and in no case can replace a full-fledged drug therapy.

Prevention of colitis

Colitis is a very common inflammatory disease, and, unfortunately, there are no specific preventive measures to date. Naturally, you can follow certain rules that will help reduce the risk of developing the disease. In particular, you need to carefully monitor the quality of your products and water, comply with all the rules of cooking, adhere to basic sanitary and hygiene standards, wash your hands before eating, etc.

Since often the development of colitis is associated with an incorrect immune response of the body, it is necessary to take care of the state of the immune system. An integral part of any prophylaxis is a regular diet rich in vitamins and minerals, as well as feasible physical activity.

It is proved that some types of colitis develop more often against the background of insufficient blood circulation, therefore it is extremely important to observe the prevention of such diseases as atherosclerosis and hypertension, and also to give up smoking.

If you have the first signs of anxiety, you should immediately contact your doctor: the earlier the disease is diagnosed and the adequate therapy is started, the easier it will be to get rid of the disease without any serious complications.