Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Colitis

What is Colitis?


Inflammation of the inner lining of the colon is referred by the term colitis. If you are suffering from intestinal pain and have noticed blood in your stool then it is best to go for a thorough medical examination. A complete health check up will help you to find out whether you have contracted colitis.

Knowing all about colitis would help you to take preventive steps in order to avoid getting this medical condition. Read more about colitis to know how you can identify its cause, steps to prevent this disease and treatment ways.

You can receive proper treatment for colitis only if you know the cause of its occurrence. Identifying the cause of the inflammation of the lining of the colon is the first step in the diagnosis of colitis. There are various forms of colitis. Some may be caused due to:

o         Infection spread through salmonella bacteria or some other bacteria

o         Parasitic or amoebic infection

o         Certain viruses

o         Complete loss or inadequate supply of blood to the colon

o         Inflammatory bowel disease

o         Attack by the lymphocytic white blood cells on the colon wall

If you are suffering from colitis, you are likely to experience symptoms like fever, severe pain in the abdomen accompanied with cramps, and persistent diarrhea. You may also feel a loss of control over the bowel functions and feel extremely drowsy. Some forms of colitis are also accompanied with weight loss and severe fever. If you notice any of these symptoms, it is best to consult a doctor and go for a complete health check up.

Once you have identified the cause of your colitis, it would be easy for you to treat it in the correct manner. If you have been diagnosed with colitis, you would also need to find as to which part of the colon has been affected. This inflammatory bowel disease can affect any of the different sections of the colon located in the abdomen.

The hollow muscular tube called as the colon helps in excretion and flushing out of toxins from the body through the anus. It can be badly affected in case there is a delay in detecting colitis. Therefore, it is best that you show a doctor immediately and receive proper treatment after you find out a few symptoms of colitis. The risk of suffering from an inflamed bowel lining of colon can be reduced by practicing healthy eating habits and following sanitary cooking methods.