Colitis symptoms...

Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms: An inflammation of the colon producing the sores and ulcerations of the colon is the Ulcerative Colitis which is common in the people of age group 15 to 30 years. The common symptoms are the rectal bleeding and diarrhea. The symptoms vary on the extent of the disease and the intensity of inflammation. There are many types of ulcerative colitis. 

• Ulcerative proctitis: It is a kind of inflammation limited to the rectum. The rectal bleeding is the main symptom. But for patients with severe inflammation, the symptoms will be the rectal pain, the urgency of having to defecate and the tenesmus which is the ineffective painful urge to move the bowels.

• Proctosigmoiditis: In this kind of inflammation of the rectum and the sigmoid colon, the symptoms include the rectal bleeding, the urgency, and the tenesmus. Also, sometimes, the patients will develop bloody diarrhea and cramps.

• Left-sided colitis: The inflammation here starts at the rectum and extends up to the left of the colon. The bloody diarrhea, the abdominal cramps, the weight loss, and the left-sided abdominal pain are the symptoms of the left-sided colitis.

• Universal colitis or Pancolitis: This inflammation affects the entire colon including the right, left and transverse colon and the rectum. The bloody diarrhea, the abdominal pain and the cramps, the weight loss, the fatigue, the fever, and the night sweating are the symptoms of this colitis. The low-grade inflammation and mild symptoms can be readily treated through medications. But with severe inflammation, it is very difficult to treat.

• Fulminant colitis: Being a rare and severe form of pancolitis, this colitis makes the patients extremely sick with dehydration, severe abdominal pain, protracted diarrhea with bleeding, and even shock. Sometimes, they are at the risk of developing toxic megacolon and colon rupture. Such patients require treatment in the hospital with potent intravenous medications. If they do not respond to the treatment, it is necessary to remove the diseased colon through surgery to prevent further rupturing of the colon.

• Pseudomembranous colitis: This colon infection is caused by the bacterium Clostridium difficile. The symptoms include the offensive-smelling diarrhea, the fever, and the abdominal pain. Sometimes, tt can be severe, causing toxic megacolon, and even fatal.

Colitis Symptoms and Signs: The Symptoms and signs of Ulcerative colitis sometimes develop gradually and sometimes appear immediately. The common symptoms and signs are

• Chronic diarrhea: The cells in the affected areas of the intestine secrete large amounts of water and salt. But the colon is not in a position to absorb this excess fluid due to the impairment of the normal intestinal absorption. Also, intestine will contract and result in loose bowels.
• Blood in the stool: The inflamed tissue starts bleeding due to the food moving in the digestive tract. Even the intestine might bleed. There will be bright red blood in the toilet bowl.
• Fatigue: Extreme tiredness and anemia are caused due to excessive blood loss.
• Abdominal pain and cramping: The intestinal walls will be inflamed and swollen and eventually will thicken with scar tissue blocking the movement of waste through the digestive tract. This causes pain, cramping and vomiting.
• Reduced appetite: The ability or the desire to eat reduces due to the abdominal pain and cramping.
• Weight loss: When small intestine is inflamed, the appetite is lost and naturally, the weight loss can be observed.
• Fever: In severe cases of IBD, fever is also the major sign of the disease.

Colitis Symptoms and Conditions: The ulcerative colitis increases the risk of developing bowel cancer mainly in the people who have had frequently recurring symptoms for more than 10 years. So, such people must keep their condition under control.  They must undergo bowel screening at regular intervals so that any pre-cancerous changes can be observed at an early stage.

Ulcerated Colitis Symptoms: The diagnosis for Ulcerated Colitis involved the examining the stool sample for blood and pus. Even blood test can be conducted to know the anemic conditions due to severe blood loss. Endoscopy offers the best way to diagnose the disease and locate the exact area of infection. Also, biopsy of the intestine can be examined under microscope for inflammation. The X-rays of the abdomen are taken to diagnose the severity and to assess the amount of infection in the intestine. Sometimes, a barium X-ray is also taken where the patient is allowed to drink a chalky solution to reveal more detail in the x-ray.  In colonoscopy, the entire large intestine is examined through a flexible viewing tube. But this procedure is risky as it adds stress to the intestine walls. The treatment for colitis involves medications that slow down diarrhea through drugs such as loperamide or diphenoxylate. The drugs should be monitored properly else will cause toxic megacolon. The drugs for inflammation treatment are sulfasalazine or mesalamine. For patients not responding to these drugs are administered with steroid medications such as prednisone. When the symptoms are severe, the patient must be hospitalized and the treatment includes antibiotics, blood transfusions, intravenous fluid replacement, intravenous steroid medications, and nasogastric suction. Sometimes colectomy surgery is performed.