Content

• Steps
• Warning

Colitis is an inflammation of the large intestine that can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. It can also be linked to inflammation of the small intestine. Colitis can have many causes, and treatments vary by cause and type. Mild or moderate colitis can be treated with over-the-counter medications at home, and in severe cases, seek professional medical attention.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Determine the cause

1. 

   Understand colitis. Colitis is an inflammation or swelling of the large intestine and colon. It is often the result of many other underlying medical conditions, such as infections or autoimmune diseases. Colitis itself is a serious illness and you should see your doctor right away if you experience symptoms. Treatment for colitis depends on the cause and may include home remedies and prescription medications.

2. 

   
   
   Note the general symptoms of colitis. Different types of colitis have different causes and have different symptoms and treatments. However, the disease will have some general signs for you to recognize and proceed to receive a more specific diagnosis. Common symptoms of colitis include:
   • Abdominal pain, bloating.
   • Bloody stools. Blood can be dark, gray or red.
   • Fever and / or chills.
   • Diarrhea and / or dehydration.

3. 

   
   
   Seek medical help. Colitis is a serious illness that can be fatal and should be evaluated by a specialist as soon as possible. You need to provide your doctor with details about your symptoms and when they started.In addition, provide information about the medical condition (if any) and the medicine you are taking. Depending on the cause of the inflammation of the colon, your doctor may perform a variety of tests, for example:
   • Bacterial contamination: A lab test analyzes a stool sample to identify bacteria. In addition, your doctor may test your white blood cell count - which usually increases when your body becomes infected.
   • Inflammatory bowel disease: If you suspect that colitis is caused by inflammatory bowel disease, your doctor will perform a blood test to identify anemia (low red blood cells) or signs of infection.
   • Your doctor may also conduct a stool sample analysis to rule out other causes or determine the presence of white blood cells in the stool - a sign of colitis.
   • The doctor may also order an endoscopy, biopsy, or imaging scan to rule out other conditions or determine the extent of inflammation.

4. 

   
   
   Check for infections. Infectious colitis can be caused by any type of infection - a bacterial, viral or parasitic infection. Infection is the most common cause of colitis in young children. Common infections that cause colitis include:
   • Bacterial infection: food poisoning caused by the bacteria Escherichia coli, Shigella or Salmonella.
   • Virus infection: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection.
   • Parasitic infection: Entamoeba histolytica.

5. 

   Be wary of pseudomembranous colitis (pseudomembranous colitis) if you are taking antibiotics because antibiotics can kill most beneficial bacteria. Without enough beneficial bacteria, C. diff bacteria will dominate the intestinal environment. C. diff can develop after you take clindamycin, fluoroquinolone, penicillin, or cephalosporin. Antibiotics are often prescribed to treat bacterial infections, but most cannot kill Clostridium difficile (C. diff). This bacteria can cause severe enteritis. Although treatable, pseudomembranous colitis can also be fatal. Therefore, you should see your doctor immediately if you notice symptoms:
   • Liquid or bloody diarrhea waste.
   • Cramps and pain in the abdomen.
   • Fever.
   • Pus or mucus in the stool.
   • Nausea.
   • Dehydration.

6. 

   See if you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is the general term for 3 more specific diseases that can cause colitis. Inflammatory bowel disease could be ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease or unspecified colitis. Other symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease:
   • Cramps.
   • Occasional bowel movements or bloody discharge.
   • Weight loss.
   • Fever or sweating.
   • Tired.

7. 

   Recognize the symptoms of ischemic colitis. When an artery in the colon is too narrow or blocked, blood circulation to the colon decreases and ischemic colitis leads to inflammation. The patient may feel pain around the colon or the left side of the abdomen. Symptoms of ischemic colitis include:
   • Abdominal pain, tightness, or cramps (sudden or slow).
   • Red or dark brown blood in the stool.
   • Rectal bleeding (no stool).
   • Have an urgent bowel movement.
   • Diarrhea.

8. 

   Recognize signs of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in infants. Babies born prematurely or who do not drink breast milk can develop necrotizing enterocolitis, usually within 2-3 weeks of birth. It is more rare in term or near term babies, but symptoms may appear 1-3 days after birth during the first month. Necrotizing enterocolitis is extremely dangerous with a death rate of more than 50%. So, if you have symptoms:
   • Vomiting.
   • Diarrhea.
   • Less bowel movements / Hard bowel movements.
   • The stomach is spongy and / or soft.
   • Decreased bowel sounds (or bowel movements).
   • Red stomach in progression.
   • Bloody stools.
   • Sleep apnea.
   • Get some sleep.
   • Shortness of breath.
   advertisement

Part 2 of 3: Getting medical treatment

1. 

   Ask your doctor about drug treatments. There are a variety of medications used to control inflammatory bowel disease.
   • Aminosalicylates are mainly used to treat colitis, but less effective in treating inflammation of the small intestine. These medications are commonly used to treat mild to moderate colitis.
   • Sulfasalazine is effective, but it can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn, and headache.
   • Corticosteroids have anti-inflammatory effects, but may also suppress all immune responses rather than focusing on the colon alone. These drugs (Prednisone, Methylprednisolone) are used to treat moderate to severe colitis. Side effects of the drug are weight gain, facial hair growth stimulation, mood swings, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, fractures, cataracts, glaucoma and an increased risk of infection. .
   • Azathioprine and Mercaptopurine are slow-acting, so they are often prescribed with the same corticosteroid.
   • Immunosuppressants such as corticosteroids suppress the immune response to ease the infection. It is usually used only when the drug Aminosalicylates is ineffective.
   • Cyclosporine is a very powerful drug that begins to work within 1 to 2 weeks. Because the drug is strong and causes many serious side effects, it is usually prescribed only when other drugs are ineffective.
   • Infliximab and adalimumab can treat inflammatory bowel disease. Infliximab can cause problems in people with cancer or a history of heart disease.

2. 

   Consider using antibiotics. Antibiotics do not help treat colitis. However, if ulcerative bowel disease causes an infection, antibiotics will help prevent complications later on.
   • Antibiotics can treat an abscess or colonic fistula (abnormal connection between organs or blood vessels).
   • See your doctor right away if you have a fever as this could be a sign of infection.

3. 

   Talk to your doctor about biological therapy. It sounds like "natural" or "herbal" therapy, but in fact, biological therapy is developed from biological materials - usually proteins. This treatment targets inflammatory chemicals. This relatively new approach is used to treat moderate, severe colitis and other ineffective treatments.
   • This approach is also known as anti-TNF therapy. TNF (tumor necrosis factor) is a naturally produced, inflammatory chemical.
   • Biological therapy produces antibodies that bind to TNF so that the body destroys TNF.
   • Your doctor must check if you have tuberculosis before starting anti-TNF therapy.

4. 

   Be prepared for surgery if necessary. If your colitis is severe and home remedies, medications, or other alternative treatments can't cure you, you may need a colon removal. During this surgical procedure, part or all of the colon is removed. Lifestyle may need to be changed after the colon is removed. Although most patients can have normal daily activities as before, they will have to carry a hole (hole in the stomach to remove waste).
   • The only way to cure colitis is to have a complete colon removal. Because removing the entire colon can cause side effects (such as an obstruction of the small intestine), your doctor will likely perform only part of the colon removal.
   • The surgeon may also perform an additional procedure to connect the small intestine to the anus to support normal digestive function.
   advertisement

Part 3 of 3: Home treatment for colitis

1. 

   Take antibiotics to treat bacterial colitis. Eating or drinking contaminated food or water can cause bacterial gastroenteritis or food poisoning. Usually, this type of colitis usually resolves on its own after 2-3 days. However, if the infection is severe, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics, depending on the type of bacteria that caused the infection. If that is the case, take the full dose of the antibiotic and do not quit even if your symptoms have subsided.
2. Control diarrhea (if any). Diarrhea can cause dehydration, nausea / vomiting and fatigue. Therefore, you should rest and seek medical help if symptoms worsen. Also, you can ask your doctor about taking over-the-counter diarrhea medicines like Imodium.
   • Caution: If you have intestinal infections C.diff and using Imodium for more than three days to treat diarrhea, your body will retain the dangerous toxins caused by the C. diff bacteria and will seriously affect the kidneys, liver and intestines etc.

     

3. 

   Avoid foods that cause enteritis or worsen diarrhea. Although the diet does not cause colitis, certain foods can trigger symptoms and make the illness worse. Avoid consuming foods that are irritating to your stomach and intestines.
   • Dairy products can worsen symptoms, especially in people with lactose intolerance. If you drink milk, use an enzyme that breaks down lactose in milk.
   • Avoid foods high in fiber (vegetables) or that are processed well to break down fiber.
   • Avoid gas-causing foods (carbonated drinks or caffeine) and fatty foods.
   • Instead, eat bland, easy-to-digest foods like clear soups, crackers, toast, bananas, rice, and apple sauce. If vomiting is easy, drink plain water to ease nausea.

4. 

   
   
   Eat small meals. Small meals will cause less flare-ups. On the other hand, eating too much food can put pressure on the digestive tract and cause colitis to flare. You should change from 2-3 large meals to 5-6 small meals. It should take about a week for the digestive system to adapt to a new diet and continue if symptoms improve. If your symptoms do not improve, go back to your old diet.

5. 

   
   
   Drink a lot of water. Drinking enough water is essential in treating bacterial infections and inflammatory bowel disease. Bacterial diarrhea can cause severe dehydration. If you have enteritis, the fluid will make it easier for waste to move through the intestines, reducing the pain and complications of the disease.
   • Water is the best choice. You should drink 6-8 glasses of water (240 ml each) per day to promote colon health.
   • Avoid dehydrating beverages such as alcohol and caffeine. Caffeine also stimulates the bowels and worsens symptoms. Carbonated drinks can energize and cause flare-ups.

6. 

   
   
   Ask your doctor about multivitamins. Inflammatory colitis can make it harder for your gut to absorb nutrients, even if you have a nutritious diet. In that case, multivitamins can help replenish vitamins and minerals that the body lacks.
   • Multivitamins can help offset nutrient deficiencies, but you should not rely too much on multivitamins to skip whole foods and drinks.
   • Multivitamins do not provide protein and calories for the body.

7. 

   Reduce stress. Stress can cause colitis to flare up, so while you can't avoid it completely, you need to find ways to reduce stress. Stress can make your stomach work more slowly and produce more acid than usual. Not only that, stress also affects the speed of food moving through the intestine or affects the intestinal tissue.
   • Light or moderate intensity exercise (walking slowly, cycling) can help reduce stress quickly and significantly.
   • Alternatively, try yoga, meditation, or exercises that focus on breathing.
   • Specifically, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause flare-ups of colitis.

8. 

   Avoid using medications that cause colitis to flare. Carefully read the side effects of medications (including over-the-counter medications) to see if they irritate the digestive tract. Avoid using over-the-counter medications that irritate your stomach or intestines. Do not voluntarily quit prescription drugs without consulting your doctor.
   • Specifically, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can cause flare-ups of colitis.

9. 

   Try alternative treatments. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria naturally present in the digestive tract. Supplementing with probiotics in yogurt or a supplement can help offset the probiotic loss caused by colitis, thereby normalizing the health of the digestive system. On the other hand, the effectiveness of fish oil remains controversial. Despite being anti-inflammatory, fish oil has not been shown to reduce bowel inflammation. Fish oil also loosens the stool and worsens diarrhea caused by colitis.
   • Some evidence suggests that aloe (aloe vera) may help fight inflammation. Even so, this evidence is not convincing enough. In addition, aloe has laxative properties like fish oil.
   • Acupuncture is a treatment used to treat painful and inflammatory conditions. Be sure to consult a licensed acupuncturist if you want to use this method.
   • Turmeric contains the compound curcumin. Some evidence suggests that when used in combination with other inflammatory colitis therapies, curcumin can help improve symptoms.
   advertisement

Warning

• It is best to consult a doctor before starting colitis treatment of any kind. Your doctor can work with you to determine the severity of the disease and then plan the specific, best treatment for your situation.