Enteritis


Can enteritis cause constipation?
Ulcerative colitis often presents with alternating symptoms of constipation and diarrhea. Generally, colitis is characterized more by diarrhea, with fewer symptoms of constipation. What we commonly encounter in daily life is acute gastroenteritis, which frequently occurs suddenly, presenting with sudden diarrhea and abdominal pain, and in severe cases, watery stools. Most cases are due to irregular eating habits or consuming contaminated food. It is important to promptly rehydrate, choose sensitive antibiotics, rest adequately, and maintain a light diet with attention to food hygiene.


How is enteritis treated?
Gastroenteritis can generally be divided into viral gastroenteritis and bacterial gastroenteritis. In terms of treatment, the first is pathogen treatment, and the second is symptomatic treatment. For pathogen treatment, it is best to choose antibacterial drugs based on the type of bacteria for bacterial gastroenteritis; however, viral gastroenteritis generally does not require pathogen treatment, and most patients can recover on their own. For symptomatic treatment, since gastroenteritis may cause symptoms such as dehydration and vomiting, it is necessary to timely provide fluid replenishment to the patients to prevent mild dehydration.


Is enteritis prone to recurrence?
Enteritis is primarily a disease of the intestines, with a higher incidence in autumn and summer, predominantly manifesting as acute enteritis during these times. The incubation period ranges from 12 to 36 hours, and the main symptoms may cause the patient to experience diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. There is also chronic enteritis, which occurs more slowly and causes repeated episodes of abdominal pain over a long period, including diarrhea and various degrees of indigestion. Changes can also be observed in the stool, which may be watery or mucus-laden. Patients with mild diarrhea might defecate three to four times a day. There might be alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhea. In severe cases, patients might experience bowel movements once every one to two hours, or even suffer from severe fecal incontinence. Sometimes, the stool might contain a large amount of mucus and possibly pus and blood, or even fresh blood, which necessitates ruling out other diseases. If enteritis is well-managed, it can be a long time before a recurrence, but if the treatment is not thoroughly standardized, enteritis is likely to recur.


Symptoms of infant enteritis
Infantile enteritis is a very common disease during a child's growth and development, primarily characterized by an increased frequency of bowel movements, diarrhea, and a possible change in the consistency of the stool, such as it being watery or resembling egg flower soup. Additionally, if a child's bowel movements increase in frequency, it can easily lead to dehydration, causing the child to have a poor mental state, lethargy, and symptoms of dehydration such as sleepiness. If dehydration occurs, it is necessary to promptly take the child to the hospital for an electrolyte test. If there is an electrolyte imbalance, timely intravenous fluid therapy is required. If white blood cells are present in the child's stool, antibiotics should be administered for treatment.


What are the symptoms of enteritis?
Enteritis is divided into acute enteritis and chronic enteritis. The main symptoms of acute enteritis include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, etc., and blood tests may show an increase in white blood cells and neutrophils. The treatment mainly focuses on anti-inflammatory drugs, hydration, and antidiarrheal therapies. Generally, recovery can be achieved within a week. The main symptoms of chronic enteritis include abdominal pain, diarrhea, or constipation. Colonoscopy can reveal changes in the intestinal mucosa such as hyperemia, edema, erosion, and mucus attachment, which can diagnose chronic enteritis. In terms of treatment, Western medicine primarily involves the oral administration of probiotics to adjust the gut microbiota. It can also be combined with traditional Chinese medicine based on syndrome differentiation. Integrating Chinese and Western medicine can enhance treatment effectiveness. Additionally, the diet should primarily consist of light and easily digestible foods.


How to completely cure enteritis?
How can colitis be completely cured? The colitis referred to here is likely chronic colitis. Chronic colitis primarily manifests as diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes mucus in the stool. Colonoscopy can reveal white mucus on the colon and visible mucosal hyperemia, edema, and even erosion. In terms of treatment, Western medicine mainly offers probiotics to regulate the intestinal flora. However, Chinese medicine tends to have an advantage over Western medicine in treating this condition because it uses a method of treatment based on syndrome differentiation to achieve better results. Additionally, external treatments in Chinese medicine, including enemas and hydrotherapy, can be very effective. Diet is also crucial; it is important to consume a light, digestible diet, and avoid overly rich and fatty foods. With consistent treatment, the disease can generally be completely cured.


Does colitis cause a fever?
Colitis is caused by bacterial or viral infections in the colon, and infections are the most common cause of fever; therefore, patients with colitis often experience fever. Some pathogens invade the human body and act on the temperature regulation center, raising the set point, which results in fever. If the body temperature does not exceed 38.5°C, physical methods can be used to reduce the fever, such as wiping the palms, soles, forehead, and armpits with a warm towel, while actively using medication to treat colitis. If the body temperature is higher, some antipyretic drugs can be used along with the treatment for colitis.


How to treat enteritis?
Patients with enteritis mainly suffer from a series of symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., due to viral and bacterial infections. Severe cases can lead to dehydration. Therefore, while providing symptomatic and etiological treatments, it is crucial to pay attention to dietary adjustments. This involves eating less irritating food and avoiding raw and cold foods, including contaminated water and uncooked fruits and vegetables, which should be thoroughly heated. Additionally, it's important to avoid uncooked eggs, meat, poultry, and other such foods, as well as cold foods, spicy peppers, strong tea, coffee, etc. Moreover, quitting smoking and alcohol is essential, as alcohol can particularly aggravate the intestines. It is also important to develop good dietary and lifestyle habits.


What are the symptoms of enteritis?
Enteritis is divided into acute enteritis and chronic enteritis. Acute enteritis is mainly caused by bacterial invasion of the gastrointestinal tract due to unhygienic food, leading to acute inflammation. The main symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, etc. If it is chronic enteritis, the main symptoms are only abdominal pain and diarrhea, with white mucus visible in the stool. Acute enteritis has a short course and a sudden onset. Chronic enteritis has a long history, a gradual onset, and recurrent attacks. The treatment of acute enteritis mainly involves anti-inflammatory measures, rehydration, and symptomatic treatment. Generally, the disease can be cured after two to three days of treatment. Treatment for chronic colitis primarily involves oral probiotics to regulate the intestinal flora. The treatment period is relatively long and the condition is prone to recurrence.


How many days can acute enteritis be cured?
Acute gastroenteritis is primarily characterized by symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, and sometimes accompanied by fever. It is mainly caused by exposure to cold or unhygienic food consumption. Gastroenteritis caused by exposure to cold, also known as a "stomach cold," generally follows a natural course of about a week and can be fully cured with symptomatic treatment. Infectious diarrhea caused by bacterial infections should be comprehensively assessed based on specific symptoms and the severity of the disease. For general cases of enteritis, recovery can usually occur within a day or two, or two to three days after administering antibiotics orally or intravenously. Bacterial dysentery, however, typically presents with more severe symptoms and requires a longer treatment period, generally needing at least a week or even longer. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a professional doctor.)