What are the symptoms of colitis?

Written by Jiang Guo Ming
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 23, 2024
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Colitis can be divided into acute and chronic types. If it occurs acutely, it generally presents symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and bloating. Some may experience fever, chills, and body aches. These can be diagnosed with routine blood tests and stool tests. If diarrhea recurs over a period exceeding two months, it suggests chronic diarrhea, such as chronic colitis, which is also characterized mainly by abdominal pain and diarrhea. In the case of inflammatory bowel disease, besides abdominal pain and diarrhea, a significant feature often includes hemolytic disease. A definitive diagnosis can be made with a colonoscopy, often accompanied by symptoms such as weight loss, fatigue, or anemia.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
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Risk of cancerous transformation in ulcerative colitis

The likelihood of cancerous transformation in ulcerative colitis is not very high. Generally, patients with ulcerative colitis who have had the disease for more than a decade and have not undergone treatment might be at risk of malignancy. Active treatment and regular gastroscopic checks can prevent the development of cancer. Therapeutically, options include using mesalazine for anti-inflammatory treatment, as well as using Bacillus cereus or Bifidobacterium triplex to regulate the intestinal flora. Additionally, if a patient with ulcerative colitis experiences chills, fever, and severe purulent bloody stools, it may be necessary to consider treatment with steroids and immunosuppressants. (Please use medication under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Wang Zhen Quan
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What is colitis?

People often ask, what is colitis? Actually, colitis is a rather broad and vague diagnosis. Depending on the location of occurrence, it can be divided into proctitis, colitis, enteritis, etc. Based on the severity of the condition, it can be categorized into acute enteritis and chronic enteritis. Depending on the cause of the disease, it can be divided into non-specific enteritis, such as ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and specific types of enteritis like radiation enteritis, among others.

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Written by Ren Zheng Xin
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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.

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Written by Wu Hai Wu
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Is the abdomen hard to the touch with colitis?

Generally speaking, the abdomen does not usually harden when touched in cases of colitis. However, if the patient experiences a hardening of the abdomen, it's important to consider the possibility of malignant tumors in the colon or an intestinal obstruction. The primary symptoms of colitis are mucous stools, pus and blood in stools, or alternating episodes of diarrhea and constipation. Diagnosis of colitis is mainly through examination with a colonoscope, which can reveal colon mucosal congestion, edema, erosion, etc. For the treatment of colitis, consideration can be given to orally administering drugs that regulate the intestinal flora, such as bacillus subtilis, compound lactobacillus, and others. (The use of medications should be under the guidance of a physician.)

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Written by Wang Zhen Quan
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What should you not eat with colitis?

So what foods should we avoid for patients with colitis? First of all, we should try not to eat milk and seafood, because milk and seafood are types of foreign proteins to the human body, which could potentially become allergens. Because colitis patients are likely to experience colonic allergies after consumption, resulting in worsened diarrhea, so it is advisable to avoid these foods as much as possible. Secondly, we should minimize the consumption of high-fat foods, because patients with colitis have poor digestive functions, particularly weak in digesting fats. Incompletely digested high-fat foods can cause "slippery gut" leading to diarrhea. Over time, the accumulation of fats can also induce complications such as fatty liver, etc. Therefore, foods high in fats such as lard, cream, walnuts, peanuts, almonds, etc., should be avoided or eaten sparingly. Third, it is important to eat less gas-producing food: because colonic inflammation in colitis, due to chronic and recurrent episodes, causes alternation of ulcers and scar fibrosis in the colonic mucosa, which reduces the elasticity of the colonic inner wall. Consuming more gas-producing foods, such as sweet potatoes and soybeans, may cause acute intestinal dilation due to the filling of gas in the intestines, or even lead to complications such as ulcer perforation. Fourth, eat fewer vegetables containing coarse fiber: the fiber in vegetables can absorb intestinal water and have a laxative effect, which might aggravate diarrhea. Therefore, foods high in coarse fiber like celery, crown daisy, cabbage, spinach, etc., should be consumed in limited quantities.