Distal colitis is a form of chronic colitis in which inflammation affects the left side of the colon, its sigmoid and rectal section. It can develop due to mechanical or chemical damage to the mucous membrane of the hollow organ. Strong irritants are excessive consumption of alcohol, rough food, irritating food walls. Damage to the integrity of the mucosa can be hard feces or helminths that have settled in the gut. Inflammation of organs located in a small pelvis, the formation of hemorrhoids, diseases of the bile ducts can also provoke distal colitis, the treatment in this case is symptomatic.
In addition, distal colitis can occur due to the development of intestinal dysbacteriosis, long-term use of certain medicines, abuse of laxatives, acute course of an infectious disease. Often, chronic distal colitis becomes a complication after a severe seizure of food allergy. What can indicate the development of the described pathology?"Typical symptoms!"
Clinical picture of distal colitis
The disease can be manifested in an acute form, with its incorrect treatment develops chronic distal colitis. In this case, acute phases are replaced by remissions. At this time, the symptoms subsided, the pain is dulled, but as soon as an external stimulus appears, the disease again returns with all its strength, worsening the patient's standard of living.
To recognize pathology is not difficult. It has several very characteristic symptoms:
- In the left iliac region or in the pubic region there is a strong cutting pain, it is given to the anal opening, or in the leg, in the groin, in the lower back. When the distal colitis is localized in the rectum, the pain centers around the sacrum or coccyx. Sometimes it is accompanied by a spasm of the anus.
- The patient has false desires for defecation( tenesmus), the stool becomes unstable, prolonged diarrhea is replaced by constipation, and then dysentery begins again.
- Unstable chair always goes together with flatulence.
- In case of false urge from the anus, mucus may leave the stool. It sometimes contains blood veins.
- When constipation is formed, the feces are rounded, when emptying, the fecal masses are similar to small peas( sheep feces).
In rare cases, the disease is accompanied by the formation of small ulcers on the walls of the rectum and sigmoid region. They bleed a little, so small rectal bleeding becomes possible. When such a characteristic symptom appears, the patient is diagnosed with distal ulcerative colitis.
How is distal colitis treated?
If the patient has the above symptoms, he should definitely consult a proctologist. The doctor will carefully collect the history of the disease and prescribe a sigmoidoscopy. This procedure allows you to see what happens inside the rectum. When there is a need to confirm the diagnosis and exclude the possibility of developing other similar diseases, the patient is prescribed irrigoscopy and colonoscopy.
Without treatment, the distal colitis is able to spread to the right side of the colon, so it is so important to arrive at the doctor's office on time. Today, it is easy to make favorable predictions in the event that the disease is detected on time, treatment should be of a complex nature. What does it consist of?
- First, the patient is assigned a special diet "table number 4".
- Secondly, drug therapy is carried out, aimed at eliminating the causes and characteristic symptoms. Local therapy is actively used( rectal suppositories, enemas, sessile baths).
- Third, it is useful to completely abandon bad habits - alcohol and tobacco smoking.
It is useful and a visit to sanatoriums and resorts.