Colitis
Medical Author: Benjamin C. Wedro, MD,
FACEP, FAAEM
Medical Editor: Jay W. Marks, MD
Colitis Symptoms
Medical Author: Dr. Dennis Lee
Medical Editor: Dr. Jay W. Marks
Viewer Question: I was tested and told I have microscopic colitis, it seems that i have constant dull pain at bottom rib cage, also my joints all over my body are always stiff sore, could the stiff sore joints,
shoulders, hips etc, have anything to do with the microscopic colitis?
Doctor's Response: The primary symptom of microscopic colitis is chronic, watery diarrhea . Patients with microscopic colitis can have diarrhea for months or years before the diagnosis is made. The chronic diarrhea of microscopic colitis is different from the acute diarrhea of infectious colitis which typically lasts only days to one week. Some patients with microscopic colitis also report mild abdominal cramps or pain. Blood in the stool is unusual.
Top Colitis Searched Terms
ulcerative colitis,
ischemic colitis,
pseudomembranous colitis,
collagenous colitis,
microscopic colitis,
colitis diet,
lymphocytic colitis,
Cryptosporidium,
eosinophilic,
Crohn’s disease,
C difficile colitis,
smoking,
ibs
What is colitis?
Colitis is inflammation of the inner lining of the colon and is associated with
diarrhea,
pain, and
blood in the stool. There are
numerous reasons for the colon to become inflamed including:
Anatomy of the colon
The colon is
a hollow, muscular tube that receives products of digestion from the small intestine and
ultimately eliminates them from the body through the anus. The colon is
located in the abdomen and has numerous sections that are named based on their location.
Colitis can affect different sections of the colon.
- The colon begins in the
right lower abdomen with the cecum
(located just above the appendix) into which the
products of digestion empty from the small intestine.
- The ascending portion of the colon then ascends from
the lower to the upper right side of the abdomen.
- It traverses the abdomen as
the transverse portion of the colon from the right upper to left upper abdomen
before descending from the upper to the lower left side of the abdomen.
- The last
portions of the colon are the sigmoid colon low in
the abdomen and finally the anus.
The colon also has several layers. The mucosa
(inner layer
or lining) comes into contact with the products of digestion and fluid and
actively removes water and electrolytes to help solidify the feces. A layer of
smooth muscle (a special type of muscle) surrounds the inner layer and is
responsible for squeezing and mixing the undigested food and transporting it
through the length of the colon to the anus.
What are the causes (types) of colitis
All types of colitis are associated with inflammation of the colon, though
some types may be more severe and potentially dangerous than others. When a
patient complains of pain and diarrhea with or without bloody stool, it is
important to diagnose the type of colitis since treatments are different for the
different types of colitis.
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