Inflammatory diseases of intestine: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease

Symptoms and Treatment

Inflammatory diseases of intestine are chronic inflammations of some digestive tract sections. First of all they include: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease as they are similar in pathogenesis and clinical presentation. In general, such diseases are considered to be wasting and painful ones and lead to some dangerous aftereffects.

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of thick intestine to provoke additive inflammation of the alimentary tract. Symptoms are usually developing within a long-term period and never arise for no particular reason. Ulcerative colitis is usually attended by bleeding sores on walls of intestine as a result of lingering extension of large intestine. Crohn’s chronic inflammatory disease of intestine is characterized by non-specific granulomatosis and necrosis to arise in any section of gastrointestinal tract; it penetrates deep into affected tissues. It results in stomachache, acute diarrhea and even causes alimentary cachexia trough malabsorption of nutrients in intestine.

Inflammation, caused by Crohn’s disease may affect different sections of gastrointestinal tract. Collagen and lymphocytic colitis refer to inflammatory diseases of intestine, however, they are considered to be separate phlogistic diseases.

Symptoms of intestine inflammatory diseases

Symptomatology of intestine inflammatory diseases is modified, depending on severity of inflammation and a section of gastrointestinal tract.

Symptoms of ulcerative colitis

There are several forms of ulcerative colitis, depending on its symptoms.

Ulcerous proctitis

This form of ulcerative colitis is centered in the intestine section close to anus (rectum); in some case, the only symptom of this malady can be rectum bleeding. Some other cases indicate rectal pains and frequent urges to defecate. This is the lightest form of the non-specific ulcerative colitis.

Proctosigmoiditis

A form of ulcerative colitis to combine inflammation of mucous membrane of rectum and sigmoid intestine. Symptoms of this form of disease are the following: bloody flux, spasms in stomachache, attended by false urges to defecate (Rectal tenesmus).

Left-side colitis

This disease is spread from rectum trough sigmoid and colic, located in top left section of abdominal cavity. Symptoms: bloody flux, spastic abdominal migraine (left-side pain) and unpremeditated loss in weight.

Pancolitis

Is the large intestine affection, characterized by bloody flux. This form of disease takes a hard course and it is attended by spasm and stomachache, tiredness and significant weight loss.

Fulminant colit

Is an acute form of pancolitis, posing a threat to the life. Patients usually suffer from dehydration and complain about peritoneal cavity pain, acute bloody flux. These people are often amenable to serious complications development, including rectum rupture and toxic megacolon to provoke quick straining of the intestine.

Ulcerative colitis passes unstably with frequent acute disease and remission periods.

As a rule, most people with ulcerous proctitis don’t have painful symptoms.

Symptoms of Crohn’s disease

This disease affects different sections of gastrointestinal tract: iliac and large intestine. The inflammation may be limited by intestine wall to provoke scars (stenosis) development or may spread through wall of intestine (fistula).

Clinical presentation of Crohn’s disease may be variable. Symptoms arise gradually without prior warning.

Diarrhea

Iinflammation to strengthen water and salt discharge in the affected sections of intestine. As far as large intestine cannot take up the whole surplus liquid, it leads to diarrhea. Strong intestinal spasms also stimulate liquid stool. Diarrhea is a symptom of all patients with Crohn’s disease.

Spasms and stomachache

Inflammation and ulceration of intestine walls result in abdominal distension because of healing tissue. It affects normal food flow through the gastrointestinal tract; after these affected tissues start bleeding, it leads to blood in feces. The bleeding may be hidden.

Ulcer

Crohn’s disease and non-specific ulcerative colitis provoke small sores development on surface of intestine walls.

It may grow into large penetration sore as a result. A sore may be located in some other places, for example, in a mouth.

Loss of appetite and weight

Stomachache, inflammation of intestine walls and spasms affect appetite and the digestion.