Erosive colitis - causes, first signs, symptoms and treatment. General and different in the treatment of colitis in various forms

Erosive intestinal colitis is a disease that requires immediate hospitalization, a specialized diet and special post-therapeutic care. Of all the forms, the erosive one is considered the most dangerous, as it provokes the appearance of ulcers. With this disease, the patient must be provided with correct and timely treatment, otherwise chronic colitis may develop into a peptic ulcer.

Features of erosive intestinal colitis

Erosive colitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the large intestine with the formation of ulcerative lesions. It is more common in people aged 15–30 years. It affects men and women equally. The second peak incidence is recorded at the age of 60–70 years.
Erosive is one of the initial stages of the inflammatory process. In fact, the erosive form is one of the stages of the pathogenesis of the disease. First, the patient develops superficial colitis, which affects only the superficial layers of the intestinal mucosa, and then, in the absence of adequate treatment, the inflammation deepens with the formation of erosions.

Colitis can be caused by a wide range of factors. Some of them (for example, genetic predisposition) are purely individual. The primary cause of the pathology must be identified by the attending physician and, in accordance with the data obtained, the required course of therapy must be drawn up.

This type of disease is not always considered as an independent pathology. This is considered to be the initial stage. In this case, the inflammation of the mucous tissue is not as pronounced as if an ulcer had developed.

Causes

Possible causes of erosive colitis:

Symptoms of erosive intestinal colitis

This disease manifests itself in different ways, but the main symptoms are similar to, so not everyone seeks medical help on time.

Primary symptoms of erosive colitis:

Already with these symptoms it is necessary to contact a specialist. If they are ignored, the inflammatory process begins to intensify, turning into malignant forms and affecting more healthy tissues. Then the person exhibits the following symptoms:

increased heart rate;
increased blood pressure;
fever;
foreign matter in the stool;
almost constant vomiting;
general weakness;
sharp pain in the stomach and intestines.

The following symptoms may also occur:

In addition to blood, a large amount of mucus and pus comes out along with the feces.
65% of patients experience prolonged diarrhea (the number of bowel movements can reach up to 20 times a day).
Patients often complain of the appearance of rectal spitting (during defecation, instead of feces, mucus and pus come out).
At night, many people experience an irresistible urge to go to the toilet. It is nighttime bowel movements that can make a gastroenterologist suspect chronic erosive colitis.
The picture of characteristic symptoms of erosive colitis is complemented by fecal incontinence and constant bloating.

After prolonged progression of the disease, periods of exacerbation and remission may begin. The following symptoms are characteristic of the exacerbation period:
Treatment of erosive colitis can be outpatient or inpatient, it all depends on the stage of the disease. Even after a diagnosis is made, treatment is not started immediately. The patient needs to undergo certain examinations in order to find out the cause that provoked the inflammation.

It is constant diarrhea and bloating that are characteristic symptoms of erosive colitis, and without proper treatment it can quickly turn into chronic.

If a person turns to a specialist at this stage of the disease, then in 80% of cases doctors guarantee a positive outcome. To prevent chronic inflammatory process, it is important to start treatment of erosive colitis on time.

Consequences for the body

Given the hidden nature of the initial stage of the disease, its development is often not accompanied by appropriate therapeutic measures. This is why the risk of complications is high:

stomach or intestinal bleeding;
colon perforation;
stomatitis;
liver pathologies;
oncology.

Treatment

Treatment of erosive colitis can be outpatient or inpatient, it all depends on the stage of the disease. Even after a diagnosis is made, treatment is not started immediately. The patient needs to undergo certain examinations in order to find out the cause that provoked the inflammation.
Dietary nutrition for erosive colitis is usually developed by a doctor. It may differ from person to person, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and the nature of his disease.

To eliminate problems caused by the pathological process, antibacterial treatment, agents that restore intestinal microflora, hemosorption, intravenous infusion of rheopolyglucin or hemodez are used.

To maintain the body, the treatment plan includes vitamins of group B, ascorbic acid, fat-soluble group - D, A. Considering the unstable neuropsychic status of patients, it would be useful to use sedatives.

Important! Only a doctor can prescribe the method of using medications and their dosage. They are individual for each patient.

Diet

Dietary nutrition for erosive colitis is usually developed by a doctor. It may differ from person to person, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and the nature of his disease.

The therapeutic diet is gentle; patients are advised to:

Eat often, in small portions.
Cook exclusively by steaming.
For this, choose lean ground meat or fish.
Eliminate coarse fiber from your diet.

For erosive colitis, the diet should include:	Some of the prohibited foods include:
Eggs; Soups; Porridge; Homemade juices with pulp; Cracker; Yesterday's white bread; Fish – lean, boiled; Walnuts; Some types of berries and fruits (only pureed); Cottage cheese; Kiseli; Decoction of rose hips, black currants, blueberries; Weak tea.	Meat and fish of fatty varieties; Seeds; Bran; Dairy products; Legumes; Soy products; Sesame; sour berries; Hot spices; Fast food products; Carbonated drinks; Coffee, chocolate; Ketchup, Sauces; Fried, spicy, fatty and salty; Green onions; Garlic; Spinach, radish, sorrel; Dried apricots, kiwi.

If the diet is not followed and various culinary excesses are often allowed, then very soon relatively harmless erosions will transform into numerous ulcerative lesions. As a result, the disease develops into a more severe form, the treatment of which will be more difficult and longer.

the diet must be carried out under the supervision of a specialist;
Do not eat hot food, preferably lukewarm and steamed;
Doctors do not recommend eating at night if you have colitis; for chronic colitis and diarrhea, the diet should be designed so that the patient can eat every 2 hours;
proper treatment of colitis implies that the patient will monitor his well-being when consuming certain products;
if the symptoms worsen, then this food is not suitable for the patient;
It is better to refrain from self-medication and, especially, from home medicine recipes.

Prevention

Preventive measures:

Stop abusing bad habits, in particular smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages (even with a low percentage of alcohol).
Coffee can aggravate the disease, causing bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In addition, it provokes the re-development of erosive colitis.
Regular preventive examinations will allow you to identify the problem at an early stage and prevent its progression in time.
An active lifestyle and proper nutrition are the keys to overall health.

Erosive intestinal colitis is an inflammation of the mucous membrane of the large intestine, accompanied by the formation of ulcerative lesions.

Among all types of colitis, it is the most dangerous. Firstly, erosive colitis has the largest list of complications. Secondly, the disease is not gender-age related - it can be detected in both children and adults.

To diagnose erosive colitis, a general blood test, bacterial culture, microscopic and macroscopic examination of stool, colonoscopy and examination of stool for the presence of helminthic infestations are used.

Reasons for development

Chronic colitis usually develops as a result of ignoring the symptoms of the disease in its acute form. One of the main causes of the disease is considered to be an unbalanced diet, rich in fatty, fried and smoked foods.

Among other factors that lead to bowel disease, the most common are:

infections and various pathogenic bacteria;
genetic predisposition;
weakened immunity and chronic dysbacteriosis;
helminthiasis, salmonellosis and dysentery;
lack of enzymes produced by the pancreas.

Intestinal colitis may be caused by overuse of pharmaceutical drugs such as laxatives, antibiotics or analgesics.

Colitis is often triggered by chronic stress and severe fatigue, intoxication or poisoning with various chemicals, radioactive exposure and disruption of the local blood supply to the gastrointestinal tract.

How does erosive colitis become chronic?

Initially, a person acquires colitis in its primary form, when the inflammatory process affects exclusively the superficial layer of the mucous membranes of the intestinal tract.

If the patient has ignored the appropriate therapeutic measures and dietary recommendations, the disease transforms into a phase that is accompanied by the development of the inflammatory process and the occurrence of erosive damage affecting the mucous membranes.

Symptoms of erosive intestinal colitis progress when the patient abuses alcoholic beverages, smoking, and does not want to take any measures to get rid of the disease. In such cases, the disease develops into an ulcerative form and is accompanied by a number of negative symptoms.

Symptoms

This disease manifests itself in different ways, but the main symptoms are similar to those of gastritis, so not everyone seeks medical help on time.

Primary symptoms of erosive colitis:

discomfort and pain in the stomach;
nausea, vomiting;
unpleasant odor and taste in the mouth;
digestive disorders: diarrhea, constipation, heartburn, flatulence;
constant lack of appetite.

increased heart rate;
increased blood pressure;
fever;
foreign matter in the stool;
almost constant vomiting;
general weakness;
sharp pain in the stomach and intestines.

The following symptoms may also occur:

In addition to blood, a large amount of mucus and pus comes out along with the feces.
65% of patients experience prolonged diarrhea (the number of bowel movements can reach up to 20 times a day).
Patients often complain of the appearance of rectal spitting (during defecation, instead of feces, mucus and pus come out).
At night, many people experience an irresistible urge to go to the toilet. It is nighttime bowel movements that can make a gastroenterologist suspect chronic erosive colitis.
The picture of characteristic symptoms of erosive colitis is complemented by fecal incontinence and constant bloating.

After prolonged progression of the disease, periods of exacerbation and remission may begin. The following symptoms are characteristic of the exacerbation period:

bloating;
diarrhea (up to incontinence);
anal bleeding;
a sharp increase in temperature;
the formation of a rash on the outer membranes of internal organs.

It is constant diarrhea and bloating that are characteristic symptoms of erosive colitis, and without proper treatment it can quickly turn into chronic.

Complications

All complications can be divided into local and general. Local ones are formed in the digestive system and manifest themselves in the form of:

acute or chronic gastrointestinal bleeding;
megacolon - an increase in the size of the colon;
perforation of ulcers in the intestines;
benign and malignant tumors.

General complications can affect any other organs, as well as worsen the condition of the body as a whole. These include:

stomatitis – inflammation of the mucous membranes of the mouth;
disturbances in liver function;
thrombosis of various vessels;
joint pain;
blurred vision;
skin rashes;
decrease in working capacity;
constant weakness.

Diagnostics

Erosive colitis is detected using laboratory and instrumental diagnostic methods, which have maximum information in this case.

Before making a diagnosis, you must undergo tests and undergo the following examinations:

General blood analysis. Shows an inflammatory process in the body, less often anemia associated with internal blood loss.
Microscopic and macroscopic analysis of stool. Informative signs will be the presence of mucus, traces of blood, undigested food and other components in the stool.
Bacterial culture to detect the causative agent of the disease.
Examination of stool for worm eggs and scraping for enterobiasis.
Irrigoscopy. Allows you to clarify the localization and nature of inflammation in the intestines.
Colonoscopy. The method assesses the condition of the mucosa and allows you to take cells from the affected area of the intestine for a biopsy.
Histology. Biological material taken from the site of inflammation during a biopsy is assessed. This is necessary to exclude oncology and assess the nature of the lesion.

Treatment

How to treat erosive intestinal colitis? For this purpose, both medicinal and traditional methods are used. The therapy itself can be inpatient or outpatient - it all depends on the stage of the disease and the patient’s condition. In particularly advanced cases, surgery may be necessary to remove the affected areas of the intestine.

Drug treatments

The following groups of drugs are prescribed for the treatment of erosive colitis:

Medicines based on 5-acetylsalicylic acid (Pentasa, Sulfasalizin, Mezavant, Salfalk) - have a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect, strengthen local immunity;
Glucocorticosteroids (Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone) - used in the most severe cases, help eliminate intestinal bleeding and inflammation;
Immunosuppressive drugs (Cyclosporine, Methotrexate, Azathioprine) - used when therapy with glucocorticosteroid drugs has not had a therapeutic effect;
Corticosteroids (Hydrocortisone, Prednisolone, Methylprednosolone);
Antibiotics – kill pathogenic microorganisms;
Vitamins (D, A, C, group B) – strengthen the body;
Probiotics – restore intestinal microflora;
Sedatives – normalize the patient’s mental state;
Painkillers – relieve pain.

Important! Only a doctor can prescribe the method of using medications and their dosage. They are individual for each patient.

Diet

It is an integral component of treatment. Without compliance, the effectiveness of conservative methods decreases and spreads to other parts of the intestine. If there are failures in the diet, it is not possible to achieve stable remission, and relapses of the disease become more frequent. The likelihood of using surgical intervention increases.

General principles:

Meals in fractional portions at least 6 times a day. Eliminate salty, fried and fatty foods from your diet. Food should be pureed or finely chopped, boiled or steamed.
Eat foods that are not too hot and not too cold.
Consume less plant foods, no more than once, reduce the amount of fiber (legumes, bread), this additionally irritates the mucous membrane.
Reduce the amount of fruit, especially raspberries, as they negatively affect digestion.
Drink water, at least 250 ml at a time, but if you have heart problems, you need to reduce the amount to a liter.
Add fermented milk products to improve digestion processes.
Limit your consumption of meat products, as they take the longest to process and are susceptible to rotting processes.

Dietary nutrition for erosive colitis is usually developed by a doctor. It may differ from person to person, depending on the individual characteristics of the patient and the nature of his disease.

Nutrition during acute process

An acute disease requires the exclusion of any food intake for the first 2 days; it is allowed to drink water, rosehip or blueberry decoctions. Gradually, after the inflammation has subsided, the above products return, at first the portions are small to adapt the digestive tract.

Nutrition during chronic process

The chronic form requires compliance with recommendations for a long time to achieve remission. During an exacerbation, food intake is also limited, at first the portions are reduced, then gradually increased. When completely cured, the diet does not stop, since its absence can provoke the re-development of colitis.

Treatment with folk remedies

Honey and water are mixed in a glass in the proportion of a tablespoon of honey and 200 ml of warm boiled water. You should drink 1/3 glass of this “sweet water” 3 times a day. Duration of use – at least 45 days.
Half a teaspoon of bee bread three times a day - it should be eaten with a small amount of warm water before meals. Duration of use – 30 days.
Mix 1 tablespoon of honey and 200 ml of apple juice. Drink half a glass twice a day. Duration of treatment – 30 days.

Note:If doctors have diagnosed, in addition to colitis, gastritis and/or gastric ulcer, then apple juice is strictly contraindicated for consumption.

Pour 3 tablespoons of dried chamomile flowers into 700 ml of boiling water and leave for 4-6 hours. Then 100 g of honey is added to the resulting infusion. The medicine is taken 150 ml 3-4 times a day. The duration of treatment is 45 days.
Pour 2 tablespoons of dry St. John's wort into 500 ml of boiling water and cook the product at low boil for 15 minutes. Infuse the decoction for at least 2 hours, then strain and take 1/3 cup three times a day half an hour before meals. Duration of treatment 0-30 days.
Pour 3 tablespoons of blueberry leaves (or fruits) into 600 ml of boiling water and leave for 10 hours. Then strain and take 200 ml three times a day.

Any folk remedies that are taken for colitis must be prepared from raw materials purchased in pharmacies. Don’t forget to get permission for such therapy from your doctor, and don’t discount the possibility of an allergic reaction. Colitis is a disease that can begin with innocent constipation and pain in the intestines, and end with perforation of the intestinal wall, sepsis or peritonitis. Only timely medical care will guarantee a successful prognosis.

Prevention

To avoid the development of erosive colitis, you must:

undergo a general medical examination at least once a year;
forget about bad habits;
eat comprehensively and properly;
to live an active lifestyle;
strengthen the immune system.

Erosive colitis is an insidious disease that greatly disrupts a person’s normal life activities. At the first symptoms, you should consult a doctor, because it can cause serious complications.

Erosive colitis is an inflammatory process of the mucous membrane, accompanied by the occurrence of erosions in the initial part of the small intestine. First, the patient experiences a superficial lesion, which initially affects only the top layer, then the inflammation worsens and spreads to the inner layers.

This form can last for years, and in the absence of a diet or the presence of chronic pathology, erosions turn into ulcerative formations, which aggravates the course of the disease.

Causes of pathology:

Improper diet: eating junk food in excess quantities, expired products; large amounts of alcohol;
Taking medications that negatively affect the gastrointestinal tract: antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs;
Prolonged stress and, as a result, increased acidity of gastric juice, due to which the mucous membrane becomes thinner;
Chronic inflammatory processes: gastritis, decreased production of enzymes by the pancreas, called pancreatitis, congenital enzymatic deficiency of the intestine - all this leads to insufficient digestion of food and the development of inflammation;
Acute diseases: dysentery, salmonellosis, helminth infection;
Presence of pathology in relatives.

This type is quite difficult to confuse with other diseases. An ulcerative appearance similar in course, the difference from which is the low severity of pathological changes, easy diagnosis and low probability of perforation. An additional feature is the presentation of complaints of abdominal pain, which is why the pathology is confused with gastritis, which can lead to inadequate treatment.

Specific features

Abdominal pain, the cause of which is often hidden inside the sigmoid colon during a long course of the disease, localized in the left side; the epigastrium is rarely affected;
Symptom of heaviness in the stomach after eating;
Frequent bowel movements;
“Melena” (the more blood, the worse the inflammation, the faster anemia and other complications will develop);
The presence of pus, mucus in the stool;
Feeling of heaviness and incomplete emptying;
Bloating due to severe gas formation;
Rumbling.

Nonspecific signs

Weakness, fatigue, low performance, drowsiness or insomnia, feeling unwell;
Nausea, vomiting;
Belching, loss of appetite, bad breath;
Symptoms of complications: fever, pale skin, dizziness, fainting.

An acute process is often accompanied by specific symptoms, while a chronic process includes additional nonspecific ones. In 10% of cases, patients complain of various rashes due to liver damage, arrhythmia, joint pain, and eye disorders. The more severely the intestines are affected, the more pronounced the symptoms.

If the above symptoms appear, self-medication is prohibited. Thus, you can worsen your condition. An adult should seek medical help immediately. The doctor will prescribe the necessary comprehensive diagnostics, which is designed to show deviations.

Therapy

Treatment includes many techniques. The basis should be conservative methods, if they are ineffective, they move on to surgical ones. A folk method of healing is not excluded, but only as a supplement.

ethnoscience

Before use, consultation with a gastroenterologist is necessary, since any drug has side effects.

Diet therapy

General principles:

Nutrition during acute process

Nutrition during chronic process

Conservative therapy

Anti-inflammatory drugs containing acetylsalicylic acid (Pentasa, Salofalk, Sulfasalazine). Additionally, they reduce local immune reactions.
Autoimmune drugs (Cyclosporine, Methotrexate). Used for confirmed autoimmune processes.
Glucocorticosteroids (Prednisolone, Hydrocortisone) in the development of a pronounced inflammatory process with the development of complications.
Antibacterial treatment is rarely prescribed when bacterial complications occur. By themselves, they negatively affect the intestinal mucosa.
Analgesics (Ketorol, Analgin) for severe pain.
Vitamins of groups A, B, D, C.
Sedatives (Valerian) to normalize mental state.

Operative technique

Indicated for frequent relapses, progression of the disease, severe condition of the patient. Refusal can provoke malignancy of the process. Patients are subject to hospitalization. Additional examinations are being carried out. The operation is radical with removal of the affected intestine, followed by reconstruction.

The intervention may cause discomfort, but it is temporary. Requires lifelong adherence to a diet, registration with a gastroenterologist for a year.

Erosive colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease with the formation of ulcerative lesions. The pathology affects only the large intestine and very rarely affects the small intestine in its distal part.

Erosive intestinal colitis is more common in people aged 15–30 years. It affects men and women equally.

The second peak incidence is recorded at the age of 60–70 years. In Western countries, the pathology is more common. Caucasians are 4 times more likely to suffer from erosive colitis than African Americans and Hispanics.

Causes and risk factors

The definitive cause of the pathological condition is unknown.

Many factors influence the development of the disease:

genetic;
immunological;
infectious;
dietary;
environmental;
hygienic.

The root cause of the disease must be identified by the attending physician, and in accordance with the data obtained, he draws up a course of treatment.

Possible causes of erosive colitis:

low fiber diet;
concomitant diseases of the digestive system;
alcohol abuse;
prolonged use of medications that disrupt intestinal microflora;
helminthic infestations;
dysbacteriosis;
impaired blood supply to internal organs;
poisoning with harmful substances and toxins;
bacterial or viral infection;
sedentary lifestyle;
congenital intestinal anomalies.

Genetic predisposition plays a major role, which is why the disease is more common in families.

Stress, anxiety, or other mental problems do not cause erosive colitis. However, stress can contribute to an acute flare-up of the disease.

Clinical picture

Erosive colitis is one of the initial stages of the inflammatory process in the intestines. The symptoms of the disease are not specific and are suitable for many other pathologies. A diagnosis cannot be made based on the symptoms, but inflammation of the colon can be suspected in order to prescribe an informative examination.

Signs of erosive colitis:

diarrhea;
abdominal pain;
fatigue;
loss of appetite;
weight loss.

About 80% of patients experience pain during exacerbations. They appear in the left lower abdomen during or after bowel movements.

The acute period of the disease is manifested by severe diarrhea and a constant urge to defecate. This can happen up to 30 times a day. In combination with diarrhea, cramping pain appears, usually in the left lower abdomen. Since vitamins and nutrients are not absorbed to the normal extent, this results in blood loss.

These symptoms appear as intermittent attacks between periods of remission. This condition may last for months or years.

Additional signs

Painful symptoms may be accompanied by high fever, rapid heartbeat, and an increase in the number of white blood cells.

Erosive colitis can manifest itself outside the gastrointestinal tract, these are the so-called extra-intestinal manifestations.

Symptoms:

Joint pain. As a rule, large joints are affected. Joint pain comes along with acute attacks. However, smaller joints often remain painful on an ongoing basis, regardless of the level of activity of erosive colitis, with the formation of ulcerative lesions.
Bloating. Patients with this disease suffer from increased flatulence. Although this is not entirely typical for this disease. Intestinal gases can put pressure on higher organs, causing belching, loss of appetite, and nausea. Flatulence occurs due to disruption of the flora as a result of erosive colitis.
Nausea. Although this is not one of the leading symptoms, nausea is often combined with bloody, mucous stools and cramping abdominal pain.
Vomiting blood. Because the lesions are most often located in the lower part of the digestive tract, this symptom is rare.

Chronic erosive is manifested by inflammation of the eyes and bile ducts (primary sclerosing cholangitis). The bile ducts become narrower, resulting in liver damage.

Diagnostics

The pathology is difficult to diagnose because the symptoms are similar to other bowel disorders, especially irritable bowel syndrome. The disease differs from Crohn's disease in that inflammation is limited to the upper layers of the intestinal lining, while the second pathology provokes the development of the process throughout the entire thickness of the walls of the organ.

Diagnosing erosive colitis requires a thorough physical examination and testing.

To confirm the suspicions of the attending physician, the following is carried out:

An x-ray is taken. The patient is given an enema with a contrast agent. The image allows you to see erosions with the formation of ulcers or other anomalies.

Complications and consequences

Erosive colitis in most cases is chronic and develops gradually. Rarely, the disease leads to various kinds of complications.

Consequences of advanced pathology:

gastrointestinal bleeding;
perforation;
megacolon;
paralytic ileus;
dilatation;
development of colon or rectal cancer.

In severe cases, the patient is given a blood transfusion, which can lead to infection. Peritonitis and sepsis may develop.

Therapeutic measures

Treatment for erosive colitis depends on the severity of the disease. Pathology is treated with medications, excluding products that caused an exacerbation. Treatment is adjusted depending on the course of the disease.

Emotional and psychological support is important. Patients with erosive intestinal colitis are recommended to visit a psychotherapist.

Treatment of the disease begins with the use of certain groups of medications.

For erosive colitis the following is prescribed:

Treatment with 5-ASA agents, including a combination of 5-aminosalicylic acids and sulfasalazine, which help control inflammation. The latter drug is prescribed more often. Patients who respond poorly to treatment with Sulfasalazine are prescribed 5-ASA. Possible side effects: nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, headache.
Patients with severe erosive colitis and those who do not respond to treatment with 5-ASA drugs are treated with corticosteroids. Prednisone, Hydrocortisone and Prednisolone are used to reduce inflammation. Corticosteroids are taken orally, given intravenously, or through an enema. It is possible to use medications in the form of suppositories, depending on the location of the inflammation. Corticosteroids may cause side effects such as weight gain, acne, facial hair growth, hypertension, diabetes, mood swings, and an increased risk of contracting other diseases due to a weakened immune system.
Immunosuppressive medications such as Azathioprine, Methotrexate, Cyclosporine are used in extreme cases.

Other medications are also prescribed that relieve pain and reduce the frequency of the urge to go to the toilet.

Sometimes the symptoms of erosive colitis are too severe for a person to be hospitalized. For example, if you have bleeding or severe diarrhea that causes dehydration.

In such cases, the patient will need to follow a special diet, and may need intravenous feeding or surgery.

Prevention

Preventing the development of the disease is much easier than suffering from the manifestations of erosive colitis and undergoing long-term treatment.

Preventive measures:

Stop abusing bad habits, in particular smoking and drinking alcoholic beverages (even with a low percentage of alcohol).
Coffee can aggravate the disease, causing bloating, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In addition, it provokes the re-development of erosive colitis.
Regular preventive examinations will allow you to identify the problem at an early stage and prevent its progression in time.
An active lifestyle and proper nutrition are the keys to overall health.

An insidious disease disrupts human life. When the first signs appear, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Erosive colitis does not affect life expectancy. Once the disease is cured, the prognosis is good if the patient takes all precautions to avoid causing a relapse.

Erosive intestinal colitis is considered a serious disease that requires careful attention. In most cases, the development of this inflammatory process requires immediate hospitalization with special therapeutic procedures and compliance with certain dietary restrictions. Inflammation in the colon caused by this disease has several forms, the most dangerous of which is considered erosive, as a result of which ulcers form on the mucous membrane. Without timely therapy and in the absence of a proper diet, chronic colitis easily develops into a peptic ulcer.

Although colitis develops differently in everyone, a characteristic feature of this disease is its symptoms, which are very close to gastritis. It is for this reason that patients put off visiting a doctor and often do not seek medical help in a timely manner. The first symptoms of erosive colitis are as follows:

pain in the location of the stomach and persistent discomfort;
attacks of nausea;
bad breath with a characteristic taste in the mouth;
violation of the processes of digestion;
loss of appetite.

If such symptoms appear, you should consult a specialist. If you get help at this stage, then in more than eighty percent of cases you can expect a complete cure. Timely initiation of therapy will prevent the development of chronic intestinal colitis. Otherwise, inflammation will continue to develop, involving more and more healthy tissue in the process, with the threat of transition to a malignant state. As pathological changes in the condition of the intestine further develop, erosive colitis manifests itself as follows:

patients feel an increase in the frequency of heart contractions;
blood pressure rises;
symptoms of a fever begin to appear;
particles of undigested food are found in intestinal secretions;
attacks of vomiting become permanent;
acute pain occurs in the intestines and stomach;
patients feel general malaise, weakness, dizziness.

Changes also occur in the nature of feces, which become more pronounced as the disease progresses, for example:

there is a large amount of pus and mucus in the feces, and streaks of blood are also observed;
more than half of the patients begin to suffer from recurring diarrhea, the urge to which can reach up to twenty per day;
often during bowel movements only mucus containing pus is released;
the urge to defecate continues at night, which is the main reason for suspecting the presence of chronic erosive colitis;
confirmation of the erosive form is fecal incontinence with constant bloating.

Colitis of the erosive form can occur with exacerbations, which are replaced by periods of remission. During exacerbations, patients are able to experience symptoms in the form of bleeding from the anus, elevated temperature, and also in the form of rashes on the intestinal mucosa.

What it looks like, photo

Erosive colitis is an inflammation that develops in the mucous membrane of the large intestine, as it develops, damage in the form of ulcers forms on it. The pathology occurs with equal frequency in both women and men, the average age of patients ranges from 15 to 30 years, and the second peak of the disease is observed in elderly people after 60 years.

Erosive colitis serves as the first stage of inflammatory tissue damage, which, when examined with equipment, looks like damage to the surface layer of the mucosa lining the large intestine from the inside. In the absence of the necessary treatment, a different picture can be observed: inflammation on the mucous membrane deepens and affects the submucosal layers with the formation of areas with erosion.

This disease of erosive colitis is often considered the initial stage of ulcerative colitis, with similar symptoms to the ulcerative form, but with less severity.

Causes

Factors that can cause intestinal colitis can be completely different reasons, but the main ones are considered to be a genetic predisposition to the development of such pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as a gross violation of the diet. The underlying causes that led to the development of colitis must be determined by the attending physician and, based on the examination, outlined the course of treatment necessary in each individual case. Most often, the development of colitis can occur when the following conditions are created:

Any of these conditions can lead to changes in the intestinal mucous membranes. It is necessary to take all measures to prevent provoking factors, which will avoid the development of such a serious lesion as erosive colitis.

Main types and forms of the disease

One of the features of erosive colitis is the difficulty in its classification, so it is divided into types and forms according to specific characteristics.

Acute form of erosive colitis

It is this form of colitis that forces patients with this disease to seek medical help. Since the condition accompanying this form is accompanied by rather painful manifestations, often reaching such intensity that it is impossible to get rid of the pain even with the help of antispasmodics. Moreover, the pain only increases as inflammation develops, causing the need for immediate medical attention. If this does not happen and drug therapy has not been applied to the patients, then over time the painful symptoms subside, which does not mean recovery, but rather, on the contrary, the acute form of the disease takes on a chronic form, which is much more difficult and longer to treat.

Chronic form of colitis

The disease acquires such properties as a result of untreated acute colitis, as well as in the case of a complete lack of medical care. If the acute state of the disease is accompanied by non-compliance with the correct diet, which is mandatory for inflammation in the intestines, then colitis most often takes a chronic form with frequent periods of exacerbation and subsequent states of remission. During relapses, painful symptoms manifest themselves quite actively, without subside, but only reducing their intensity even during periods of calm.

In addition to the forms of colitis, it has several types that characterize it, such as:

Ulcerative– determined by the presence of identified lesions on the mucous membrane of the large intestine. For its development there must be a reason in the form of previous dysbiosis, violation of the principles of proper nutrition, as well as insufficient physical activity. It can take three stages of development, the most dangerous of which is the last third stage, often ending in rupture of the intestinal wall, and in the absence of emergency treatment, the development of sepsis and death.
Spastic– occurs against the background of decreased intestinal motility. It manifests itself as a persistent violation of defecation in the form of prolonged constipation, which cannot be eliminated even with appropriate medications. Causes the formation of cracks in the walls of the colon caused by dryness of its walls. When diagnosing, it requires the use of rectoscopy.
Catarrhal– represents one of the stages of a general disease. It is characterized by rapid development with the presence of pronounced characteristics. May be a consequence of food and alcohol poisoning.
atrophic– serves as the final stage of the spastic form, accompanied by a weakening of the smooth muscles in the intestines, and if left untreated, easily takes on an ulcerative appearance. Threatens perforation, turning into sepsis and peritonitis.
Erosive - is considered the initial stage of the ulcerative type, exhibiting symptoms similar to the latter, but to a less pronounced extent.
Diffuse– the most severe condition affecting the large intestine and small intestine, manifesting itself with severe symptoms from the beginning of its formation.

Since colitis can have many types, it is often quite difficult to make a diagnosis and determine the nature of the disease. The doctor needs to conduct a careful examination, on the basis of which he will draw conclusions about further therapy necessary in the case of each specific type of colitis.

Diagnostics

When diagnosing erosive colitis, various methods are used, ranging from interviewing the patient and ending with the most complex instrumental examination of the intestinal cavity. In this capacity the following is used:

It is not at all necessary that all these diagnostic methods will be applied to one patient. Often the disease has pronounced symptoms that do not require multiple confirmations.

Treatment principle

To eliminate colitis, the patient must undergo drug treatment along with a strict diet. The very principles of therapy for this disease can be classified into two types: inpatient or outpatient treatment. Both types require an examination by a physician, certain dietary restrictions, and medications. The inpatient treatment method is used for patients with severe colitis to apply serious treatment methods to them, including removal of the affected tissue. The treatment provided must take into account the characteristics of the infectious process, its stage and the damage caused.

Drug treatment

As the main treatment for patients with colitis, various medications are used, each of which has a whole set of properties aimed at the inflammatory process, namely:

When choosing among medications, it is necessary to pay special attention to diseases associated with colitis, such as cracks formed in the anal mucosa or sigmoiditis, as well as other possible pathologies. All of them also need treatment.

Folk remedies

According to official medicine, it is impossible to cure colitis with folk remedies alone. But it is quite possible to increase the duration of the remission period, as well as to ease the course of the exacerbation period, with recipes based on medicinal plants. For this, a variety of components are used in the form of decoctions, infusions, healing baths, compresses and much more. Such recipes include:

Honey water prepared from 1 tbsp. l. honey and a glass of warm water, which is drunk a third of a glass up to three times a day.
Eat a small spoonful of bee bread every day, washed down with warm water.
A mixture of a spoon of honey and 200 g of apple juice, drink 0.5 glasses in the morning and evening.
Dry herb St. John's wort in the amount of 2 tablespoons. lie Brew 0.5 liters of boiling water and keep on fire, without bringing to a boil for no more than 10 minutes, leave for about an hour.

Any remedy used to treat colitis should use pharmaceutical ready-made herbs and formulations. Before using one of them, consultation with a specialist is necessary.

Prevention

Prevention against the development of erosive colitis is simple; it does not require much time or effort, and timely prevention is preferable to treating an advanced disease.

In order not to provoke the development of colitis in the large intestine, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

at the first suspicion of changes in the condition of the intestinal mucosa, immediately visit a doctor;
adhere to a healthy lifestyle, devote more time to movement and eat right;
try to give up your existing bad habits forever.

The state of his gastrointestinal tract depends on how much the patient cares about his body and what foods he eats. Proper nutrition plays a large role in preventive methods aimed at preventing erosive colitis.

Erosive chronic colitis is an inflammatory process that affects the mucous tissue of the colon. The disease is accompanied by characteristic symptoms such as flatulence, constipation and diarrhea, bloating and painful manifestations. Pathological changes in the condition of the intestines are caused by a decrease in immune defense, dysbiosis or inflammation in one of the gastrointestinal tract organs. According to ICD-10, the chronic form of erosive colitis is designated by code K50-52.

Diet

The leading role in the treatment of colitis is given to nutrition, not only during periods of exacerbations and intensive care, but also during long-term remission. The main requirements that must be adhered to are:

do not eat food that is difficult for the stomach to digest;
stick to fractional meals;
increase the share of vitamins, fresh fruits and vegetables;
do not eat at night;
give preference to steamed dishes.

If, following these tips, your health continues to deteriorate, then you should reconsider your diet and exclude from it anything that can disrupt the normal functioning of the intestines.

Complications

Since erosive colitis cannot always be diagnosed in the early stages, its development is often not accompanied by the necessary treatment. Without treatment, the risk of complications remains very high, which manifests itself in the following conditions:

development of intestinal or gastric bleeding;
perforation of the walls of the large intestine;
changes in the condition of the oral cavity in the form of stomatitis;
pathological disorders in the liver;
oncological diseases.

The erosive form of intestinal colitis requires immediate medical assistance to avoid irreversible consequences. A variety of factors can contribute to its development, and even in the absence of characteristic symptoms, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and following a light diet is of great importance and can influence the nature of the disease.