Treatments for Colitis

What is Colitis?

Colitis is an inflammation of the inner lining of a person's colon. A person suffering from colitis may experience moderate to severe abdominal pain, diarrhea and a high fever. While it can be difficult to determine the cause of a person's colitis Roanoke, it is often the result of infection, an inflammatory bowel disease or the loss of blood supply to this region of the body. Because the colon is crucial to the body's ability to turn liquid waste into stool it is imperative that a person who is having lower abdominal pain or any of the other aforementioned symptoms immediately contact their primary care physician.

Ulcerative colitis Roanoke and Crohn's disease are two of the most common types of inflammatory bowel diseases that directly lead to colitis. A person suffering from ulcerative colitis in Roanoke should be prepared for severe abdominal pain and bloody bowel movements. In order to make an accurate diagnosis a doctor will often have to perform an endoscopy to see inside a person's body before sending blood, tissue and stool samples to a laboratory for detailed analysis.

Treatment for Colitis

While it should be noted that treating colitis is entirely dependent on each individual's specific circumstances, the typical course of action includes pain medication and a liquid diet. If the patient has had severe diarrhea they may need to be treated for dehydration at a hospital. Once the initial treatment has been administered, the patient will need to make lifestyle changes that may include certain dietary restrictions. 

A person with ulcerative colitis will want to avoid any foods that trigger their symptoms. Because these foods can vary from person to person, it may be necessary to keep a food journal that tracks what a person is eating when the symptoms hit. Examples of foods that have been shown to be triggers of colitis include spicy dishes, dried fruits, carbonated beverages, alcohol, caffeine and refined sugars.

Just because a person suffers from colitis does not mean that they cannot eat the foods that they love. Instead, it means that they need to show more awareness and make adjustments to their diet. A healthy diet will consist of foods that are high in protein, have lots of healthy fats and contain complain carbohydrates.