Colitis isn’t a condition that can be ignored. Its symptoms may be mild in some, but doing the wrong things and consuming the wrong foods or beverages can make it difficult, if not impossible, to live a normal life. No one knows how humans acquire colitis, but it can arrive suddenly and become a major affliction, particularly if not treated.
The most common symptom of colitis is abdominal pain, which can start out as a dull ache, but if left untreated, can gradually become crippling. Other symptoms include bloody diarrhea, rectal bleeding, bloody stool, aches, dehydration, fever and an immediate need to defecate. In severe cases, you may start to lose weight and suffer from anemia, which can gradually morph to malnutrition and bring on such serious problems as liver disease, gallstones or arthritis.
Colitis is a chronic autoimmune disease. It is focused on the large intestine, or colon. As the disease progresses, the lining of your colon becomes inflamed and eventually can develop ulcers that ooze mucus and pus. This can lead to the abdominal pain that’s typically the warning sign of the disease’s onset. Colitis is different from Crohn’s disease in that it’s focused on the colon – with Crohn’s, the entire gastrointestinal tract can be compromised. It is also different from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), another intestinal tract symptom.
If you experience any of the symptoms of colitis, you need to see a doctor and discover whether, in fact, you have the disease or something else. This is particularly true if you have a family history of the disease; eat a high-fat, high-sugar diet that’s heavy on dairy and meat; have a lingering case of psoriasis; a skin disease that causes a red and flaking rash; and/or come from an Ashkenazi Jewish heritage. If you can check off any of these and have symptoms, it’s likely that you may have colitis.