Inflammation colon

Introduction

The large intestine (Latin: Colon), also called colon, is part of the 5-6 meter long intestine of humans, in which food is transported from its intake through the mouth to its excretion in the stool. The large intestine is connected to the small intestine, in which most of the nutrients from food have already been absorbed into the body. The large intestine has the task of thickening.

It removes most of the water and dissolved salts (=electrolytes) from the digested food pulp, so that only solid stool remains in the rectum (lat. : rectum) of healthy people. In addition, the large intestine also contains the intestinal bacteria that form important amino acids as a component of proteins and vitamins for humans.

All previous sections of the intestine are free of bacteria. In the large intestine, food can also be temporarily stored before it is transported further, and mucus can be released for better gliding. If you look at the abdomen from the outside, the large intestine lies roughly like a frame around the abdominal contour.

It begins at the bottom right in the appendix (lat. : caecum), runs upwards to the liver under the right costal arch, then moves to the left under the costal arch towards the spleen and then down again on the left side of the abdomen to the rectum and anus. An inflammation of the intestine is known in medical terminology as colitis. The suffix “-itis” behind the medical term for the organ always describes the inflammation of the organ.

Cause

Inflammation of the large intestine can have many causes, which are responsible for either short-term or, in the worst case, lifelong recurring inflammation of the large intestine. Short-term inflammation, which then causes a typical gastroenteritis, is usually caused by viruses or bacteria, rarely by fungi or protozoa. Since infection with pathogenic viruses or bacteria is called an infection, this type of disease is then called infectious gastroenterocolitis as an indication of the involvement of the stomach (lat: gaster), small intestine (lat: enterum) and large intestine (lat: colon) in the infection with the bacteria.

The bacteria or viruses responsible for the infectious inflammation of the intestine are usually E. coli bacteria, Yersinia or Campylobacter bacteria, as well as Rota or Noroviruses. These nest in the intestinal mucosa, whereupon it becomes inflamed and shortly after ingestion of the bacteria through food or contact, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting occur in those affected. Most of these infections heal on their own within two weeks and do not require any treatment other than fluid and salt intake.

An inflammation of the large intestine by bacteria is the so-called dysentery by Shigella bacteria in Europe. It should not be confused with amoebic dysentery, which is caused by other bacteria and is more likely to occur in subtropical areas. Another very sudden inflammation of the colon can cause appendicitis.

The appendix itself is the first part of the colon. In appendicitis, however, only a small appendage of the appendix is inflamed, the so-called appendix vermiformis. An important cause of permanent inflammation of the colon is the so-called chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

Their most important representatives are ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. They differ in their appearance and the course of the disease. Their causes are not yet fully understood, but autoimmune processes against the intestinal mucosa are suspected.

Autoimmune means that the body no longer recognizes the intestinal mucosa as belonging to the body and tries to fight it with the help of the immune system, which ends in an inflammation of the mucosa being fought. In addition to these causes of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases, genetic components, psychological influences as well as certain nutritional and lifestyle habits are also investigated. Crohn’s disease can occur throughout the entire gastrointestinal tract and cause inflammation of the wall mucosa everywhere, while ulcerative colitis is restricted to the colon.

In ulcerative colitis, the inflammation is also restricted to the uppermost layer of the mucous membrane, while in Crohn’s disease it can also spread to deeper layers of the intestinal wall. Both clinical pictures are intermittent, which means that phases without symptoms and almost inflammation alternate with phases of inflammation. Both diseases are in most cases not curable and require a lifelong recurring therapy to cope with the recurring inflammatory attacks.Recurring inflammations in the colon can also cause so-called diverticula.

Diverticula are bulges or bulges of the inner layers of the intestine to the outside. These occur at weak points of the musculature of the intestinal wall, whereby increased pressure in the intestine, such as in constipation or general weakness of the connective tissue, can cause the inner parts to protrude outwards. The resulting small cavities in the intestinal wall can become inflamed and cause abdominal pain due to bacteria growing in them or accumulated food mush. Although the diverticula can occur in all sections, they are most often found at the end of the colon in the S-shaped sigmoid.