Everything you need to know about bowel disease

The basic tests for frequent abdominal pain and problems with the digestive system are: ultrasound of the abdominal cavity, blood count, examination for the presence of blood in the stool, possibly abdominal tomography and colonoscopy.

Viral and bacterial infections are the most common causes of abdominal pain and rapid diarrhea. They are often accompanied by high fever and malaise. Rotavirus infections are common in children. In adults, gastrointestinal infections are caused by noroviruses and enteroviruses. This disease is often mistakenly called stomach flu, it usually lasts 4-5 days. Bacterial infections in our climate are mainly caused by Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli and staphylococci.

The disease was formerly called intestinal neurosis, spastic bowel, and functional disturbance of the intestine. The current name is irritable bowel syndrome. It is the most frequently diagnosed disease of the gastrointestinal tract, affecting mainly women (70% of patients) aged 30-45 years. It manifests itself, among others frequent pain in the lower abdomen, alternating constipation and diarrhea, a feeling of incomplete bowel movements. In addition to pharmacological treatment, psychotherapeutic methods such as relaxation techniques, yoga and meditation bring good results.

Diverticula are pouch-like pockets that protrude from the smooth muscles of the colon. They arise where the muscles are weakest and where the blood vessels penetrate them. Many people are unaware that they have diverticulosis, although it is quite common. Inflammation of the intestine is dangerous. When the infection spreads and an abscess forms, peritonitis can develop. Symptoms include lower left abdominal pain, fever, nausea, loss of appetite and fatigue. Some patients may develop constipation and others may suffer from diarrhea.

Appendicitis is manifested by sudden abdominal pain, often around the navel. It is accompanied by nausea, often vomiting. In the following hours, these pains change their initial location and spread to the area of ​​the right iliac fossa. Then they become sharper and clearer. The worsening of the pain makes the patient most likely to lie down with their legs tucked up or on their right side. The body temperature rises gradually, however, not exceeding 37,5–38,5 ° C. The heart rate is quite significantly accelerated. Such a condition usually requires rapid surgical intervention.

Polyps are structures that bulge towards the lumen of the digestive tract. They can appear singly or in groups. Usually – in the initial period – they show the cellular structure of a benign tumor, e.g. adenoma, lipoma, myoma, fibroma or hemangioma. Their incidence and number increase with age. Polyps may be asymptomatic for a long time. Some polyps can become malignant if left untreated.

The disease is caused by the formation of numerous ulcerations in the mucosa of the large intestine on the basis of the inflammatory reaction and micro-lesions. These ulcers are prone to bleeding, secondary infections, deepening and even perforation of the intestinal wall. The disease manifests itself by frequent and painful diarrhea, flatulence. Untreated, it leads to general organism weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss, and immunodeficiency.

Crohn’s disease is a chronic, troublesome inflammation that develops for an unknown reason at the border of the small intestine with the large intestine. Often the surface of the mucosa ulcerates. A characteristic feature of this disease is its chronic course with periods of exacerbation and relief of symptoms. The disease process causes inflammation outside the intestine, leading to the formation of adhesions and various nodular formations, causing intestinal constriction and difficulty in passing intestinal contents. The disease manifests itself by severe pain in the middle or lower abdomen. They are often accompanied by recurrent diarrhea often containing mucus or blood, abdominal distension, progressive emaciation, increasing anemia, lack of appetite and fever.

The diagnosis of cancer in the intestines is often made difficult by the stealthy course in the early stages of the disease. In the further course of the disease, there is usually persistent, gradually increasing anemia and pale skin, weight loss, pain in the abdominal cavity, increasing obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, and stool disorders of the type of diarrhea (with an admixture of blood and mucus), alternating with constipation. Early symptoms that may suggest colorectal cancer include: a change in the rhythm and consistency of bowel movements, a progressive narrowing (thinning) of the faecal mass, which may look like a ‘pencil’ or ‘ribbon’, worsening constipation, pain and difficulty passing feces.

Colonoscopy is the basic prophylaxis towards the early detection of colorectal cancer. Every person over 35 should do them. It is worth knowing that the risk group also includes people who have been suffering from inflammatory bowel disease for a long time (Crohn’s disease, Colitis ulcerosa), have or have had a detected intestinal polyp, or have observed blood in the stool.