Colitis

Thursday, 03 March 2005 13:48
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Colitis is inflammation of the colon. It causes painful cramping, diarrhoea,
sometimes blood in the stool, and may cause the urge to eliminate (empty
the rectum) constantly.

Colitis tends to affect young to early middle-aged people, women more
than men.

It may be mild or severe depending on whether the inflammation leads to
ulcers: this condition being called Ulcerative colitis. (UC)

Causes of non-specific colitis include stress, food allergies and poor eating
habits.

Antibiotic-associated colitis: (pseudomembranous colitis) is caused by colonisation of the colon by an organism called Clostridium difficile, which
may occur after antibiotic therapy. (especially clindamycin): usually it is an
acute condition but it may become chronic; treatment is oral vancomycin or metronidazole.