Collagenous Colitis

What’s collagenous colitis?

Collagenous colitis (CC) is a situation that impacts your massive gut. It results in episodes of watery diarrhea and stomach ache.

Your massive gut is a part of your digestive (gastrointestinal or GI) tract. The GI tract goes out of your mouth all the best way to your rectal opening. The massive gut consists of each the colon and the rectum. The massive gut receives the broken-down merchandise of meals from the small gut. One in every of its major jobs is to reabsorb water and electrolytes, equivalent to salt. The colon results in the rectum. The rectum shops your bowel actions earlier than your physique eliminates them.

In CC, inflammatory cells out of your immune system journey to your massive gut. As soon as there, they trigger swelling and irritation. In uncommon instances, these cells additionally go into the latter a part of your small gut.

This irritation might maintain your massive gut from reabsorbing as a lot water because it ought to. This may result in diarrhea, stomach ache, and different signs. The irritation can also trigger additional collagen to construct up within the wall of your small gut. Collagen is a stretchy, supportive substance.

CC is one kind of inflammatory bowel illness (IBD). IBD is group of situations that trigger irritation in both the small or massive gut. CC is a sort of microscopic colitis. Microscopic colitis is irritation of the massive gut that may be seen solely by a microscope. The opposite major kind of microscopic colitis is lymphocytic colitis. Some specialists suppose lymphocytic colitis and CC may be the identical sickness offered in several methods.

CC is fairly unusual. It’s extra frequent in older adults. However it could have an effect on youthful adults and youngsters. It’s additionally seen extra in girls than in males.

What causes collagenous colitis?

Consultants try to know what causes the irritation of the massive gut that results in CC. Some individuals suppose that one thing within the GI tract units off this irregular immune response. This may be micro organism, pollen, or meals.

Taking sure medicines can also set off the situation in some individuals. These medicines can embrace:

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine. These embrace aspirin, naproxen, and ibuprofen.

• Acid reflux disease medicines

• Excessive ldl cholesterol medicines

• Diabetes medicines

• Medicines to deal with despair

• Hypertension medicines

Sure micro organism might set off CC in some individuals. You might need your first episode after getting sick from micro organism. These can embrace Campylobacter jejuni or Clostridium difficile. Toxins in these micro organism might hurt the interior floor of your massive gut. This may trigger irritation. Some specialists suppose sure viruses can also play a job in CC.

Meals will not be clearly proved to be a reason for collagenous colitis, however sure meals might make CC signs worse. These can embrace caffeine and milk merchandise.  

Who’s in danger for collagenous colitis?

Having sure well being points might enhance your danger for the illness. These embrace:

• Diabetes

• Celiac illness

• Thyroid illness

• Irritable bowel syndrome

Being a smoker might enhance your danger for the situation. Smoking interferes with the blood movement that your intestines want. Your danger for CC can also be larger if somebody in your loved ones has the situation or one other inflammatory bowel illness.

What are the signs of collagenous colitis?

The primary symptom of CC is watery diarrhea. This diarrhea doesn’t have blood. You might have a number of of those watery bowel actions every day. This may occasionally final for weeks or months. For most individuals, this diarrhea goes away for some time, however then it comes again later.

Different signs of CC might embrace:

How is collagenous colitis recognized?

You could have to see a gastroenterologist. This healthcare supplier has particular coaching to deal with issues with the digestive system.  

Your healthcare supplier will ask you about your well being historical past and your signs. Your supplier will provide you with an examination, together with an examination of your stomach.

Your healthcare supplier will rule out different causes of your diarrhea. These can embrace an an infection or one other inflammatory bowel illness.

Your healthcare supplier may even do different checks. These might embrace:

• Blood checks, equivalent to these to examine for anemia

• Blood checks to examine for an infection

• Checks for celiac illness

• Stool evaluation to examine for irritation or an infection

You may additionally want a colonoscopy. This take a look at seems to be on the lining of your colon and rectum. It makes use of a light-weight and a tiny digital camera.

The colon usually seems to be regular on a colonoscopy. Through the colonoscopy, your healthcare supplier can take out a small pattern of tissue out of your colon. That is known as a biopsy. The tissue is checked out beneath a microscope to see in case you have CC.

How is collagenous colitis handled?

Your healthcare supplier might prescribe medicines and counsel food regimen modifications to deal with your CC.

What are potential issues of collagenous colitis?

Not like different types of inflammatory bowel illness, CC doesn’t appear to extend your danger for colon most cancers. It doesn’t enhance your danger of dying from any trigger.

When ought to I name my healthcare supplier?

Name your healthcare supplier in case your signs don’t go away with remedy. Your healthcare supplier might change your remedy plan.

Key factors about collagenous colitis

• CC is a situation that impacts your massive gut. It results in episodes of watery diarrhea and stomach ache.

• Bacterial and viral infections and sure medicines might set off CC in some individuals. However usually the trigger is not identified.

• You might have a colonoscopy to diagnose this situation. Throughout this take a look at, your healthcare supplier might take out a pattern of your massive gut and have a look at it by a microscope.

• You could have to take medicines to deal with your situation. You may additionally have to keep away from sure meals and medicines that set off your signs.

Subsequent steps

Ideas that can assist you get essentially the most from a go to to your healthcare supplier:

• Know the rationale on your go to and what you need to occur.

• Earlier than your go to, write down questions you need answered.

• Carry somebody with you that can assist you ask questions and keep in mind what your supplier tells you.

• On the go to, write down the identify of a brand new prognosis and any new medicines, therapies, or checks. Additionally write down any new directions your supplier provides you.

• Know why a brand new drugs or remedy is prescribed and the way it will enable you to. Additionally know what the negative effects are.

• Ask in case your situation may be handled in different methods.

• Know why a take a look at or process is advisable and what the outcomes may imply.

• Know what to anticipate if you don’t take the medication or have the take a look at or process.

• When you’ve got a follow-up appointment, write down the date, time, and objective for that go to.

• Know how one can contact your healthcare supplier in case you have questions, particularly after workplace hours or on weekends and holidays.