Dr. Ajay Choksey

Colitis is characterized by an inflammation of the large intestine (colon). It is generally caused due to the reduced blood supply, autoimmune reactions (wherein the immune system erroneously starts attacking the body’s healthy tissues) and infections in the large intestine.

Symptoms of colitis

1. Presence of blood traces in the stool.
2. Acute colitis can itself be a symptom of hemorrhoids (inflamed and swollen veins in the anus or the rectum)
3. Tenesmus (constant urge to empty the bowels) is also quite common
4. The occurrence of abdominal pain in regular intervals, thus resulting in diarrhea
5. Constant abdominal pain
6. Fever and sudden chills throughout the day

Types of colitis

1. Infectious colitis: Caused due to certain bacterial or parasitic infections
2. Inflammatory bowel disease: This condition is characterized by inflammation of the intestines or all the parts of one’s digestive tract
3. Microscopic colitis: This involves inflammation of the large intestine (colon), resulting in a cramping sensation that can be painful
4. Ischeamic colitis - This is commonly seen in older patients.
5. Chemical colitis: This condition is caused due to prolonged exposure to certain harsh chemicals which results in intestinal swelling and inflammation

Treatment for colitis

1. Based on your condition, acetaminophen can be recommended by your doctor to ease the pain
2. The drug ‘Loperamide’ can control diarrhea. However, this should not be consumed if there is presence of blood in the stool. However, be very careful and do not take this medicine without consulting your doctor as it can have serious negative effects. 
3. Colitis reduces your appetite. Thus, it is important to maintain a healthy diet in this regard. Avoid consuming dairy products or high fiber foods because they further inflame the large intestine.
4. Colectomy (surgically removing a part of the whole of the colon) is recommended in the most severe of cases.

The term cirrhosis refers to liver scarring due to various diseases and conditions such as chronic alcoholism and hepatitis. Each time the liver gets injured, it tries to repair itself, resulting in the formation of the scar tissue. With the progression of cirrhosis, a number of tissues generate making the task of liver difficult. Since the liver is an important organ of the body due to its functionalities such as detoxification and nutrient generation, reduced function of liver poses a serious threat to the body.

Symptoms of liver cirrhosis:
Unfortunately, cirrhosis doesn’t portray any conspicuous symptoms that can be easily identified until the scarring has reached a level of threat. Some of the common signs and symptoms of this disease include fatigue, nausea, itchy skin, drowsiness, enlarged breasts, testicular atrophy, fluid in the abdomen, bleeding from the mouth, leg swelling, redness in palms etc.

Causes of liver cirrhosis:
There could be an array of reasons for the occurrence of liver cirrhosis. The major causes include an accumulation of fat in the liver, chronic alcoholism and chronic hepatitis. Some of the other reasons include cystic fibrosis, bile duct deformation, Wilson’s disease, hemochromatosis, schistosomiasis, continuous consumption of medicines such as methotrexate, a disease involving glycogen storage and Aalagille syndrome.

Complications involved in Liver Cirrhosis:

1. Swelling of abdomen and legs: Portal hypertension can result in accumulation of fluid in the leg and the abdomen due to the liver’s inability to producing an important protein known as the albumin.
2. Spleen enlargement: Portal hypertension is responsible for changing the shape of the spleen. Decreased count of WBC and the platelets indicate towards portal hypertension and cirrhosis.
3. Bleeding: Liver Cirrhosis causes slow blood flow through the veins of the intestine and liver and hence increases portal pressure while actually decreasing blood pressure . Portal hypertension doesn’t let the blood flow in its normal path. It directs the blood to flow through smaller veins. The veins, in turn, swell and burst to cause a massive amount of bleeding.

Apart from these some of the other complications involve jaundice, liver cancer, infections, bone diseases and liver failure.

Diagnosis:
Liver cirrhosis doesn’t get detected easily. It is often diagnosed with a routine blood test. Some of the lab tests that can help to identify cirrhosis include blood work to check organ function of liver and kidney. Your doctor might suggest other tests such as MRI scan, CT scan or liver biopsy.

Treatment:
Treatment for the underlying cause of liver cirrhosis is done to keep the disease under control. A doctor might treat you for weight loss, alcohol dependency, complications related to hepatitis, portal hypertension and hepatic encephalopathy. For advanced cases where the liver stops functioning, a doctor might suggest a patient go for a liver transplant.