Colitis is one disorder that is always confused with other disorders like Crohn’s and Irritable bowel syndrome.
Colitis in simple terms means inflammation of the membrane lining the colon.
Causes could be varied and manifestations differ from person to person.
Symptoms are intermittent and have no fixed pattern. This makes it very difficult to predict when the next flare-up would occur.
Common symptoms include an urgency to pass stool which contains a lot of mucus and blood at times. This is associated with bloating of the abdomen.
Bowel habits oscillate between constipation and diarrhea at times making it very difficult to diagnose the condition.
Over a period of time there is weight loss as well due to persistent loose motions.
The mainstay of treatment is to prevent flare ups and improve the quality of life for the individual suffering from this condition.
Conventional therapy recommends use of anti inflammatory and steroids for colitis. These are temporary solutions and have other side effects.
One should always adopt a holistic approach in treating Colitis. It has been demonstrated that colitis symptoms are related to the mind. All this has to be considered while treating the person.
All this combined with a balanced diet and fluid intake can help one overcome this disorder.