Colon Disorders

Common Colon Problems

There are a number of common colon disorders. Some of these colon problemsatively minor and amount to little more than an occasional annoyance or inconvenience. Other colon disorders can be a serious threat to health. 

Here's a list of common colon disorders, diseases and conditions.

Colon cancer More than one hundred thousand people are diagnosed with colon cancer each year in the U.S alone. Symptoms include

• noticeable changes in your bowel habits, including a change in the consistency of your stool for more than a couple of weeks,
• diarrhea,
• constipation,
• a persistent feeling that your bowel doesn't empty completely
• bowel movements accompanied abdomen pain,
• persistent abdominal discomfort, such as cramps, stomach gas or stomach pain,
• unexplained weight loss
• weakness or fatigue 

Constipation Constipation is an indication of some other problem or imbalance in the colon or digestive system. It's not a disease in and of itself. Anyone who has fewer than three bowel movements a week is considered to have constipation. Other symptoms include unusually dry, hard and small stools that may even be painful to pass. Persistent straining during a bowel movement is another symptom.  

Diarrhea This condition is often hard to diagnose because it's often usually gone in a day or two. It can be caused by intolerance to certain foods or medications. It can also be caused by a bacterial, viral, or parasitic infection somewhere in the digestive system. Intestinal disorders that cause diarrhea include:

• Crohn’s disease
• celiac disease
• colitis 
• inflammatory bowel disease
• irritable bowl syndrome or IBS

IBS  or Irritable Bowl Syndrome occurs in the intestines and colon when they fail to properly absorb fluids from the food that passes through them. When the colon absorbs too much fluid, constipation results. When it absorbs too little, diarrhea occurs.

Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome or IBS include cramping, abdominal pain, and stomach bloating, but permanent damage or other colon problems are rare. IBS can often be managed through lifestyle and dietary changes.  

Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis Many people have small pouches in their colons that are known as "diverticula" (plural for diverticulum). When these pouches bulge out through weak spots in the colon wall, the condition is known as diverticulosis. When one of these pouches becomes inflamed or infected, it's known as "diverticulitis."

Of those who get diverticulosis, as many as 1 in 4 will get diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is relatively common in those above age 60.

There are usually no symptoms or discomfort caused by diverticulosis, although there's sometimes mild cramping, bloating, and constipation. Symptoms of diverticulitis, however, include fever, nausea, vomiting, chills, cramping, and constipation.  

Crohn's disease is an inflammatory disorder that can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, but it often strikes in the small intestine. Crohn's disease often appears in younger adults, usually between the ages of 20 and 30. There also seems to be a genetic or hereditary factor. Diarrhea and abdominal discomfort are common with Crohn's.

There may also be

• arthritis,
• persistent rectal bleeding that could even lead to anemia,
• skin problems, and
• weight loss.

Ulcerative colitis This is an inflammatory bowel disease or IBD, that causes ulcers in the lining of the colon and rectum. These ulcers bleed and produce pus. Diarrhea and frequent bowel movements are typical symptoms. Ulcerative colitis often begins between the ages of 15 and 30, although it can occur at any stage of life. Approximately 5 percent of those with ulcerative colitis will develop colon cancer.  

Celiac disease  A person with celiac disease cannot tolerate gluten, which is found in barley, wheat and rye. Gluten causes their immune system to respond adversely. Typical symptoms are weight loss, chronic diarrhea, vomiting, light foul-smelling stool, abdominal pain, irritability bloating and other colon disorders.  

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