Why does colitis happen

Treatment The route of treatment depends on what is causing colitis. Infection: Infections that cause diarrhea and colitis may potentially require antibiotics, depending on the cause. Viral infections require fluids and time. Some bacterial infections, such as Salmonella, do not need antibiotic therapy; the body is able to get rid of the infection on its own.

Other bacterial infections, such as Clostridium difficile, require antibiotic treatment. Anti-inflammatory medications may be used initially and medications that suppress the immune system can be added if necessary.

Surgery may be an option in severe cases, including removal of the colon and small intestine. Ischemic colitis: Treatment for ischemic colitis begins with intravenous fluids to rest the bowel and prevent dehydration.

If sufficient blood supply is not restored, surgery may be needed to remove parts of the bowel that lost blood supply. Diarrhea and abdominal pain: Diarrhea and abdominal pain are the primary symptoms of colitis.

Initial treatment at home may include a clear fluid diet for 24 hours, rest, and Tylenol for pain. The facts about inflammatory bowel diseases. Crohn's and Colitis Foundation. Ulcerative colitis. Accessed Aug. What is ulcerative colitis? Kliegman RM. Inflammatory bowel diseases. In: Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Chronic ulcerative colitis.

Mayo Clinic; Abraham B, et al. Antibiotics and probiotics in inflammatory bowel disease: When to use them? Frontline Gastroenterology. What should I eat? Accessed July 27, Mind-body therapies. Brown A. Allscripts EPSi. Mayo Clinic. June 23, Special IBD diets. Shergill A, et al. Surveillance and management of dysplasia in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

Kashyap PC expert opinion. Kane SV expert opinion. Xeljanz, Xeljanz XR tofacitinib : Drug safety communication — Initial safety trial results find increased risk of serious heart-related problems and cancer with arthritis and ulcerative colitis medicine. Food and Drug Administration. There are two types of microscopic colitis: lymphocytic and collagenous.

With the lymphocytic type, there is a higher number of white blood cells than usual, and the lining of the colon is of a normal thickness. With the collagenous type, the layer of collagen under the epithelium is thicker than usual. The symptoms of each type are similar. A person will typically experience watery diarrhea that does not contain blood. Autoimmune conditions that may be a cause include:. Bile acid malabsorption occurs when the intestines are unable to reabsorb the bile acid.

If it reaches the colon, it can lead to diarrhea. A person may experience abdominal cramping and pain. Within 24 hours , they may notice bloody stools. An older article states that there are three main categories of ischemic colitis:. Most people have the transient type, which causes milder symptoms, but some have the gangrenous type. Gangrenous ischemic colitis is particularly severe.

People with this condition are likely to require surgical intervention when symptoms appear. Learn more about ischemic colitis here. Ischemic colitis occurs due to a lack of blood flow to the colon. This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as heart disease and other conditions that affect blood flow.

When these good bacteria die, often after a person has taken antibiotics , the presence of C. Pseudomembranous colitis can occur due to taking medications that destroy healthy bacteria, such as antibiotics. Colitis can also come from conditions that are not related to IBD. One of these is cytomegalovirus CMV , which is a common strain of the herpes virus. One article notes that symptoms can be nonspecific and mimic those of IBD. However, a person may experience:.

If a person with CMV develops symptoms of colitis, they should contact a doctor as soon as possible. It does not typically cause any symptoms.

Treatment options will depend on the type and severity of symptoms that a person is experiencing. There are different types of medications that a doctor may suggest, including :. Surgery may also be desirable to people who are benefiting from medication but still finding that the condition affects their quality of life.

There is no way to prevent colitis. However, a person can take steps to help manage the condition and reduce its symptoms. Research indicates that people who smoke are twice as likely to experience IBD than people who do not smoke. This is because of a certain protein in the lungs that smoking can activate.

Learn more about natural remedies for managing ulcerative colitis here.