The sigmoid colon is the part of the large intestine that's closest to a person's rectum and anus. The sigmoid colon is about 16 inches long and usually lies within the pelvic bowl. Certain colon diseases can affect the sigmoid colon and cause significant health problems.
Diverticular Disease
Colon diverticulosis is a common condition, affecting approximately 50 percent of Americans by the age of 60 and almost all Americans by the age of 80, according to the American Society of Colon & Rectal Surgeons. Diverticular disease describes symptomatic diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is the presence of pockets, or diverticula, in the walls of the sigmoid colon and other parts of the colon. Diverticulitis is inflammation or complications of these pockets. In most cases, especially uncomplicated cases, diverticular disease does not have any symptoms. Most diverticular disease-related symptoms are caused by diverticulitis or an infection of the diverticula. Possible symptoms associated with diverticulitis include the following: abdominal pain, fever, chills, changes in bowel habits, bowel perforation or rupture, abscess and fistula formation--an abnormal connection between the colon and another part of the body.
Sigmoid Colon Cancer
Colon cancer is a disease in which malignant or aggressive cancer cells form in the tissues of the colon, including the sigmoid colon. Risk factors for developing colon cancer include being over 50 years of age, a family history of colon cancer, a personal history of colon, rectum, ovarian, endometrial or breast cancer, and a personal history of colon polyps--fleshy growths in the lining of the colon that can become cancerous. Common colon cancer-related signs and symptoms include: a change in bowel habits, bloody stools, the sensation of incomplete bowel evacuation, diarrhea or constipation, cramps, bloating, unexplained weight loss, fatigue and vomiting. Sigmoidoscopy--the use of a sigmoidoscope inserted through the rectum into the sigmoid colon--is a common diagnostic procedure to scan the sigmoid colon for polyps, abnormal areas or cancer.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, in which the large intestine's inner lining becomes inflamed, swollen and prone to ulcers. The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center states that ulcerative colitis-related inflammation typically manifests in the sigmoid colon before other areas of the large intestine. When the large intestine's lining becomes inflamed, the body is unable to absorb water into the blood stream, causing diarrhea. Over time, the ulcerative colitis-related inflammation spreads to other parts of the large intestine. Ulcerative colitis does not affect a person's small intestine. There is no known cause of ulcerative colitis. The disease most often affects people between the ages of 15 and 30 and 50 and 70.
