Digestive diseases affect millions each year, with disturbance of the colon representing a significant portion of medical visits. Chronic conditions including diverticular disease, inflammatory bowel diseases and polyps are structural colon abnormalities often requiring intensive medical treatment. Constipation and irritable bowel syndrome are functional disorders that do not cause anatomical abnormalities but create pain and discomfort. Diet plays an important role in helping you manage or deter symptom flare-ups when living with a diseased...
Certain vitamins and minerals may prevent or reduce the risk of colon diseases. Consult your doctor about your health and benefits of vitamins and minerals for colon disease.
Diseases that involve the small intestine, colon or rectum may require surgery to remove certain sections of your bowel. Since waste still needs a way to exit your body, ostomy surgery is performed to create an artificial open...
The colon is responsible for transforming the 3 pints of liquid waste it receives every day into the manageable solid waste known as stool and storing it until the body is ready to evacuate the stool. Disease prevents the colon...
Ninety percent of polyps develop in patients older than 50, reports Anne Charette, RN, MSN of Tufts University on Up To Date. Polyps can become cancerous, although malignant processes normally take about 10 years, Charette stat...
In order to eliminate waste, the sigmoid colon has to contract. Such contraction results in colon lumen narrowing at both ends and pressure increase, which is amplified by voluntary straining of the pelvic muscles. The main cau...
Diseases of the colon in infants may occur for a variety of reasons. Some conditions are a result of infection, others may relate to a food sensitivity or allergy, and still others occur for reasons that are unclear. Although ...
There are many disorders that can affect the sigmoid colon. The sigmoid colon is an S-shaped portion of the colon near its terminal end, according to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse website. The websit...
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...
Numerous diseases are associated with the ascending colon. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, or NIH, the digestive system consists of a series of tubes that run from the m...
There are numerous rare colon diseases. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, the colon, also known as the large intestine, is a long, hollow tube at the terminal end of a per...
Although the gastrointestinal system possesses several mechanisms to protect its organs, intestinal infections remain a common malady. In the United States, bacteria and, less commonly, parasitic worms cause most infectious dis...
The duodenum signals the stomach to stop emptying and aids in digestion and nutrient absorption. The jejunum and ileum aid in absorption of fats and other nutrients, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. The la...
The anus is the opening at the end of the digestive tract where the fecal matter gets expelled from the body. There are a number of diseases that can affect the ability of the colon and the anus to work properly.
Contagious disease of the colon typically causes diarrhea and abdominal cramping. Most of these diseases resolve on their own and are not life-threatening. A few have serious consequences associated with them. Clostriudium diff...
The colon, or large intestine, absorbs water and salts while moving fecal material toward the rectum. Disruption of normal colon structure and function can occur with a variety of medical conditions. Congenital defects, interru...
The colon absorbs up to three pints of water a day plus nutrients, and consolidates waste products so they can be expelled in feces, the Cleveland Clinic explains. Many disease processes can affect the colon; symptoms vary depe...
The primary functions of the colon are absorption of water and salt and transport of fecal material to the rectum. Infection, inflammation and structural and functional abnormalities can cause different colon diseases. Physical...
Many types of bacteria can inhabit or infect the human body. Those that live harmlessly in or on the body are colonizers. Bacteria that cause disease are pathogens. Certain bacteria may be colonizers, but can cause disease unde...
Even doctors cannot always tell what the problem is until several tests and procedures are completed. Once the affected area is pinpointed as the colon, or large intestine, some possibilities can be ruled out. Distinguishing t...
The cells in these polyps, however, have already begun to grow rapidly, which means that they are abnormal and could become cancerous. There are four types of polyps. Inflammatory polyps are common in patients with inflammatory...
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) reports that the colon, also called the large intestine, is approximately five feet long. The main function of the colon is to absorb salt and water ...
A diseased colon can cause major issues in a person's digestive tract. Depending on the severity of the disease, a person may experience anything from a slight discomfort to death. Knowing the signs of a diseased colon can go a...
The rectum is the last part of the digestive system, and the colon, which is also called the large intestine, precedes it. Food passes into the colon from the small intestine. Water and nutrients are absorbed into the body, the...
The first part of the large bowel is the colon, and it is in this location that water is absorbed into the body from digested food. The rectum is the second part of the large bowel and this is the sight where feces is stored be...
When many people hear the term "colon disease," they tend to think about colon cancer and the preventive measures older adults may take to screen for the disease. Colon disease is not restricted to adults and is not always canc...
