Colitis
Colitis means inflammation of the colon. Causes include infection, inflammatory bowel disease, reduced blood flow, and other conditions.
About colitis
Colitis means inflammation of the colon. Causes include infection, inflammatory bowel disease, reduced blood flow, and other conditions.
What can cause it?
Colitis may result from infection, inflammatory bowel disease, reduced blood flow, medicine effects, radiation, or microscopic inflammation.
Treatment cannot be selected safely until the cause is clearer.
What a patient may notice
Symptoms vary from person to person. Possible signs may include:
- Diarrhea that may contain blood
- Abdominal pain or cramping
- Urgency, fever, fatigue, or dehydration
How clinicians find the cause
Stool studies, blood tests, CT imaging, and sometimes colonoscopy with biopsy identify the type and severity. Recent antibiotics, travel, immune status, and bleeding are important.
Treatment and next steps
- 1
Fluids and electrolyte support may be needed.
- 2
Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory medicine, immune therapy, or surgery are used only for specific causes.
- 3
Anti-diarrheal medicine may be unsafe in severe infectious or inflammatory colitis.
Supporting recovery
- Maintain hydration and record stool frequency, blood, fever, pain, and exposures.
- Avoid leftover antibiotics or anti-diarrheal medicine until a clinician advises.
What to expect
The outlook depends on whether the inflammation comes from infection, inflammatory bowel disease, reduced blood flow, medicine, or another cause. Some episodes resolve after short-term treatment, while chronic inflammatory colitis may flare repeatedly and require long-term medicine and colon monitoring. Worsening pain, bleeding, or swelling requires prompt reassessment.
Possible complications
- Dehydration, electrolyte loss, anemia, or poor nutrition from ongoing diarrhea and bleeding
- Severe bleeding, colon perforation, abdominal infection, or sepsis
- Toxic megacolon or long-term colon damage depending on the type and severity
When to Contact a Medical Professional
A same-day medical evaluation is recommended, especially when symptoms are severe, worsening, or accompanied by fever, vomiting, weakness, or significant pain.
Emergency care is needed for heavy bleeding, severe pain, fainting, confusion, rigid abdomen, severe dehydration, or inability to keep fluids down.Get emergency help for severe trouble breathing, new chest pressure, fainting, seizure, sudden weakness on one side, uncontrolled bleeding, blue or gray lips, or a person who is difficult to wake.
Ways to lower risk
- Food safety and careful antibiotic use reduce some infections.
- Long-term inflammatory colitis needs maintenance treatment and screening.
Trusted health information
This CHS patient-education page uses original wording and links to MedlinePlus for additional information.