Inflammation of the intestine (enteritis)

Again and again people of different ages and genders suffer from inflammatory processes in the intestine, which is colloquially known as Intestinal inflammation referred to as. Many people experience this condition more often in life.

What is bowel inflammation?

The intestinal inflammation, which like all inflammatory diseases is referred to by the ending -itis, takes place in the intestine. The intestinal inflammation, which is also under the names inflammatory or infectious or non-infectious bowel disease or medically exactly as Enteritis mainly affects the small intestine area within the complex intestinal structure.

If the stomach is involved in an inflammation of the small intestine (enteritis), it is referred to as gastroenteritis. If the large intestine is also affected by the inflammatory impairment in the case of intestinal inflammation, then the term enterocolitis is characteristic.

With the deviating courses of intestinal inflammation, both the acute and the chronic, infectious and non-contagious forms are typical.

causes

Acute intestinal inflammation is triggered by various disease-causing microorganisms such as types of bacteria, viruses, animal parasites and forms of fungus. In this context, both salmonella and fungi can be found in acute intestinal inflammation.

These are particularly present in physically weak patients with a reduced immune system.

Intestinal inflammation can also result from treatment for cancer with radiation or chemotherapy. Allergens can also be considered as the cause of intestinal inflammation.

Chronic intestinal inflammation is known as Crohn's disease and is caused by genetic defects, excessive demands on the psyche and other triggers that have not yet been adequately researched.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

Intestinal inflammation can manifest itself through various symptoms.Depending on the cause of the disease and the patient's constitution, symptoms such as nausea and vomiting may occur. The gastrointestinal complaints occur a few days after the illness and usually at intervals. This means that the person affected can initially be symptom-free, but the next day suffer from severe stomach pain and diarrhea.

In enteritis, the pain often occurs together with diarrhea, which is the typical sign of intestinal inflammation. In addition, stomach cramps can occur, which often radiate into the chest area and usually last for several minutes to hours. Leg cramps and twitching are also typical. Fever can also occur. It usually manifests itself through sweating, circulatory problems and increasing malaise.

At the same time, those affected often feel very tired and listless. The loss of fluid leads to circulatory problems, dehydration and other complications. In severe cases, a circulatory collapse occurs.

Chronic illnesses can lead to problems with bowel movements. Some patients experience intermittent incontinence or constipation. In the long term, an intestinal inflammation also has a negative effect on the mental state of those affected and causes, for example, depression and anxiety.

course

The respective symptoms of intestinal inflammation occur depending on the causes and the physical conditions of the person affected with different intensity and duration. Classic symptoms of an intestinal inflammation are general symptoms such as nausea, more or less frequent vomiting and cramp-like pain in the intestines and stomach.

In the case of bowel inflammation or enteritis, the pain usually occurs at the same time as diarrhea. In addition, diarrhea is a fundamental sign of bowel inflammation. As the disease progresses, intestinal inflammation may develop fever and general weakness.

The heavy loss of water causes circulatory problems due to dehydration or dehydration and an imbalance in the acid-base balance. If left untreated, these conditions can lead to circulatory collapse and life-threatening conditions. This is particularly to be feared in weakened people such as children and elderly people with bowel inflammation.

When should you go to the doctor?

Persistent pain in the abdomen for several days is unusual and should be investigated. If the symptoms spread or if they intensify, a doctor's visit is necessary. If diarrhea occurs repeatedly even though the food intake was balanced, rich in vitamins and low in fat, further examinations should be carried out by a doctor. If you experience additional symptoms, such as vomiting, cramps or fever, you must see a doctor.

If, due to the complaints, the daily obligations can no longer be carried out as usual, there is cause for concern. If the person concerned suffers from general weakness and lack of energy for several days, he needs medical care. Before taking over-the-counter medication, it is always advisable to consult a doctor. This is the only way to ensure that there are no further undesirable complications. If the person concerned avoids the consumption of meals due to the symptoms or an unusual weight loss develops, further illnesses threaten.

In order to prevent an undersupply of the organism or an eating disorder, a doctor is required. In many cases, a change in behavior can be noticed in the person concerned. People around them notice increased irritability, inner restlessness or restlessness. A doctor should be consulted, as inflammation is often a high risk of infection and spread.

Doctors & therapists in your area

Treatment & Therapy

The treatment of intestinal inflammation is primarily about reducing the symptoms. In addition to various medications, which mainly include antibiotics, an appropriate diet and an abundant intake of mineral-containing fluids should achieve a speedy recovery. Medicines against persistent diarrhea are also popular for intestinal inflammation.

If patients feel unable to eat and drink because of their weakness and persistent vomiting, then IV fluids are also used for bowel inflammation. Numerous medication administrations are also required to reduce the risk of threatening conditions. In this context, drugs that stabilize the circulation, prevent thrombosis and prevent embolism, are important for thinning the blood in the case of intestinal inflammation.

If the patients suffer from chronic intestinal inflammation, Crohn's disease, a specific therapy is given to alleviate the symptoms that occur in attacks. In addition to effective drugs, this includes special dietary food and the avoidance of ingredients in food that promote intestinal inflammation.

In addition to the treatment methods relevant to conventional medicine, alternative healing methods are often recommended primarily for chronic intestinal inflammation or after an intestinal inflammation caused by cancer treatment.

Outlook & forecast

The prognosis for intestinal inflammation is usually favorable. With medication, the symptoms are relieved within a few days. Symptoms are free after 1-2 weeks.

In most cases, the inflammation is caused by the novovirus. This dies off after a short time. If the immune system is intact, there is also an improvement in health without medical treatment. The healing path is however longer. If the intestinal inflammation is triggered by mild food poisoning, the symptoms can go away within a few hours. Most of the time, the affected person feels uncomfortable for 1-2 days, until then full recovery occurs.

Serious food poisoning can be life-threatening. Immediate treatment is necessary to ensure the patient's survival. If the patient suffers from amoebic dysentery, healing takes several weeks.

If there is an allergic reaction, the inflammation recedes once the stimulus does not trigger. Often times, improvement occurs within a few hours or days. If the cause of the intestinal inflammation is radiation that is initiated as part of cancer therapy, the intestinal activity only regenerates after the end of the therapy period. The healing process takes several months for these patients.

prevention

A large number of preventive measures are helpful in avoiding the debilitating diarrhea and vomiting associated with intestinal inflammation. In addition, appropriate hygienic measures and the reduction of the contamination of food with the inflammation-causing microorganisms and fungi ensure good prevention.

In order not to get infected in people who suffer from infectious bowel inflammation, in addition to general hygienic measures, special regulations in connection with disinfection should also be observed.

In addition, correct handling of food and avoiding the ingestion of food contaminated with germs ensure that prophylaxis of intestinal inflammation is possible.

Aftercare

For most people, symptoms go away within a few days. Since the mucous membranes in the intestine are often irritated for a long time, complete regeneration usually takes one to two weeks. It is advisable to maintain a high-fiber and high-fiber diet and regular exercise during and in the weeks following recovery. Children in particular should drink enough and slowly get used to solid foods again.

Spicy foods, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages should also be avoided. They unnecessarily burden the intestinal system. Greasy dishes should also be avoided as far as possible; their share in the menu should only be increased slowly. Water, teas and fruit juice spritzers help the body to recover.

It is also important to pay close attention to hygiene when preparing food and to wash your hands carefully beforehand. This can prevent re-enteritis. If the symptoms of enteritis persist and everyday life is severely impaired, a doctor should definitely be consulted again. This is especially true for children who tend to become dehydrated with prolonged diarrhea.

You can do that yourself

Short-term fasting relieves the digestive system and, in the case of acute intestinal inflammation, is often the only way to improve it. The only thing that is avoided is solid food - sufficient fluid intake is extremely important to prevent the body from drying out. Chamomile tea and fennel tea soothe the irritated intestines, the tannins contained in black tea have a slightly constipating effect.

With severe diarrhea, many electrolytes are lost, which can be replaced with special electrolyte mixtures from the pharmacy. Alternatively, a low-fat, lightly salted chicken broth is also suitable as an electrolyte donor. When the diarrhea subsides, you can go back to a solid diet after one to two days of fasting.

Rusks and gruel are easy to digest, and bananas, cooked carrots and grated apples are usually well tolerated. Abdominal cramps can be relieved by placing a hot water bottle or a cherry stone pillow on it, avoiding stress and taking it easy on the body promote healing.

If there is no improvement within a few days, the family doctor should be consulted: A visit to the doctor should not be delayed too long due to the threat of dehydration, especially for babies, small children and older people. In the case of chronic enteritis, a specially tailored diet can reduce the incidence of recurring inflammation. Those affected receive support in coping with everyday life in a self-help group.