Important Things To Learn About Colon Health
Maintaining colon health is part of your effort to keep your digestive system working. The colon, also called the large intestine, is responsible for making and storing stools. It is a tube that is hollow and is five feet long found at the end of the digestive tract. There are a number of conditions that hamper the colon's performance as the last part of the body's digestive system. These conditions include colon cancer, diverticulosis, diverticulitis, colitis, among others. Irritable bowels, including constipation, also affect the colon, although they are not as serious as the ones first mentioned.
The Function Of The Colon
What is the role of the colon in your digestive system? The colon’s main role is to convert about three pints of liquid waste it receives per day into solid waste and prepares it for its exit from body through the anus. The colon, therefore, coordinates closely with the rectum, that part just above the anus, to make bowels smooth and easy. A normal person needs to maintain colon health in order to pass solid stool in a normal way. That means about 150 grams of stool every day, depending on how often a person does his bowel movements.
One of the most common disorders affecting the colon and the rectum is constipation. When a person suffers from constipation, his bowel appears normal when in fact it is not functioning well. In constipation, the stools are hard, small, difficult and infrequent.
There are several causes for constipation. The list includes a diet that lacks fiber, lack of oral fluid, the habit of delaying the bowel movement, and slow movement in the large intestine.
If you suffer from constipation, you may exert more effort to pass stools, creating other problems like cracks in the tissue lining of the anus and haemorrhoids. To treat constipation, you will be advised to add more fiber in your diet. If that doesn’t work, you will be told to take laxatives.
Irritable Bowel
Another condition that prevents normal functioning of the colon is irritable bowel. In this condition, the muscle of the colon contracts abnormally, which results in either diarrhea or constipation, or sometimes a mix of both constipation and diarrhea.
The contraction results in pressure building up in the colon, which in turn results in cramps in the abdomen area, bloating and gas. Certain types of food will have to be avoided to treat the problem, along with medication and management of stress. .
Structural Disorders Affecting Colon Health
Structural disorders are those conditions where the abnormality can be seen and has to be removed, repaired or altered by way of surgery. This is particularly true when the condition is diverticulitis, colitis or colon cancer.
Diverticulitis is the condition resulting from diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is a condition where pouches develop in the inner walls of the colon. These pouches are called diverticula. When the diverticula are inflamed and infected, diverticulitis happens.
Another structural disorder affecting the colon is colitis. It is the condition where the colon is inflamed. Among the various causes of colitis are lack of blood supply, autoimmune reactions and infections.
All these diverticular conditions are common people from Western countries and are rare in other parts of the world, especially Asia. Lack of fiber in the Western diet has long been held to have something to do with the prevalence of these conditions in Western societies. Western diets are mostly low in fiber and high in fats, especially processed foods. The Asian diet, on the other hand, generally has high-fiber content from fruits and vegetables.
The first cases of diverticular diseases where recorded in the turn of the 20th century, when processed foods started to be included as staple in Western diet.
Almost half of people with diverticulitis or colitis need to be operated on. The rest are treated with medications and therapy to prevent complications.
Polyps, Colon Cancer
One of the major colon health problems in the US today is colon cancer. Cancer of the colon and rectum happens when the growth and division of the lining cells of the large intestine cannot be controlled anymore. There are several contributory factors in the development of colon cancer. Most of common of these are found in one’s diet, some are found in the environment while are inherited from the parents.
A polyp is a tiny growth that has the form of a mushroom that protrudes from the lining of the large intestine. Not all polyps can become cancerous. However, polyps have to be removed before they become cancer. Facing a particular risk of developing colon cancer are people who have had a medical history with polyps and cancer. Also at risk are people who have relatives who suffer from the condition in the past.
When polyp develops into cancer, doctors will recommend its removal through surgery. Chemotherapy is also oftentimes recommended. In some cases, radiation medication is required for cancer of the rectum.
Prompt Treatment Necessary
There have been a lot of people cured from their colorectal cancers. These patients were saved because of immediate action done about their condition. Many colon cancer victims worry about having a bag attached to their abdomen to gather stool, or colostomy. However, it is seldom that a patient will have a colostomy that is permanent.
Many conditions affecting the rectum and colon can be stopped or controlled through early medical treatment and prompt diagnosis. Colon cancer is a disease that can be prevented. Discussing the matter with the doctor is necessary. A patient should not hide anything from his doctor to make way for a thorough evaluation of his condition, especially if the patient has a history of cancer in his family.
Health Diet, Healthy Lifestyle
There are varied, sometimes contradicting, theories on the cause of diverticular diseases. What’s best is for the person to keep a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle to keep colon health problems at bay. A regular visit to the doctor, even if you are not suspecting of any condition, is also a highly recommended practice.
Colon Health
Physicians recommend screening for colon cancer after the age of 50. Even healthy individuals with no history of colon cancer, colon polyps, other bowel problems or bleeding should have a colonoscopy.
Colonoscopy is a procedure used to see inside the colon and rectum. Colonoscopy can detect inflamed tissue, ulcers, and abnormal growths. The procedure is used to look for early signs of colorectal cancer and can help doctors diagnose unexplained changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, bleeding from the anus, and weight loss.
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