The abdominal pain of colitis is generally dull or colicky, often located in the lower left abdomen or around the navel. Other symptoms include poor appetite, bloating, nausea, vomiting and enlarged liver; tenderness may be found in the digestive organs of the lower left abdomen, sometimes a spastic colon can be palpated. Common systemic symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, fever, anemia, etc. Some patients may experience sudden deterioration during the chronic course of the disease or present with explosive onset at the initial stage, manifested by severe diarrhea (10-30 times per day), passing stools containing blood, pus, mucus, high fever, vomiting, tachycardia, exhaustion, dehydration, electrolyte disturbance, confusion, even colonic perforation, which could lead to death if not treated promptly.
The main hazards of colitis are as follows:
1. Rectal polyps cancer: Most rectal polyps have no symptoms, and most patients are found during routine colonoscopy. Most polyps occur in adults over 40 years old, especially adult males. Rectal polyps refer to raised lesions on the rectal mucosa, which are generally soft in texture. They can be single or multiple. The rectum is covered with polyps of varying sizes, with most polyps having a diameter of about 1 cm. In recent years, it has been believed that colorectal cancer originates from polyps, therefore, rectal polyps as precancerous lesions, have received more attention.
2. Rectal cancer: Rectal cancer is a common malignant tumor of the digestive tract, the rectum is the most common site for colorectal cancer, accounting for 70% of colorectal cancer cases. It has a high incidence rate, ranking third among cancers in China, with aċç age over 40 years old. In recent years, there has been a trend towards younger patients. Repeated attacks of enteritis cause destruction of intestinal mucosa, ulcer repair hyperplasia, granulation tissue formation, leading to canceration.
3. Intestinal stenosis and obstruction prone to cancer: Cancer in the ampulla of the rectum, mostly ulcerative type, due to the wide space in the ampulla of the rectum, it takes about 1-2 years to cause stenosis and obstruction. The stool shape becomes thinner, defecation difficulty, constipation, causing abdominal discomfort, gas distension and pain. Due to the accumulation of feces, a cord-like mass can sometimes be felt in the lower left abdomen, leading to hepatomegaly, jaundice, ascites, etc. Systemic symptoms may include anemia and cachexia, sometimes acute intestinal obstruction, massive bleeding in the lower digestive tract and perforation may also occur.