Lymphocytic colitis
What is it?
Lymphocytic colitis is inflammation of your large intestine. It causes episodes of watery diarrhea and belly pain.
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Signs & symptoms
The main symptom of lymphocytic colitis is chronic watery diarrhea. This diarrhea doesn't have blood. You may have several of these watery bowel movements each day. This may last for weeks or months. For most people, this diarrhea goes away for a while, but then it comes back later. Other symptoms of lymphocytic colitis may include:
* Weight loss
* Belly pain
* Bloating
* Fluid loss (dehydration)
* Nausea
* Extreme tiredness (fatigue) or weakness
* Joint pain
* Not being able to control a bowel movement
Diagnosis
You may need to see a gastroenterologist. Your gastroenterologist will ask you about your health history. They will also ask about your symptoms. Your doctor will give you an exam, including an exam of your belly (abdomen).
Your doctor will rule out other causes of your diarrhea. These can include an infection or another inflammatory bowel disease.
Your doctor will also do other tests. These may include:
* Blood tests to check for anemia and infection
* Tests for celiac disease
* Stool analysis to check for inflammation or infection
You may also need a colonoscopy. This test looks at the lining of your colon and rectum. It uses a light and a tiny camera.
The colon often looks normal on a colonoscopy. During the colonoscopy, your healthcare provider can take out a small tissue sample of your colon. This is called a biopsy. The biopsy will be examined under a microscope in a lab to determine if you have lymphocytic colitis.
Treatment
Your doctor may prescribe medicines and suggest diet changes to treat your condition.
* Medicines- antidiarrheal medicines. You may also need budesonide, mesalamine, bismuth subsalicylate, or cholestyramine if you still have symptoms. If the medicines you take make your symptoms worse, your healthcare provider may stop your treatment with those medicines.
* Changing your diet- You may need to stay away from foods that make your diarrhea worse. These can include dairy products, caffeine, artificial sweeteners, and foods high in fat. Some people with this condition also do well on a gluten-free diet especially if they also have celiac disease
If you don’t respond well to treatment, your healthcare provider may look for other possible causes of your symptoms. In rare cases, healthcare providers recommend surgery to take out part of the intestines.
☝️ This is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Please consult with your physician before making any medical decision.
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Source of Information - We analyze big data of more than 23 million patients de-identified medical records from the following sources:
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