Inflamed intestine: causes, symptoms and effective remedies

Inflammation in the intestine can have several causes, some of the food type, others of the genetic or nervous type, sharing similar symptoms such as pain and abdominal swelling. Let’s see the symptoms of the inflamed intestine and some remedies to relieve it.

The inflamed intestine is a condition common to many pathologies, but in some cases, it is more of irritation than inflammation, as in irritable bowel syndrome, also called nervous colitis or spastic colitis. Actual inflammation is instead present in chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, in which intestinal ulcerations are present.

The symptoms, as we will see, are similar but can be milder or very serious depending on the degree of inflammation and range from abdominal pain, to meteorism, to weight loss and fever in severe cases. It is clear that, in ulcerative rectocolitis, there being severe inflammation accompanied by ulcerative lesions, the symptoms will be stronger than in the irritable colon.

In both cases, however, stress plays a fundamental role, which in the case of the irritable colon is the trigger, while in the case of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases it can exacerbate the symptoms. L ‘ intestinal inflammation may be short-lived and thus be an acute inflammation such as in the case of infectious colitis, or it can take a long time and become chronic in the case of diseases with characteristics genetic and immune diseases such as Crohn’s disease.

Causes of the inflamed intestine

The intestinal inflammation can be caused by a number of factors. The cause, for example, can be food, that is due to an unregulated diet characterized by binges and an excess of fats, sweets and products rich in preservatives and additives. Also in this area, food intolerances can also cause an inflammatory state.

This is the case of lactose intolerance, milk sugar, which in some subjects, due to the deficiency of the enzyme that digests it, is used by intestinal bacteria causing meteorism, abdominal pain and diarrhea. Even gluten intolerance, called celiac disease, which has a genetic basis, leads to intestinal inflammation with flattening of intestinal villi and consequent malabsorption of nutrients.

The intestine can be inflamed or better, irritated, for psychosomatic causes. This is the case of irritable bowel syndrome, which affects anxious and sensitive people in which stressful events give rise to intestinal symptoms. Genetic and immune causes are instead the basis of intestinal inflammation present in ulcerative rectocolitis and Crohn’s disease.

Symptoms of the inflamed intestine

The symptoms of the inflamed intestine are similar but with varying severity in different pathologies. In most cases there is pain and swelling in the belly, meteorism, abdominal cramps, abdominal pain, changes in the frequency of evacuations and also in the consistency of the stool.

In some cases, nausea and poor digestion are present. In more serious cases, such as for example in ulcerative colitis, there is loss of blood and / or mucus with the stool, constant fever and weight loss. Given the wide similarity of symptoms it is essential to make a differential diagnosis.

Diagnosis of the inflamed intestine

To ascertain the causes of the inflamed intestine, the doctor must make a careful analysis of the symptoms, both in the manner of appearance and in the possible presence of the same in the family. In addition to a very careful history, the doctor usually prescribes tests to evaluate the degree of inflammation. These are abdominal ultrasound, colonoscopy (which assesses the presence or absence of inflamed and / or injured tissue) and the fecal dosage of calprotectin, a substance indicating intestinal inflammation.

Inflamed bowel: The most effective natural remedies

In the milder cases of intestinal inflammation, and always after consulting your doctor, we can rely on some remedies that nature offers us to relieve symptoms and try to reduce the degree of inflammation. Let’s see what are some natural remedies for the inflamed intestine.

1) Chamomile and fennel herbal tea

To relieve abdominal pain and abdominal swelling you can consume a cup of herbal tea based on chamomile flower heads and fennel seeds, in the dose of a teaspoon left to infuse for 5 minutes.

2) Basil essential oil

This particular oil for food use has antispasmodic properties, therefore useful in case of abdominal pain. It is consumed by mixing 3 drops with a teaspoon of honey.

3) Oak bark decoction in case of diarrhea

If diarrhea is present, a decoction can be prepared by boiling a teaspoon of this root, with astringent properties, for 10 minutes and drinking hot.

4) Flax seeds in case of constipation

If constipation is present, put a teaspoon of flax seeds in a cup of lukewarm water and let it sit overnight. In the morning, you only drink the liquid.

5) Turmeric

In recent years, the effect of a substance present in turmeric, curcumin, is being studied at the level of intestinal inflammation. The results seem encouraging, as it appears to have good anti-inflammatory power, increasing the period of remission in the case of ulcerative colitis.

6) Boswellia serrata

Another remedy for study is boswellia serrata, also called Indian frankincense, which appears to have powerful anti-inflammatory effects in patients with ulcerative rectocolitis.

7) Lactic ferments

In case of inflamed intestine, if diarrhea or constipation is present, it is possible to take lactic ferments that help restore the intestinal bacterial flora altered by this condition.

8) Take the stress away

Since stress has a strong influence on intestinal conditions, sometimes as the main cause, others by worsening the symptoms, its control could certainly have an effect on reducing the symptoms. One method would be to practice constant physical activity or take relaxing herbal teas.

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