How to Prevent Colon Problems
Our colons can cause us problems if we don't care for them properly. Follow these steps to learn about the colon's function and to identify any symptoms of trouble.
Instructions
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General Information
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Learn how the colon functions. First, the stomach dissolves food into liquid form. This liquid moves into the small intestine, where the nutrients are absorbed. Undigested food moves into the large intestine (the colon) where most of the water is reabsorbed. The solid waste passes out of the body in a bowel movement.
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Watch for such symptoms as cramps, constipation, or diarrhea. Colon pockets, called diverticulosis, develop in some people as they age. If waste is trapped in these pockets, a condition called diverticulitis develops. This causes inflammation with fever and pain. Colon infections are common and are caused by viruses, bacteria or parasites.
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Be aware of other conditions including Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) in which the smooth motion of the colon is disrupted, leading to pain and bloating or alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation. Another condition, called Inflammatory Bowel Disease, occurs when the body attacks its own cells. Examples of IBD are ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Colon polyps are small growths that are usually benign, but colon cancer can start in polyps.
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Eat enough fiber to help prevent problems. Most people get about 11 grams a day, but experts recommend 20 to 35 grams. Fiber in the diet promotes regular bowel movements and helps avoid constipation and cramping. Fiber also reduces the time that waste remains in the colon, eases the symptoms of diverticulosis and IBS and helps lower "bad" cholesterol.
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Get fiber from your food through grain products, vegetables, and fruit. Supplements can help if you don't get enough fiber in your food. Always take fiber supplements with water.
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Drink plenty of water and other liquids such as juice. Coffee, tea and alcohol don't count. Get involved in regular physical activity to help prevent constipation and symptoms of IBS. Handle food carefully to prevent infections.
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Avoid taking laxatives because they interfere with regular colon activity and can become habit-forming. Continuous laxative use can actually make colon problems worse. Avoid high-fat foods, too much caffeine and alcohol, and colonics or enemas.
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Treat occasional constipation by drinking extra water and adding high-fiber foods or fiber supplements to your diet. Diarrhea is usually the result of an infection. Don't eat anything for several hours. If it's convenient, avoid anti-diarrhea drugs for several hours so that whatever is causing the problem can pass out of your system. Once the affliction is over, stick to mild foods for a while. Avoid coffee, fruits and vegetables and anything spicy.
Screenings and Symptoms
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Get a colon screening test once you are 50, even if you don't have symptoms. Colon cancer may present no symptoms in its earlier stages.
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Get a screening earlier or more often if you have a family history of colon cancer or if you have risk factors of your own, such as colon polyps or IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease).
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See your physician or health care provider at once if you experience severe abdominal pain or mild pain that lasts more than a few days; severe diarrhea for more than 2 days or constipation and diarrhea for longer than a week; bleeding with bowel movements, or dark black or brown blood in the stool; mild bleeding with bowel movements that lasts longer than a week; and any unexplained change in the usual bowel movement pattern.
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Tips & Warnings
Screening tests include a digital rectal exam, usually performed by a physician. Stool blood tests are recommended yearly for people over 50. Flexible sigmoidoscopy, using a flexible lighted scope to look inside the lower portion of the colon, is recommended every 3 to 5 years for people over 50 or more often for people at higher risk. A colonoscopy, using a lighted scope to view the whole colon, should be done if the stool blood test is positive, or if polyps are present.
