Symptoms & Signs
Symptoms can include:
- Abdominal bloating
- Abdominal pain that is constant or comes and goes
- Bloody stools
- Chills
- Constant urge to have a bowel movement
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Increased intestinal gas
Diagnosis & Tests
The health care provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your symptoms, including:
- How long you have had the symptoms
- How severe your pain is
- How often it occurs
- How long it lasts
- How often you have diarrhea
- Whether you have been traveling
The health care provider can diagnose colitis by inserting a flexible tube into the rectum (flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy) and evaluating specific areas of the colon. Biopsies taken during these tests may show changes related to inflammation.
Other studies that can identify colitis include:
- Abdominal CT scan
- Abdominal MRI
- Abdominal x-ray
- Barium enema
-
Colitis : Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors
-
Colitis : Symptoms & Signs, Diagnosis & Tests
-
Colitis : Treatment
Review Date : 10/13/2009
Reviewed By : George F Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only — they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- 2010 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
