If you require treatment for colitis and know that it is due to microscopic colitis, you might already know what that condition actually means. If you don’t, it is basically a form of inflammation in the large intestine or colon. That is where the term colitis comes from. Its symptoms do not vary widely, and you like so many others with the condition, live with the pain and discomfort, bloating and cramping, and frequent bouts of diarrhea that it causes.
But just what is it and how can treatment for colitis benefit you? Let’s begin with the real basics. It is a microscopic condition, and you would not be able to look at your colon and see that there is really anything wrong with it. Interestingly, microscopic colitis occurs in two forms; as collagenous and lymphocytic colitis. The symptoms are nearly identical, and so is the treatment for colitis of either kind.
The good news is that your condition is not related to some of the most difficult and problematic forms of colitis such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis and having either variation of microscopic colitis does not mean you are more prone to any digestive cancers.
Anyone can develop any sort of microscopic colitis, and it occasionally goes away all on its own. However, if you live with it in a sort of chronic state, then there are treatments that have proven quite effective. Several of them are “DIY” or self-care remedies, but others require your physician’s intervention.
The remedies you can use on your own include:
- Doing an elimination diet to test which foods are triggers for more severe bouts of colitis. For many, consuming fatty foods, high amounts of dairy or too much caffeine can cause symptoms worse.
- Cutting some medications from the daily diet can also be a remedy. For example, many with microscopic colitis find symptoms worsen with the use of heartburn drugs, NSAIDs, and some antidepressants. You should not stop prescriptions without consulting a doctor.
- Adding fiber supplements (rather than high fiber food) to the diet can help
If none of these steps work, it could be time to get treatment for colitis in the Jacksonville area. The team at Digestive Disease Consultants in Jacksonville is well versed in the treatment of colitis and can help you with your microscopic colitis symptoms.
