The colon and rectum are at the tail end of the digestive tract that leads to the anus. After digestion of food, the remaining waste is channelled through the colon, and is stored in the rectum before being passed out at the appropriate time. The colon helps to absorb water and minerals.
Colorectal diseases occur when certain conditions result in damage to the intestinal lining or cause an obstruction. In some cases, an individual with colon and rectum disease may not experience any pain or discomfort.
Read on to find out more about possible ailments affecting the colon and rectum.
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Colorectal Cancer
Cancer of the colon and rectum may be genetic or may occur due to environmental factors. These include obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, a diet high in fat and low in fibre. They usually begin as a polyp that is a small growth and may increase in size and become pre-cancerous before developing into a full cancerous growth. This may take a few years to occur.
Diverticular disease, also known as diverticulosis, occurs when small bulging pouches appear along the lining of your large intestine or colon. These are known as diverticula and may cause symptoms like pain, bleeding, and infection.
Diverticula are most commonly found in your colon. Diverticulitis is an infection of the diverticuli. This condition is common, especially if you are 40 years of age or older.
Polyps of the colon and rectum are abnormal growths that are found in the inner lining of your colon and rectum. They occur in around 25 per cent of adults.
Most colorectal polyps are ‘silent’ tumours that can give rise to colorectal cancer when left untreated. This means that polyps grow very gradually and do not cause symptoms until they become substantial and begin to mutate.
Intestinal obstruction occurs when either your small or large intestine is blocked.
The blockage may be partial or total, which prevents the passage of fluids and digested food down your digestive system—fluids, food, and gas accumulate behind the blockage.
If the build-up causes enough pressure, there is a possibility that your intestine gets ischemic or even ruptures. Toxic contents in your intestine and bacteria leak into your abdominal cavity, and this condition is life-threatening.
The colon and rectum are part of your lower gastrointestinal tract. Bleeding in the colon or rectum is often a symptom that there are underlying conditions or diseases in your gastrointestinal tract rather than a condition or disease on its own.
You may experience anywhere from a slight amount of bleeding, which only shows up when examined microscopically via a stool test, to a significant, life-threatening haemorrhage (loss of blood), which is considered a medical emergency.
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