Proctitis: what is it, symptoms and treatment

The proctitis is the inflammation of the tissue that covers the rectum and the rectal mucosa, due to infections, inflammatory bowel disease, secondary effect of radiotherapy or drugs, which leads to the emergence of some symptoms such as pain in the rectum, the year, anal bleeding , presence of blood and youth in there and difficult to evacuate.

When this inflammation extends beyond the rectum and includes the large intestine, it is known as proctocolitis, and is characterized by the previous symptoms in addition to abdominal pain, swelling and accumulation of intestinal gas.

In view of the suspicion of proctitis, it is recommended to consult a proctologist or gastroenterologist to evaluate the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment, which may include the use of antibiotics or drugs with an anti-inflammatory effect, such as corticosteroids, mesalazine or sulfasalazine, for example, orally. the rectal. In the most severe cases of proctitis, surgery may be necessary to remove the compromised tissue.

The symptoms of proctitis arise as the inflammation of the rectum occurs, including the main ones:

• Dolor en el recto o year;
• Difficulty evacuating;
• diarrhea;
• Anal bleeding;
• Presence of blood in the heces;
• Desire to evacuate frequently;
• Presence of youth in the heces.

In the most severe cases of proctitis, there may also be formation of deep ulcers in the tissue that can be observed during diagnostic tests, but it can produce pain and discomfort when evacuating and the presence of bleeding and weakness in the bowels.

How long does proctitis last?

Due to the fact that the proctitis can develop due to several factors, the time of duration can vary, since in the proctitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis There may be a latency period, in which the bacteria remains “asleep” in the organism, for 7 to 10 days, to later cause symptoms.

In cases of Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis, the duration will depend on when the cause is diagnosed, so it is important to be attentive to the symptoms that may indicate proctitis and to go to the doctor as soon as possible for a correct clinical evaluation. Learn more about the symptoms of Crohn’s Disease and ulcerative colitis.

The diagnosis of proctitis must be performed by a proctologist or gastroenterologist through clinical evaluation and exams such as anoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or even a colonoscopy to evaluate the rest of the intestine.

It is also possible to indicate the performance of a biopsy of the rectum to identify the severity and cause of the inflammation, in addition to blood analysis.

La proctitis is more frequent than it occurs in people with a weakened immune system, it is caused by illnesses, and the use of frequent medications. The main causes of proctitis are:

• Inflammatory bowel disease (IEI), such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative rectocolitis, which cause inflammation due to autoimmune causes. Learn more about the EII;
• sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes, gonorrhea, syphilis, chlamydia or cytomegalovirus, for example; mainly affecting people who have intimate anal contact and who have a weakened immune system;
• infectionssuch as rectal schistosomiasis, amoebiasis or those caused by bacteria Clostridium difficile, which causes intense intestinal inflammation, called pseudomembranous colitis, which occurs mainly in people who are under treatment with antibiotics. Learn how to identify and treat pseudomembranous colitis;
• actinic proctitiscaused by the action of radiotherapy, used in the treatment for cancer;
• Changes in the nerves or in the circulation blood flow to the rectum, such as due to ischemia or rheumatic disease, for example;
• allergic colitiscaused by the consumption of foods that cause allergies, such as cow’s milk protein, which is more common in babies;
• drug colitiscaused by the action of drugs, especially antibiotics, which can alter the intestinal flora.

It should also be remembered that the lesions existing in the rectum and in the year can also be a sign of cancer in the region. It is even possible that the cause of the proctitis has not been identified, thus being classified as idiopathic proctitis.

The treatment of proctitis will depend on which cause is causing this problem, and must be guided by the proctologist.

For this reason, the doctor may recommend the use of antibiotics, in case the inflammation is caused by some bacteria; the removal of food or medication that could be worsening the frame, in case of allergic or drug origin.

Likewise, it could also indicate the use of anti-inflammatory drugs orally or rectally, such as sulfasalazine or mesalazine, which are corticosteroids used to reduce symptoms, especially in cases of inflammatory bowel disease. In these cases, it may even be necessary to use potent immunosuppressive drugs.

On the other hand, in cases where there is serious involvement due to inflammation or ischemia of the rectum or when the symptoms do not disappear with clinical treatment, surgery may be necessary to remove the tissue that is seriously compromised.

How should the food be?

During the treatment recommended by a doctor, it is recommended to have some care in the diet, having to follow a diet of easy digestion, low in fats and sugars to facilitate the absorption of food and avoid stomach discomfort.

For him, you should prefer the intake of low-fat meats such as pollo y pavo sin piel, y pescados blancos; fruits and vegetables without shell and seeds, preferably cooked, being able to consume manzana, pear, durazno, banana, calabacín, chayote, ejote, berenjena, zanahoria; huevo, tofu, natural yogurt with probiotics, white cheeses low in grease and vegetable drinks such as rice or soy milk; low fiber cereals, such as pasta, rice and white bread, papa and camote without skin, galletas crackeramong others.

It is also important to avoid the intake of foods rich in fiber such as fruits and vegetables with shell; semillas, such as ajonjolí, chia or linaza; dried fruits such as nueces, cacahuates or hazelnuts; grains such as beans, lentils or garbanzos; whole foods like wholemeal bread, rice or wholemeal pasta, maize; salsas such as ketchup or mayo; milk entera and quesos amarillos; and drinks with gas, caffeine, alcohol and spicy foods.

See more details on how the diet should be for intestinal inflammation.