|  | Conditions Treatments | Digestive Health

Sigmoid Colon Diseases

Your colon is comprised of five feet of segmented sections. There is your ascending colon, your transverse colon, your descending colon and your sigmoid colon. The sigmoid is shaped like an "S," and is located near the bottom of your colon. Your sigmoid colon is responsible for removing wastes from your body. The sigmoid moves stool through your body by contracting and making regulated movements. One of the most common diseases that occurs to your sigmoid is diverticulitis, which is a result of this constant contracting of the sigmoid. There are also other diseases that may occur to your sigmoid.

  1. Diverticulitis

    • Diverticuli are small protrusions or pouches. These pouches occur in weak areas of your colon. As your colon contracts, the pouches will protrude from the colon. As your colon becomes riddled with the diverticuli, your sigmoid will become thickened and narrowed in texture. As a result, your stools will change, becoming either more loose and watery, or harder.

    Diverticulitis Complications

    • You can develop a condition known as peritonitis if one of your diverticuli pouches ruptures. According to the Mayo Clinic, a ruptured diverticuli can spill "intestinal contents into your abdominal cavity." As a result, the lining of your abdominal cavity can become inflamed. You also can develop a fistula. A fistula occurs when part of one of your organs adheres to another internal structure, causing an abnormal passageway. You also may develop rectal bleeding, abscesses (when the pouches fill with pus), or blockages within your colon.

    Ulcerative Colitis

    • Ulcerative colitis is a disease that affects your digestive track. The disease can attack multiple segments of your colon. The disease is chronic and causes inflammation and ulcers. When ulcers bleed, they can produce pus and mucus. As a result, your colon will try to remove waste on a constant basis. You'll experience frequent diarrhea that may sometimes be bloody, as well as severe abdominal cramping.

    Ulcerative Colitis Complications

    • According to Merck, one of the most common complications associated with ulcerative colitis is bleeding. Bleeding can lead to anemia. Other complications can include a perforated (development of a hole) colon, dehydration, liver disease and osteoporosis. You also can develop toxic colitis, which occurs when your intestinal movements halt. As a result, the contents within your intestines aren't capable of moving through your intestinal track. Your large intestine will then lose muscle tone and expand. You also can develop severe infections, and there have also been some cases of individuals developing colon cancer as a result of this condition.

    Colon Polyps

    • According to The Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Track, polyps that occur in the colon occur in more than 30 percent of people over the age of 60. Colon polyps also are linked to colorectal cancer, a cancer that is the second leading cause of all cancer deaths within the United States. One main type of polyp that presents the most issues with the colon, are adenomatous polyps. Adenomatous polyps can occur with only a few polyps located within the colon. However, in the case of familial adenomatous polyposis, hundreds to thousands of polyps can occur within the colon.

Digestive Health - Related Articles