About Abdominal Pain From Colitis

Colitis is a chronic Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) that causes inflammation of the innermost lining of the large intestines and rectum. Frequent and severe abdominal pain is a significant characteristic of this disease. There is no cure for this debilitating, life threatening disease; however, there are treatments and life style changes you can make to manage and cope with the rigors of the abdominal pain associated with this disease.

Cause

• The severe abdominal pain from colitis is caused by frequent and irregular contractions of the colon muscles that work harder to expel stool from the inflamed intestines.

Feature

• The abdominal pain usually occurs during or after a meal.

Treatment

• Antispasmodic medications like Bentyl, Donnotal and Levsin will help to relax the intestines and ease the abdominal pain.

Life Style Changes

• Avoid foods like broccoli, beans and red meat. Eat healthy small portions of a bland diet. Drink plenty of water to help flush out the intestines. Reduce stress through exercise, relaxation, yoga, and meditation. This should ease--and sometimes prevent--the abdominal pain.

Prevention/Solutions

• Keeping a diary of the foods you eat and how you react to them is an important step in knowing what foods are best for you and which ones trigger discomfort and pain. That is key to controlling the colitis.