Enlarged Colon Pain

Part of your digestive system, your colon, or large intestine, is located below your stomach. Disease or stretching can cause your colon to enlarge, which can result in pain.

Colon

• Your colon absorbs water from food and moves undigested material through your system to your rectum.

Chagas Disease

• Caused by a parasite, symptoms of Chagas disease include inflammation and problems with the digestive tract. If left untreated, it can become chronic and eventually cause an enlarged colon, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Megacolon

• Megacolon occurs when a child does not completely empty his colon when he has a bowel movement. According to the University of Virginia, this can cause the colon to stretch out of shape.

Symptoms

• If you have chronic Chagas disease, you could experience pain in your abdomen because of an enlarged colon. Children with megacolon often experience very painful bowel movements.

Treatment

• Chronic Chagas disease is managed with changes to your diet and medications like corticosteroids. Megacolon is handled by first clearing a child's colon, then making sure that she empties her colon during bowel movements in the future by using laxatives or stool softeners.