Colon

1. What is the function colon?

The colon may be a vital part of your personal plumbing. The tubular organ works round the clock to get rid of waste products from your body. As a part of the gastrointestinal system, the colon works alongside members like the stomach and little intestine to get rid of stool and maintain fluid and balance.

Can You Live Without a Colon?

Although it's a tremendous organ, it's possible to measure without a colon. People have portions of their colon removed in surgery every day—surgical bowel resection is one of the treatment options for carcinoma. However, all six feet of your colon, also called the massive intestine, serve a purpose. The bulk of the nutrients you eat are absorbed within the intestine well before the "food" reaches your colon. The colon’s primary job is to make the one-and-a-half quarts of fluid (the food you ingested blended with digestive juices) into a firm stool for passage out of the body.

The colon must reabsorb water and electrolytes to make a stool. This is often why, once you are dehydrated, you'll get constipated and your stool may become hard and difficult to pass. The colon is taken out more fluid from the stool for your body to use.

Anatomy of the Colon

The colon isn't labeled very creatively—most of the labels for the colon correspond to their anatomical location and flow of stool. Your intestine is weakened into six sections including the cecum, colon, colon, colon, sigmoid flexure, and therefore the rectum. The colon begins at the top of the tiny entrails, where it's called the cecum, and ends at the rectum. Cancers of the massive intestine are casually mentioned as colon, rectal or colorectal cancer.

The cecum is anatomically located within the lower right sight of your abdomen approximately where your appendix is attached. The cecum is that the widest part of your unified colon and is approximately 5 centimeters long, or a 3rd as long as a pen. Between 15 and 20 percent of all colon cancers occur within the cecum.1

The colon heads up horizontally from the cecum to the colon. The juncture between the cecum and colon is named the proper colic flexure, or the hepatic flexure for its proximity to your liver (hepatic system). Anatomically, the colon is about 10 centimeters long and is seated on the proper side of your abdomen.

The colon connects your ascending and colon, traveling lengthwise across your abdomen. The colon lies on the brink of your stomach, liver, and gallbladder and is approximately 50 centimeters long.

The colon begins at the left colic flexure, also indicate to as the splenic flexure for its proximity to the spleen. This portion of your colon lies within the left side of your abdomen, connecting your colon to your sigmoid flexure. The colon is approximately 10 centimeters long.

The sigmoid swing makes up the last 50 centimeters of the colon resulting in the rectum and typically has an 'S' loop or shape thereto. Roughly 20 to 25 percent of all colon cancers originate within the distal colon, which incorporates the descending and sigmoid flexure 2
The rectum is that the final portion of your intestine resulting in the anus. The digestive process has completely finished by the time stool ability the rectum, where it waits to be passed as a movement. About 25 to 30 percent of cancers originate during this 15-centimeter piece of the massive intestine.2

A tortuous colon is one that's longer than normal. During this relatively rare condition, so as for this longer tube to suit your abdomen, the colon finishes up with extra twists and turns.

Quick check out a Colon Section

The colon consists of 4 layers, each with a selected function. When a diagnosis of carcinoma is formed, the pathologist will determine what layer cancer has reached (such because the innermost or outermost layer) to assist determine the staging of your cancer. The bulk of colorectal cancers will start within the innermost layer, called the mucosa, and increase toward the outermost layer, or the serosa, of the colon over time if untreated. Starting at the innermost thickness of the colon, the layers include the:

• Mucosa: Divided into three sub-tissues, the mucosa surface is named the epithelium, where the foremost colon and rectal cancers originate. The mucosa provides a lubricant, which helps aid in the passage of stool through the colon.
• Submucosa: a subsequent layer of your colon, which is rich in blood vessels and nerves. The submucosa may be an animal tissue layer connecting the mucosa to the subsequent muscle layer.
• Muscularis Propria: The third layer consists of opposing layers of muscle fibers—a set that runs horizontally and a group that runs around the colon. Once cancers reach through this layer, there's an increased chance that they will metastasize to other parts of the body.
• Serosa: The outermost layer of your colon. When cancer spreads through the serosa it's left the colon and metastasized.

2. Where do you feel colon pain?

The colon is about 5 feet long and circles the abdomen up the proper side, across, and down the left side. It then descends into rock bottom a part of the colon or the rectum. The rectum connects to the anus, which is that the opening from which stools leave the body.
The colon contracts because it moves digested food and waste. During a healthy colon, these contractions are painless, and other people barely notice them.
However, certain conditions that affect the colon may source pain. For instance, when the colon is irritated, inflamed, infected, obstructed, or impeded, strong contractions may occur. These can cause pain and discomfort.
Due to the colon’s curving path through the abdomen, an individual may feel colon pain in several different areas.

For example, some may have general abdominal pain, while others may feel pain during a specific spot. People can also feel pain within the area of the rectum, just above the anus. This pain may sense sharp and stabbing or dull and achy.

Causes of colon pain

There are several medical conditions and temporary digestive issues which will cause colon pain. The sections below discuss these in additional detail.

Constipation

When the stool is just too large or too hard, it cannot pass out of the colon and rectum comfortably. This will cause abdominal pain and pain near the rectum and anus.
Sometimes, hard stools can cause tears within the lining of the anus or anal fissures. This will cause bleeding and pain with bowel movements.
People with constipation may have more fiber in their diet. They will help soften the stool and permit it to pass more easily by:

• consuming high fiber fruits and vegetables
• talking to a doctor about fiber supplements
• drinking many glasses of water to remain hydrated
• Certain medications also can cause constipation. An individual with medication-related constipation should talk with their doctor if this side effect is causing them distress.

Diarrhea

Diarrhea features a sort of potential causes, starting from food intolerances to viruses and bacteria. It appears when a person’s colon contracts too often, which causes watery or loose stools.
These fast contractions may cause abdominal pain and cramping that results in colon pain. Loose stools can also irritate the anus, generate burning and stinging.
Diarrhea is usually short-lived if an epidemic or food intolerance causes it. However, some bacteria and illnesses that cause diarrhea are often severe and should cause dehydration.
Treatment options for mild diarrhea may include electrolyte drinks (to prevent dehydration) and an ulcer diet.
People who have diarrhea that lasts longer than a couple of days should speak with a doctor.

Irritable bowel syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be a digestive condition with symptoms that always affect the colon. IBS can cause stomach pain and cramp within the colon, usually around the time of a movement.

IBS can also cause:

• Gas and bloating
• constipation
• diarrhea
• mucus within the stool
• Healthcare professionals don't currently know the precise explanation for IBS. However, there could also be a link between IBS and increased sensitivity of the intestines or system.

Some treatment options for IBS include:

• eating more fiber
• avoiding gluten or other foods
• following a coffee FODMAP diet
• trying stress management techniques
• Some OTC and prescription medicines can also help, counting on a person’s symptoms.

Diverticular disease

Diverticulosis may be a condition wherein the colon forms small pouches, or sacs, in its walls. It affects 35% of adults aged 50 and under within us, and nearly 60% of these over age 60, consistent with. If any of those sacs become inflamed, it can cause pain, bleeding, and other symptoms. When this happens, it's called diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis can cause pain in or around the colon, also as:

• loose stools or diarrhea
• cramping within the lower abdomen
• blood within the stool
• fever
• nausea
• vomiting
• Many people can reduce their risk of progress diverticulosis and diverticulitis by having regular bowel movements. They will achieve this by adopting a high fiber diet, exercising often, and staying hydrated.
• A community that has symptoms of diverticulitis should see a doctor. In rare cases, diverticulitis can cause serious complications.
• Colitis

Colitis refers to a gaggle of conditions that cause inflammation within the colon. These conditions include:

• Ulcerative colitis. Colitis is one sort of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). It’s characterized by chronic tenderness of the colon with ulcers or sores.
• Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease is another sort of IBD. It’s characterized by inflammation which will affect the whole alimentary canal. Colitis, meanwhile, only influence the colon.
• Infectious colitis. During this condition, bacteria, viruses, or parasites cause irritation and swelling of the colon.
• Ischemic colitis. This condition causes reduced blood flow to the colon, which can cause pain and damage.
• Radiation colitis. Undergoing radiotherapy for cancer sometimes causes radiation colitis.
• Microscopic colitis. In microscopic colitis, the inflammation (of the colon) is merely visible upon microscopic examination of tissue samples. The condition causes watery diarrhea but is usually less severe than other inflammatory causes.