Do you feel any or a combination of lower quadrant pain, fever, bleeding, vomiting, chills, elevation of the white blood cell count, nausea, diarrhea, or constipation? While these symptoms are warning signs for a wide range of diseases, I suggest you see a doctor immediately. These are also symptoms of a perforated colon.
As the name implies, a perforated colon is a puncture ranging in size from a few millimeters to 2 centimeters in the intestinal tract. In people with perforated colon, the colonic muscle is ruptured and intestinal content spills into the abdominal cavity. The perforation itself is no cause for alarm but the ensuing infection from the toxins and bile that leaks to the abdominal cavity can lead to life threatening sepsis.
What are the common causes of a perforated colon?
The number one cause is trauma. This could be caused by the ingestion of a food item that causes damage as it passes through the gastrointestinal tract or if the colon hydrotherapist accidentally punctures your colon during a session. It may also be caused by different gastrointestinal illnesses such as Crohn's disease, Colitis, gastrointestinal cancer, ulcers and diverticulitis. The disease is more common in the obese and the older age groups. Geography-wise it is more common in the US, Europe and Australia.
Among the causes of perforated colon, diverticulitis is probably among the easiest to prevent. While the development of the pockets may be difficult to prevent, you can easily inhibit the inflammation of the diverticula. Increased intake of water and fiber-rich food lowers the rate of recurrence and may prevent blockage of the diverticulum by fecal matter or undigested food particles.
Surgery is generally used to repair the perforated area. Occasionally, sections of the intestine may need to be removed. There are risks involved with the surgery but the benefits outweigh these risks. If the problem is caused by an illness, the underlying cause should be treated to prevent the perforation from happening again.
Some physicians advise their patients to refrain from eating seeds and nuts. While plausible, there is not much evidence that this really helps. A better bet would be to increase the consumption of fiber rich foods and reduce red meat intake. You can also see a colon hydrotherapist to ensure that fecal matter does not lodge in your gut for long periods of time. However, for people who do not like the idea of having foreign objects in their gut, there are natural colon cleansers that can be taken. These supplements are readily available and are made from selected herbs that help the body eliminate toxins from the colon.
