home Audience 3 Symptoms and treatment of enteritis in adults. Chronic enteritis: symptoms and treatment in adults

Symptoms and treatment of enteritis in adults. Chronic enteritis: symptoms and treatment in adults

Enteritis is an inflammatory disease (even a group of diseases) that affects the mucous membrane of the small intestine, as a result of which degenerative changes occur. In this case, it is violated normal operation intestines, which is expressed in characteristic symptoms.

Most often, the cause is the penetration of pathogenic bacteria into the body, or infection of the small intestine by helminths, etc. There are acute and chronic forms of the disease.

How does enteritis begin and develop, what are the symptoms and treatment in adults, what folk remedies are used? Let's talk about it:

Enteritis - symptoms in adults

Acute form:

Begins with the emergence acute pain in the intestinal area. Very often there is watery diarrhea, accompanied by vomiting. The temperature often rises (up to 37-38 degrees). Accompanied increased gas formation, bloating, rumbling in the intestines. The patient's tongue is covered with a white coating. Skin pale, sunken eyes.

In severe cases, general intoxication of the body, dehydration, and convulsions may occur. Exacerbation is also possible cardiovascular diseases.

Chronic form:

The chronic course of enteritis is characterized by frequent periods of exacerbations and remissions. During an exacerbation, patients complain of nausea and frequent bowel movements with watery feces containing particles of undigested food. There is a dull pain in the navel area. When examining the cecum by palpation, rumbling, swelling, and splashing are observed. The person feels weak, becomes irritable, and quickly gets tired. Patients have decreased appetite and sleep disturbances.

Enteritis - treatment in adults

Acute enteritis in adults:

In case of acute form and exacerbation of chronic form, the patient is most often admitted to the hospital, gastroenterology department. In case of infectious, toxic enteritis, the patient is placed in a special box in the infectious diseases department.

Required bed rest, drinking plenty of fluids using hydration medications (in case of severe dehydration). A gentle diet is required, limiting carbohydrates and fats. Symptomatic, restorative therapy is carried out.

Diarrhea is treated with astringents. In the presence of severe dysbacteriosis(a common condition with enteritis) the intestinal microflora is restored with the help special drugs, probiotics. In the presence of protein metabolism disorders, polypeptide solutions are used, which are administered by drip.

Chronic enteritis in humans:

As in the acute form, the patient is prescribed bed rest and mandatory diet. The diet should contain rich in proteins food, vitamins, minerals. Vitamins are prescribed: C, niacin, thiamine, as well as iron supplements, for example, Ferroplex. Depending on the pathogen identified, antibacterial treatment is prescribed.

In case of significant loss of body weight, use protein preparations: a mixture of amino acids and plasma.

Hypocalcemia and hypokalemia are treated with drugs, Calcium gluconate. They are administered intravenously together with a glucose solution.

Severe diarrhea is eliminated with the help of antidiarrheal drugs, for example. Treatment with herbal remedies is recommended: infusion of alder cones, pomegranate peels or decoction oak bark. Enzymes are also used: which improve digestion.

Enteritis - folk remedies

As a rule, treatment of enteritis in adults is effective only when using herbal remedies with a pronounced astringent effect. Here are some effective, healing recipes:

Connect together 4 tbsp. l. , 2 tbsp. l. dried plantain, 1 tbsp. l. dried, mix. Pour 1 tbsp into a thermos. l. Pour a glass of boiling water. You need to wait 6-8 hours. Therefore, it is better to cook in the evening. Strain in the morning. Drink half a glass before meals. It is enough to take 2 times a day.

Combine together an equal amount of wild galangal herb, jasmine, and blackberry leaves. Add 2 tbsp. l. into an enamel bowl, pour boiling water (400 ml). Cover warmly and wait 2 hours. Drink the infusion (don't forget to strain) half a glass before meals.

Into a glass boiled water throw in a mummy tablet (0.25 g). Then stir until dissolved. Drink a glass of this solution before meals (half an hour). Frequency of administration: 3 times a day. Treatment – 20 days, with a break of 5 days. It can be repeated if necessary.

If we talk about folk remedies for the treatment of enteritis in adults, we cannot fail to mention another effective recipe: pour into liter jar 600 ml. natural red wine. Add 300 ml there. fresh juice perennial aloe. Close the lid and shake. Put it in a cellar or cold storage room, out of reach sunlight. Leave for 5 days.

Take it this way: the first 5 days – 1 tsp. 1 time, then 1 tbsp. l. 3 times a day. This dosage regimen is maintained for the entire treatment period - 2 months.

Prevention of enteritis in humans

The best prevention of enteritis, which we continue to talk about on this page www.site, is a balanced, fortified diet, careful heat treatment meat, fish products, personal hygiene. It is necessary to promptly diagnose and treat diseases of the stomach and intestines, and eliminate endocrine system disorders.

If you have symptoms of inflammation of the small intestine, be sure to consult a gastroenterologist. Be healthy!

With diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, the patient constantly feels discomfort. In addition, there is a need to draw up a special diet menu, from which to remove junk food. The patient must adhere to many prohibitions to prevent complications. One of the diseases digestive system is enteritis. The disease can occur in both acute and chronic form. The occurrence of enteritis is characteristic of the small intestine, in which, due to inflammation, the normal functioning. The mucous membrane changes, as a result of which the synthesis of intestinal juice and its barrier function are disrupted. Therefore, patients should, if possible, avoid products for which mechanical (in particular, various additives) and chemical processing methods are used.

In an enlarged form, the disease is enteritis.

Description

The disease can appear in patients of any age, and in children it appears acute stage, and in the older generation - chronic, which is associated with other diseases. The chronic stage develops when there is no treatment for the acute form.

In the acute form, the symptomatic series is clearly expressed, but in the chronic form it does not always appear. According to statistics, every person in his life has suffered from an acute form of enteritis, and a quarter of the world's population has a chronic form of the disease.

If the patient has an acute form of enteritis, then concomitant diseases are gastritis or colitis. The chronic form is characterized by accompanying illnesses pancreas, pancreas bile ducts, metabolic or autoimmune system disorders. It is necessary to start treating the disease in time to avoid complications.

Kinds

Duodenal ulcer.

Depending on certain characteristics, there are several classifications of enteritis. According to the location of the spread of inflammatory processes, the following are distinguished:

isolated form;
gastroenteritis combined with gastric damage;
enterocolitis, which is combined with pathologies of the large intestine;
gastroenterocolitis, in which the stomach and entire intestines become inflamed.

According to the level of spread of inflammatory processes:

duodenitis form, in which the duodenum becomes inflamed;
jeunitis, when the jejunum is affected;
ileitis, if the patient suffers from the ileum.

According to the factors influencing the development of the disease, there are:

In addition, there are:

primary enteritis, which can occur independently;
secondary, which appears as a complication of another disease.

Causes

The causes of enteritis can be very different, and for each form of the disease there are different factors.

One of the factors causing enteritis is infection.

In patients with acute enteritis, irritating factors can be:

an infection that includes salmonella, staphylococcus, dysentery bacillus and various viruses;
allergic reactions to certain foods;
side effects after taking medications;
the presence in the diet of a large amount of fatty, spicy, salty and sour foods;
use alcoholic drinks in large quantities;
food poisoning, most often caused by berries or mushrooms;
poisoning chemical components both at home and at work.

With enteritis in chronic form, there are such causes of occurrence as:

diseases transmitted by inheritance;
performing operations or trauma to the intestinal environment;
too much long time medication use;
alcohol abuse, smoking;
damage to the body by worms;
frequent overeating;
exposure and poisoning at work;
autoimmune diseases.

The primary factors that influence the appearance of each form are bad habits, absence active image life, problems with circulatory system and the development of adhesions.

Symptoms

Loose stools, nausea, vomiting, severe painful sensations in the stomach, bloating, heat headaches are symptoms of the disease.

Signs of enteritis appear differently at each stage of development. The acute form always appears unexpectedly and has a fairly pronounced symptomatic range, which includes:

the appearance of loose stools up to 20 times a day, and sometimes more;
nausea appears, vomiting begins;
severe pain in the abdomen;
feeling of bloating in the stomach, rumbling;
body temperature rises to 39 degrees;
feeling unwell, constant headaches;
covering the tongue with a coating.

In particular severe cases The patient may begin to experience dehydration, accompanied by dry tongue and mucous membranes, and sudden weight loss. The patient may experience convulsions, clotting may be impaired, and as a result, state of shock which may result in coma.

Symptoms of enteritis on chronic stage can be varied, although they do not have acute manifestations, they can last for several months. At this stage, symptoms appear such as:

the appearance of diarrhea after almost every meal;
loose stool appears more than 10 times a day, has a watery structure, yellow color and food impurities;
mild pain in the navel area;
rumbling and bloating;
when emptying the small intestine, a feeling of discomfort occurs and pressure decreases;
due to impaired absorption of a complex of vitamins and minerals, a person may develop anemia or osteoporosis;
a white coating appears on the tongue;
hypovitaminosis appears;
the patient gradually loses weight, and dystrophy may develop.

Diagnostics

It is important that the patient, at the first symptoms, contact a specialist who will conduct a series of studies. The examination begins with studying the patient's medical history and complaints. It is necessary to find out whether there were any diseases of the gastrointestinal tract before.

Ultrasound is one of the main methods for determining the disease.

conducting liver tests to determine whether the disease is the result of inflammatory processes in these organs;
stool examination intestinal infections, carrying out a coprogram;
abdominal x-ray;
carrying out general analysis blood to determine the presence infectious manifestations, leukocytosis;
biochemical blood test;
examination of stool for available carbohydrates.

The digestive system is a complex, well-functioning mechanism. The small intestine plays a special role in the process of digesting food. The three-layer structure of the walls of the small intestine ensures the final transformation process food products in a simple form. Diseases of the small intestine impair digestive function.

Symptoms of diseases of the small intestine

Diseases that have different causes manifest themselves in the same way in humans.

Symptoms of a whole group of diseases may include the following:

The frequency of stools in humans reaches 4-6 times a day. The volume of discharge is significant. It contains undigested food debris. Sometimes periods of diarrhea are replaced by persistent constipation. In addition, there may often be a feeling of incomplete emptying after bowel movements.

Rumbling in the stomach is caused by the movement of food masses through the intestines.

If there are gases in the masses, then the stomach growls. Bloating and rumbling in diseases of the small intestine are more often observed in the afternoon. By nightfall such phenomena weaken.

Pain usually occurs in the navel area. Sometimes they appear in the right hypochondrium. The pain has a pulling, bursting character. After the gases pass, it decreases. During painful processes, spasm often occurs. In this case, the pain is very severe, causing sweating and weakness.

Enteritis in children and adults

The most common disease of the small intestine is enteritis - the symptoms and treatment of this disease in adults have long been studied. The disease is characterized by inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestines. Often such inflammation affects not only parts of the small intestine, but also involves colon and stomach.

Depending on the area of damage to the small intestine, enteritis is classified as follows:

Duodenitis (inflammation of the duodenum);
Jejunitis (damage to the jejunum);
Ileitis (inflammation of the ileum).

A distinctive symptom of inflammation of any part of the small intestine is feces interspersed with bile and an admixture of mucus. At the same time, it stands out a large number of gases

The causes of enteritis may be processes resulting from internal pathologies.

These include:

chronic gastritis;
pancreatitis;
hepatitis;
chronic renal failure;
cholecystitis;
gastroduodenitis with decreased secretory function;
cirrhosis;
skin diseases.

All of the above factors affect the mucous membrane of the small intestine in a destructive manner. Inflammation disrupts digestive functions and leads to dystrophic changes intestinal walls.

Enteritis can be acute or chronic. The transition of the disease to a chronic form occurs from improper treatment of the acute process.

Acute enteritis in both adults and children begins with a disorder. There can be stools up to 15 times a day. The nature of the discharge is copious and watery. At the same time, the temperature may rise and headache. Dehydration leads to dry skin. The abdomen is painful and swollen. There is a characteristic rumbling in the intestines.

With a prolonged course of the acute form of enteritis, muscle cramps and increased bleeding.

In the chronic form of enteritis, changes occur in the structure of the mucous membrane. At this stage, the disease manifests itself in the form of diarrhea in the morning and immediately after eating. Periodic mild pain in the abdominal area is also observed. Loose stools may give way to constipation, accompanied by nausea, heartburn and belching. The disease is accompanied by weight loss, weakness, and irritability.

The disease leads to disturbances in protein, fat, and carbohydrate metabolism.

This is manifested by the following symptoms:

Dry and pale skin;
Brittle nails;
Hair loss;
Visual impairment;
Bone fragility.

Diagnosis of enteritis

At initial examination It is not difficult to determine the disease. Based on the characteristic signs, the gastroenterologist makes a diagnosis. To differentiate enteritis from other diseases that have the same symptoms, blood and stool tests are examined.

Changes in the mucous membrane of the small intestine can be determined using the following methods:

Biopsy examination;
X-ray of the intestines;
Study of intestinal juice;
Examination of stool for the presence of bacteria and the presence of worms;
Biochemistry of blood.

The biopsy is performed using a special capsule attached to a two-meter polymer probe. When air is sucked out of the probe, the intestinal mucosa is sucked into the opening of the capsule and closes. After receiving the biological material, a conclusion is made about the degree of damage to the intestinal tissue.

X-ray examination with contrast agents reveals swelling of the folds of the wall, which indicates an inflammatory process.

A blood test will show ESR, albumin and immunoglobulin levels.

Treatment of acute enteritis

After diagnosis, treatment of the disease begins with diet therapy. Bed rest is indicated for 1-2 days. A strict diet must be followed for 5-7 days. The diet during this period should include weak tea without sugar, crackers, and rice broth. On the 4th day you can include pureed lean meat, jelly, baked apple. You should start eating small portions several times a day.

In severe cases of the disease, treatment is carried out in the hospital. After identifying the causes of the disease, therapy is carried out either in the gastroenterology department or in the infectious diseases department.

Therapy comes down to the following activities:

Medical nutrition:

In severe cases of the disease, fasting for 2-3 days is indicated;
Small meals up to 5-7 times a day;
Regulation of intestinal motility with pureed and hot food. Coarse fiber is excluded from the diet;
Consumption of foods that do not require active motor skills (boiled fish, meat, boiled rice, jelly, etc.).

Parenteral nutrition. The treatment regimen includes nutrition via intravenous infusion, bypassing the gastrointestinal tract. Glucose, amino acid mixtures, and hemodez are prescribed. In addition, enzyme therapy is prescribed to normalize digestion ( "Pancreatin", "Festal", "Mezim" and etc.);
Treatment with astringents and enveloping agents.

Astringents are divided into two groups:

vegetable;
synthetic.

TO herbal remedies The following medicinal plants include:

To synthetic medicines relate:

bismuth nitrate;
codeine phosphate;
xeroform;
kaopectate;
Imodium.

The following drink is prepared from astringent plants: pour three tablespoons of bird cherry fruits, two tablespoons of blueberries with 2 glasses of water and boil for 15 minutes. Leave for 20 minutes, strain. Take for adults 1/2 cup 4 times a day. Children take 1/4 cup 3 times a day. Folk remedies are various teas from chamomile, sage, oak bark.

Treatment of chronic enteritis

In the chronic course of the disease, a diet is required that excludes spicy, fatty foods, as well as foods containing coarse fiber.

The following drugs are prescribed:

If the symptoms of the disease do not require use medications, then you can use treatment with traditional medicine recipes.

A simple tincture of medicinal herbs is prepared as follows: 1 tbsp. spoon of calendula, 2 tbsp. spoons of plantain, 4 tbsp. spoons of chamomile are poured into a glass of boiling water and left in a thermos for 3-4 hours. The tincture is filtered and taken 1/4 cup before meals.

Preventing inflammation of the small intestine is balanced diet. First of all, the diet should consist of products that have undergone thorough culinary processing. Vegetables and fruits must be thoroughly washed in running water to prevent infection with helminths.

Taking medications should be under the supervision of a doctor to prevent accumulation chemical elements, destroying the mucous membrane.

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What it is? Enteritis is a collective term for various pathological processes, causing inflammatory reactions in the intestinal walls. The mucous, muscular and serum membranes may be affected, but the mucous membrane is most often affected small intestine.

Inflammatory reactions provoke catarrhal or diphtheritic changes in the intestinal lining and can manifest themselves in various types of lesions - hyperemia and swelling of the mucous lining, hemorrhagic, purulent and ulcerative processes.

Long-term use may be a provoking factor for enteritis. medicines, autoimmune and allergic processes, diseases and disorders in the enzymatic and gastrointestinal tract systems, genetically determined pathologies and much more.

Types of enteritis are classified:

Enteritis can manifest itself as an independent form (primary, idiopathic), or as a secondary, symptomatic form, accompanying background pathologies(mainly kidney and liver diseases).

Chronic enteritis in adults

In the development of chronic enteritis in humans, the main role is played by several factors - inflammatory reactions in the intestines develop as a response to constant damaging factors affecting the intestinal walls (irritation, toxins). Such violations become a prerequisite for the development of dysbacteriosis.

Usually the small intestine is sterile or contains scanty bacterial flora. Its population is noted mainly in the area of the distal segment of the intestine.

Dysbacteriosis, in turn, provokes increased colonization of the intestinal cavity by microorganisms atypical for the intestine (flora and opportunistic organisms), their transformation occurs (their features and functions change), and aggression towards the intestinal mucous membrane increases. The already disrupted digestive processes are aggravated. In the process of toxic influence final products microbial metabolism, permanent damage to the intestinal walls occurs.

The formation of chronic enteritis is facilitated by immunological disorders caused by the development of food hypersensitivity reactions and autoallergy of the body to tissue decay products. At protracted illness, under the influence of toxins, the protein structure of the intestinal lining changes, which subsequently plays an antigenic role in the development of autoallergic manifestations.

An important component in the formation of enteritis in adults is weakened processes of protective factors and deficiency of IgA immunoglobulin (secretory).

Under inflammatory influence, the processes of enzymatic secretion are disrupted, which leads to dysfunction in the cavity and parietal digestion, and the development of malabsorption syndrome in the small intestine.

Not least important in the causes of enteritis is the motor and tonic functions of the intestine, which are responsible for mixing foods with food secretions and moving intestinal contents through the gastrointestinal tract. With chronic enteritis in adults, secondary disorders in the internal environment of the body - immune, endocrine and endocrine, nervous, etc.

Symptoms and signs of the disease are variable, and manifestations depend on the form and severity of the pathology. Despite the fact that enteritis manifests itself as acute and chronic process, more often the initial diagnosis states chronic course.

This is due to the fact that it is bright severe symptoms Adults often try to treat acute enteritis on their own. And it was during this period of “successful” self-treatment symptoms of enteritis in adults, the disease, as a rule, enters its chronic phase.

At the same time, patients may exhibit extraintestinal and intestinal signs diseases.

Extraintestinal signs caused by malabsorption syndrome (impaired absorption functions in the intestine). Based on their manifestations, it is not difficult to suspect problems in the body that manifest themselves:

Rapid weight loss. In a couple of months, a person with a normal appetite can lose over 15 kg. body weight;
Chronic fatigue characteristic features fast weight loss;
Psychosomatic disorders - nighttime insomnia and daytime drowsiness, imbalance and incontinence;
Changes in appearance– dry and brittle hair, thinning and splitting of nails, gray tint of the skin;
If left untreated, tachycardia, hyporeflexia and muscle cramps may develop.

individually are rare, so inflammatory reactions most often develop in all parts of the gastrointestinal tract, manifesting themselves:

Impaired bowel movements (constipation or diarrhea);
Flatulence (flatulence) and tenesmus;
Periodic pain that occurs in the iliac and lower abdomen.

If the disease is accompanied by cholecystitis, patients experience xerostomia (), unpleasant bitterness after meal. If the genesis of the disease is due to gastritis, signs of enteritis in a person will manifest as heartburn, accompanied by unpleasant odor burps.

Development of enteritis in children, signs and symptoms

The genesis of the development of enteritis in children is due primarily to a decrease in the child’s immune defense against the background infectious diseases, vitamin deficiency and intestinal dysbiosis, provocative effects of cold drinks and foods rich in fiber. Often, the first manifestations of symptoms of enteritis in children are preceded by gastritis and recent infections.

The main symptom of the development of enteritis in a child is diarrhea.

Bowel movements may be yellow color with the inclusion of many particles of undigested food and mucus. Sometimes stool has a gray color with a characteristic clayey sheen and a fetid odor, which indicates a violation of the absorption of fats. If there is a fermentation process in the intestines, stool may have a foamy structure.

As additional signs speakers:

Pain during bowel movements;
Increased frequency of bowel movements (more than 15 times/day);
Flatulence and intestinal rumbling;
Cramping, dull, or bursting pain in the navel area;
Intoxication symptoms in the form of vomiting and nausea;
High temperatures.

Otherwise, the course of the disease in children is not much different from the manifestation in adults. Prescriptions of correct and adequate therapeutic procedures for the treatment of enteritis in children are carried out only by a doctor, after establishing the provocative factor and the severity of intestinal damage by inflammatory reactions.

Therapeutic therapy for enteritis is based on complex treatment medications together with the diet. Wherein, healing process is not aimed at eliminating causative factor, but has a symptomatic orientation - elimination of symptoms.

Treatments for chronic enteritis include:

Antisecretory agents that help relieve diarrhea are Imodium and its analogues, for example, Lopreamide.
Antibacterial therapy with the drugs "Monomycin", "Erythromycin", "Levomecitin", "Rifampicin" and "Oleandomycin". After this, drugs are prescribed that restore the intestinal microflora - Bifidumbacterin, Lactobacterin.
Vitamin complexes that restore iron deficiency - “Maltofer”, “Ferocal”, “Ferum-leka”, “Aktiferin”.
For disorders of absorption and digestion of food - the drug "Panangin", vitamin complexes, “Calcium gluconate”, “Protein hydrolysates” and multivitamins.
Signs of flatulence are eliminated by prescribing carminatives, for example Espumisan.
As replacement therapy, use enzyme preparations - “Festala”, “Mezima”, “Creon”, etc.
IN complex therapy medications may be included steroid hormones, helping to reduce the severity intestinal inflammation and improving absorption function.
To restore body weight, drugs that promote protein absorption are prescribed - these are intravenous administration"Intralipid" or "Lipofundin", which promotes rapid regeneration of the mucous coating of the intestinal walls.

Positive effect from drug therapy can be achieved only if certain rules nutrition. Diet for enteritis is the main focus of therapy.

The length of time the diet is followed determines the severity of clinical symptoms and the individual characteristics of the patient’s body. Diet dietary nutrition must be complete, balanced and nutritious. It is unacceptable to exaggerate the diet and “torment” the patient with hunger.

In addition to following the rules providing for a gentle regime for the intestines (mechanical and chemical exposure), V dietary ration must prevail protein food, primarily meat, which helps counteract fermentation processes in the intestines. Main direction in therapeutic diet– this is to restore as much as possible the impaired functions of the intestines and other organs affected by the pathological process.

By influence on intestinal functions, nutrients divided into groups:

1) Those that affect the functions of intestinal emptying are kefir, fruit juices, black bread, mineral water, fats, fiber-rich foods, salt and cold foods.

2) Those that cause a delay in emptying are foods containing tannins (tannins) - tinctures, juices or jelly from blueberries, cocoa, strong, tart tea, red wine, pureed food and warm drinks, soups with a mucous consistency.

3) Having indifferent properties - fish and meat products, prepared by chopped method, or in the form of pastes, well-baked bread, unleavened, fresh cottage cheese.

Based on these indicators, you can create an excellent menu for the patient. Usually, in a diet for enteritis, dietary (a, b and c) is recommended, for many, this does not mean anything. To put it simply, this means that when acute course with signs of profuse diarrhea, a gentle diet containing normal amount protein foods with limited carbohydrates and no more than 10 grams. salt per day.

Dishes must be pureed or steamed. Total calories daily ration should not exceed 2100 kcal. This type of nutrition should be provided for the first five days. Then you can move on to option (b), for a period of one to two months.

This food option is a complete diet with energy calorie content up to 3500 kcal. Products that stimulate gastric secretion and contain plant fiber are excluded. Preparation: boiled and steamed.

In the remission phase - (c) option is used when the pain is relieved and there are no dyspeptic signs.

A gradual expansion of the diet begins. Products are not wiped. It is possible to include in the diet soaked herring, lean ham, boiled vegetables in the form of salad, up to 200 grams per day, raw fruits and vegetables, juices, herbs (parsley, dill), jellied tongue and fish.

Forecast

In the acute form of the disease, mild and moderate clinical manifestations of the disease quickly stop, with proper therapy. Severe processes that are difficult to treat with medication can provoke the development of various complications in the form of intestinal hemorrhages, perforation of the small intestine, necrotic areas or severe dehydration, which requires emergency medical interventions.

The chronic picture is due to periods of remission and exacerbations. Gradual progression aggravates inflammatory processes, spreading the inflammatory reaction throughout the gastrointestinal tract and increasing intestinal malabsorption.

Absence adequate treatment with a long course of the disease, there is a danger of severe complications and infection. As a rule, the untreated chronic course of the disease ends in mortality from exhaustion and severe internal disorders.

Constant stomach upsets, pain in the epigastric region and lower abdomen, deterioration in health can be caused by various inflammatory processes in gastrointestinal tract. One of the most complex and common diseases of this kind is enteritis.

What is enteritis?

Enteritis is an inflammatory disease that affects the mucous membrane of one of the important departments digestive tract– small intestine. It occurs in both adults and children. It is believed that every person has had acute enteritis at least once in their life.

Small intestine - middle part The gastrointestinal tract, located between the stomach and large intestine. The small intestine is divided into three main sections - duodenum, jejunum and ileum. It is where the final breakdown of food masses into individual components - amino acids, fatty acid, carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, and the absorption of these substances into the blood.

Symptoms of the disease include signs of acute gastrointestinal disorder. Chronic enteritis in humans can lead to intestinal dysfunction. With inflammation of the mucous membrane of the small intestine, intestinal motility, the process of moving food through the gastrointestinal tract, and absorption deteriorate useful substances into the blood.

Causes

What causes the pathology? Enteritis is a disease that can occur due to various reasons. The most common situations responsible for the occurrence of enteritis in adults:

viral or bacterial infection;
poor nutrition, excessive intake of alcohol and drugs;
a complication after taking medications in the treatment of other diseases (for example, using ibuprofen for a duodenal ulcer);
radiation therapy for cancer;
a consequence of autoimmune diseases, for example.
damage to the stomach as a result of a stomach ulcer or.

Symptoms

Symptoms of inflammation of the small intestine include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. If the above signs of pathology are observed for more than one or two days, the temperature reaches +38°C, there is blood in the stool, bleeding or mucous discharge from the rectum is observed - in this case, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Types of enteritis

Depending on location inflammatory process Enteritis is divided into duodenitis, jeunitis and ileitis. In the first case, the duodenum is affected, in the second - the jejunum, in the third - the ileum. Also, depending on the etiology, enteritis is distinguished between infectious and non-infectious. Depending on the nature of the course and symptoms, enteritis can be acute or chronic.

If enteritis is combined with severe pathology of the stomach - inflammation of the stomach wall or chronic gastritis, then they talk about gastroenteritis. And if at the same time there is a process of inflammation of the large intestine - chronic colitis, That we're talking about O chronic enterocolitis. It is also not uncommon for the disease to be complicated by ulcerative colitis.

Infectious enteritis in humans

Food poisoning is the most common cause infectious enteritis. Symptoms may begin to appear hours or days after the infection enters the body. This often happens if the patient the day before ingested food or water that was contaminated with bacteria. The latter end up in food if it is poorly processed, begins to deteriorate, if the patient does not follow the rules of hygiene, or if the food was not properly heat treated when preparing food. Unpasteurized milk, raw vegetables and fruits can also cause enteritis. In rare cases, you can become infected with pathogenic bacteria if you come into physical contact with other people or animals who already have enteritis. True, this happens infrequently.

The danger of acute infectious enteritis

With this form of enteritis, the patient is at risk of dehydration due to vomiting, diarrhea and heavy sweating. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor. The onset of dehydration can be determined by the following signs: severe thirst, dizziness when standing, dry lips and mouth, weakness, weak urination, dark urine, strong odor. Dehydration requires treatment. If everything is left as is, the patient may develop hypovolemic shock, as a result, the kidneys, heart, liver will suffer and death may occur.

Chronic form of the disease

Intestinal inflammation may result from poor nutrition(fat, spicy food and heavy consumption of alcohol), injuries at work (poisoning with substances toxic to humans used in industry), damage by helminths and protozoa. This form of enteritis can also result from long-term use medications without specialist supervision or radiation therapy. The chronic form is characterized by mild symptoms of enteritis - mild pain, general weakness, various gastrointestinal disorders.

Consequences of chronic enteritis

If the functioning of the small intestine is disrupted, the process of absorption of food masses into the blood deteriorates. This leads to the appearance of signs of malabsorption syndrome - vitamin deficiencies, skin diseases, neuropathy, weight loss and exhaustion of the body. The composition is changing intestinal microflora, intestinal motility is impaired. This also causes dehydration of the body. Further development of the disease can lead to atrophy of the intestinal mucosa.

Diagnosis of enteritis

If you suspect inflammation of the intestinal wall and the appearance characteristic symptoms enteritis, the doctor can examine the patient, take a blood test and conduct a stool culture to determine which bacteria caused the inflammation. Without these procedures it is impossible to prescribe the most effective method treatment.

How to treat inflammation of the small intestine

Treatment of acute enteritis is carried out in a hospital or at home - it all depends on the etiology and severity of the disease. Mild cases resolve within a couple of days and require little or no medical intervention. You just need to regularly replenish the lack of fluid. If there is a large loss of fluid, medication or even hospitalization and administration may be required. infusion solutions electrolytes through a dropper to replenish all the necessary salts and elements. Sometimes you may need to take antibiotics, antispasmodics and astringents. Recovery intestinal flora you should take probiotics.

Treatment of chronic enteritis includes, in addition to medications, also diet. For enteritis, adult patients may be prescribed a course of multivitamins and digestive enzymes. In many cases there will be useful treatment in a sanatorium. If the disease is caused by radiation therapy, it is necessary to reconsider the treatment, and sometimes even stop it completely. In some cases it is necessary surgery to remove the injured part of the intestine.

If the treatment of enteritis in adults is correct, the disease goes away within a few days. In more severe cases, recovery may take two to three weeks. If the patient passes radiation therapy, recovery takes from 6 to 18 months.

Diet

This is one of the key points in the treatment of enteritis. The diet is prescribed by the doctor taking into account the characteristics of the patient’s disease. When it comes to chronic or acute forms of enteritis, the first five days are especially important. At this time, the surface of the small intestine is especially sensitive to irritants. The diet recommended for enteritis in adult patients must meet the following requirements for the amount of basic nutritional components:

carbohydrates no more than 250 g;
proteins no more than 100 g;
fat no more than 70 g.

Salt is limited to 8-9 g per day. The total calorie content of the diet is no more than 1970 kcal per day, which is optimal for the patient. Preference should be given to dishes that are steamed or boiled and then passed through a blender. Products in this form are easily absorbed by the body and do not irritate the small intestine.

If after five days of following the diet the patient’s condition improves, then the diet can be slightly diversified. Now the consumption of carbohydrates per day increases to 400-450 g, and fats and proteins - 100 g. The total calorie content increases to 2800 - 3000 kcal. In addition to boiling and steaming, foods can now be baked.

As a rule, when dieting, it is usually recommended to consume following products: crackers from white bread, pureed soups with low-fat meat broth, soups with a jelly consistency, meatballs, porridge with water or low-fat broth, steamed meat, poultry or fish. You can eat boiled eggs(no more than two per day), berry or fruit jelly(not sour), drink jelly. It is recommended to drink plenty of unsweetened tea or cocoa with water.

The patient should avoid dairy products ready-made sauces, snacks, raw vegetables, fruits and berries, alcohol, spicy, fatty or fried foods.

In the chronic form of the disease, the situation is to some extent simpler, since the patient does not need to grind everything in a blender to a puree. You can eat foods such as low-fat doctor's sausage, vegetable salads (with a limit of no more than 200 g of tomatoes per day), berries and fruits. It is worth noting that new foods should be introduced into the diet carefully, monitoring the body’s reaction to them.

How to prevent infectious bowel inflammation

The key point is careful adherence to personal hygiene rules. Wash your hands with soap before and after eating, preparing food, and going to the toilet. When traveling, it is recommended to use hand wipes (antibacterial, alcohol-based). Do not use internally raw water from wells, rivers, streams. Water should always be boiled, even if it comes from a tap.

The cooking process requires special attention. For cooking, you must use only clean utensils and wash work surfaces in the kitchen frequently. Cook meat, poultry, fish until fully cooked; You can use a kitchen thermometer to check whether the temperature inside the dish has reached the required level. When cooking pork, beef, lamb it should be at least +63°C, minced meat – +71°C, and poultry meat – +74°C.

You should also pay careful attention to food storage. A dish that is not completely eaten should be immediately put in the refrigerator. The temperature in the main compartment of the refrigerator should not be higher than +4°C, and in the freezer – -17°C. Meat should be stored separately from vegetables.