The cause of colitis is strongly suspected to be related to several conditions, including genetic disorders and immune system disorders. As a preventive measure, it's a good idea to anticipate the various causes of intestinal inflammation early on.
Inflammatory bowel disease or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is divided into 2, namely ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Both conditions are chronic inflammation of the digestive tract and are usually characterized by persistent diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, bloody stools, and weight loss.
Although the cause of colitis is not clearly known, there are various factors that are thought to trigger, increase the risk of occurrence, or worsen the symptoms of this disease.
Various Causes of Inflammation of the Bowel
The following are factors that are thought to have the most role in causing intestinal inflammation:
1. Autoimmune disease
The strongest possible cause of inflammatory bowel disease by far is an autoimmune disease. This condition occurs when the body's immune system, which fights bacterial and viral infections, attacks the body's own tissues, including cells in the digestive tract.
In inflammatory bowel disease, the immune system mistakes the good bacteria or probiotics in the gut that help digest food as harmful bacteria. Eventually, the body's immune system attacks the intestines and inflammation ensues.
In addition, some experts suspect that intestinal inflammation occurs due to an immune response to bacterial or viral infections that is excessive to damage the body's healthy cells.
2. Genetic factors
A person can also get inflammatory bowel disease if he gets the gene that causes intestinal inflammation from his parents. That's why someone with a parent, sibling, or blood relative who has inflammatory bowel disease is at a higher risk of developing this disease.
3. External factors
Although further investigation is still needed, various environmental factors, such as air pollution, smoking habits, and the use of certain drugs, are thought to have a major role in the occurrence of inflammatory bowel disease.
In addition, certain foods and beverages, such as alcohol, soft drinks, fatty foods such as fried foods and fast food, Dairy products, nuts, and spicy foods can also increase the risk of colitis and make symptoms worse.
4. Stress
Stress is not a direct cause of intestinal inflammation. However, stress is a factor that has a big role in the occurrence of inflammatory bowel symptoms. Heavy physical and emotional stress is also known to worsen the condition of this disease.
When stressed, the body's immune system will respond by releasing proteins called cytokines that function to fight infection. In people with the gene that causes gastroenteritis, this response will cause excessive inflammation of the intestines, so that the symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease appear or get worse.
Those are some of the factors that are thought to be the cause of intestinal inflammation. Some factors such as heredity are unavoidable. However, you can reduce the risk of inflammatory bowel disease by living a healthy lifestyle, such as drinking lots of water, quitting smoking, and reducing stress by exercising regularly and getting at least 7-8 hours of sleep a day.
In addition, if you are at a higher risk of developing colitis, don't hesitate to consult a doctor, especially if you start experiencing any of the symptoms. The sooner treatment or lifestyle changes are implemented, the more likely the disease can be controlled.
