The large intestine is a vital part of your digestive system. It’s often referred to as the large bowel and it’s the last part of your digestive tract. This is where water is absorbed into waste products through the intestine wall. The waste effectively forms stools in this part of your body and, if there has been enough water absorption, they will be soft enough to easily pass.
This section of the digestive tract is wider than the small intestine and coils around the small intestine, connecting it to your rectum. On average it is 1.5m long.
It’s not always easy to tell if the pain in the stomach area is coming from the small intestine or the large one, because they loop around each other. That’s why, if you have pain that won’t go away you should see a colorectal surgeon and find out the cause.
The most common reasons for this pain or discomfort are:
Proctitis
Proctitis is simply an inflammation of the rectum. There are a variety of reasons why this area can become inflamed but it is generally nothing serious. However, you may need medical assistance to reduce the inflammation and return everything to normal working order.
If you have proctitis then you’ll have hard stools, possible diarrhoea, and the feeling you need to urinate, even though you don’t. The inflammation causes your intestine to ache.
Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcers can happen in various parts of your body but one in your colon can be particularly painful. In general, there is no medical reason for the ulcers although high-stress levels increase the risk of ulcers.
Ulcers form in the colon and will cause diarrhoea, in which you will see blood. There is also likely to be mucus and pus with most sufferers losing interest in food and therefore losing weight.
Chron’s Disease
This is an inflammation of the large intestine as the person suffers a reaction to certain foods and drinks. Most people will suffer pain on the right side of their body and they are likely to develop a light fever as well as feeling sick.
It’s also common to develop flatulence and the pain will worsen when you eat.
Medication and a diet plan, as offered by your doctor, can help resolve this although it is impossible to cure Chron’s disease.
Intestinal Polyps
Polyps are growths that can occur anywhere in your intestinal tract and will cause pain as food waste tries to move past them. It is most commonly noticed as bleeding in the stools, where the polyps have bled as waste has been pushed past.
Polyps are more common in people with high-fat and low-fibre diets and you’ll need them removed, usually with medical intervention.
Of course, there are other reasons for discomfort in the large intestine, such as diverticulosis, cancer, and even appendicitis. That’s why, if you are experiencing pain and can’t get rid of it after a few days, you should book an appointment with a specialist. It’s better to get it checked and finds it is nothing than discover the issue too late.
