Introduction

Tell your health care provider about any persistent changes in your bowel habits. If you are already under treatment for inflammatory bowel disease or irritable bowel syndrome, contact your provider if you experience any prolonged changes or pass blood in your stools. Also seek medical care if you have any of these conditions associated with colitis:

• Diarrhea lasting more than 3 days
• Severe abdominal or rectal pain
• Signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, anxiety or restlessness, excessive thirst, little or no urination
• Frequent loose bowel movements during pregnancy
• More than 1 other person who shared food with you who has symptoms like yours, for example abdominal pain, fever , and diarrhea
• Blood or mucus in your stool
• Progressively looser bowel movements and appearance of other symptoms such as fever and diarrhea
• Fever with diarrhea
• Pain moving from the area around your belly to your right lower abdomen

You should go to a hospital's emergency department for any of these reasons:

• Abdominal pain with fever
• Severe acute attacks if you are already diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease
• Signs of dehydration in an old or very young person
• Progression or appearance of new symptoms over a few hours
• Blood in your stool along with fever and loose bowel movements

Self-Care at Home

For a mild case of diarrhea, you can manage your discomfort by doing the following:

• Drink clear fluids such as water, lemonade, light lemon tea, and light soup.
• Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water and other liquids daily to prevent complications such as dehydration .
• As your symptoms improve or your stools become formed, start to eat low-fiber foods. Do not eat greasy or fatty foods for a few days. For example, avoid milk, cream, or soft cheese.
• Proper nutrition is important if you have colitis. Although specific food do not cause the disease, some may trigger your discomfort, such as spicy or high-fiber foods, especially when the diarrhea phase is active. Keep a food diary to track the culprits. A well- balanced diet is always a smart choice.
• You may need psychotherapy, counseling, and education. This approach will help both you and your family to accept illness and learn to take greater responsibility in managing it.

Prevention

You can prevent short-term colitis associated with infectious germs by using proper hygiene and sanitation measures, especially handling food.