Table of Contents
What is the colon in the body?
The longest part of the large intestine (a tube-like organ connected to the small intestine at one end and the anus at the other). The colon removes water and some nutrients and electrolytes from partially digested food.
Where is the colon?
The colon is about 5 feet long and circles the abdomen up the right side, across, and down the left side. It then descends into the lowest part of the colon, or the rectum. The rectum connects to the anus, which is the opening from which stools leave the body. The colon contracts as it moves digested food and waste.
What causes an infected colon?
Infection is one of the causes of colon inflammation. Colitis can be caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites. Infection colitis can be contracted from contaminated water, foodborne illnesses or poor hygiene. Other causes include Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), ischemic colitis and diarrhea and abdominal pain.
What are the symptoms of colon problems?
Symptoms of colon disorders typically include:
- abdominal pain.
- constipation.
- diarrhea.
- gas.
- bloating.
- cramping.
- fatigue.
What happens when the colon is not functioning properly?
Symptoms of bowel problems include abdominal pain and spasms, gas, bloating, inability to defecate or pass gas, rectal bleeding, loose and watery stools, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, and weight loss.
What are the symptoms of an infection in your colon?
Inflamed colon symptoms include diarrhoea with or without blood, abdominal pain and cramping, fever, nausea, fatigue, weight loss and bloating, among others. Intestinal infections continue to be a cause of worry for many patients and their families.
What is the medical term for colon?
The human colon, or large intestine, is a muscular, tube-shaped organ measuring about 4 feet long. It extends from the end of the small bowel to the rectum; some doctors may include the rectum as the end of the colon. The term colorectal describes this area that begins at the colon and ends at the anus.
What is the definition of colon in English?
The English word “colon” is from Latin colon ( pl. cola ), itself from Ancient Greek κῶλον ( kôlon ), meaning “limb”, “member”, or “portion”. In Greek rhetoric and prosody, the term did not refer to punctuation but to the expression or passage itself. A “colon” was a section of a complete thought or passage.
What is the meaning of colon?
: the part of the large intestine that extends from the cecum to the rectum. colon. noun (2) plural colons or cola. Definition of colon (Entry 2 of 5) 1 plural cola : a rhythmical unit of an utterance specifically, in Greek or Latin verse : a system or series of from two to not more than six feet having a principal accent and forming part of a line.