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What Can Cause a Colon Lesion?

Valerie Goldberg
Valerie Goldberg

A colon lesion is an abnormality in the colon that is caused by inflammation. Not all lesions are cancerous. A person can get a lesion from Crohn's disease, an infection, polyps or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

Crohn's disease is one cause of a colon lesion. This illness is chronic and causes the bowel to be inflamed. The inflammation can cause Crohn's disease suffers to get diarrhea, bloody stool and stomach cramping on a frequent basis. Even though this disease does not have a cure, treatment is available. Patients can manage their symptoms by taking doctor-prescribed anti-inflammatory drugs as well as pain relievers and anti-diarrheal medications on some occasions.

A doctor will perform a colonoscopy to check for colon lesions.
A doctor will perform a colonoscopy to check for colon lesions.

Infections of the digestive system also can be responsible for a colon lesion. A salmonella infection from tainted food is one of the most common infections. After a person is infected with salmonella, he or she is likely to experience bowel inflammation and excessive diarrhea for one to four days. The only thing that really gets rid of salmonella is time and letting the bacteria exit the body. It is important for people who are suffering from a salmonella infection to stay hydrated.

A colon lesion is an abnormality in th colon that is caused by inflammation.
A colon lesion is an abnormality in th colon that is caused by inflammation.

Polyps can be one of the scarier causes of a colon lesion. Sometimes people associate polyps with colon cancer, but not all polyps are cancerous. A polyp is a growth found in the large intestine during a colonoscopy. Doctors typically test the polyps to make sure that they are not cancerous.

Many men develop colon polyps in their 50s simply because of age or genetics. Both women and men who are younger than 50 can be at a higher risk for polyps if someone in their family has had uterine cancer or colon cancer. Even benign polyps can be an inconvenience because they can cause rectal bleeding and constipation and might need to be removed. People can lower their risk for polyp growth by not smoking or drinking and by eating a healthy, high-fiber diet.

Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome can both cause colon lesions.
Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome can both cause colon lesions.

Irritable bowel syndrome is another possible cause of colon lesions because IBS patients experience excessive inflammation from chronic diarrhea or chronic constipation. The cause of IBS is unknown, but many IBS patients seem to have spastic intestine muscles. Typical IBS symptoms include debilitating gas pains and bloating, which often occur after eating or during a high-anxiety situation. People who have IBS are encouraged to eat smaller meals and avoid caffeine to help curb attacks.

Discussion Comments

anon998683

My niece just had a colonoscopy and they thought she had Crohns also ,but the doctor said she didn't she is going to have a mri and then they are going to do a biopsy. We are hopeful that it isn't anything bad.

anon331696

My father just told me that they found a lesion on his colon. He had colon cancer back in 2009, they removed a piece of it and he has been cancer free since. I really hope it's not malignant.

turquoise

@simrin-- I had the same, lesions from IBD!

I'm surprised your doctor left the lesions alone. It seems like treatment varies from doctor to doctor and the type of colon lesions.

My doctor used laser and burned the lesions off. They were giving me some slight problems with bowel movements. The treatment itself was no big deal, but the recovery was not fun. I couldn't have solid food for more than a month and I've been eating a very fiber rich diet since then.

I'm also on anti-inflammatory medication. I can't skip these for even a day. My doctor said that my risk of developing more lesions is very high if I don't keep the inflammation down and watch my diet.

SteamLouis

@anamur-- You won't know until the biopsy results come out. Just be patient and wait.

I have lesions on my colon too, due to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). I think this is actually much more common that colon lesions due to IBS. IBS is is irritable bowel syndrome. I think IBS can result in inflammation too, but IBD has a higher chance of causing lesions due to persistent inflammation.

My lesions are not malignant. We haven't done anything to them because they don't cause mucous or bleeding thankfully. My doctor just monitors them every six months for changes, that's all.

serenesurface

My sister has Crohn's disease and had a colonscopy recently because of bleeding from the rectum. The colonoscopy showed that she has poplypoid lesions in her colon. Her doctor is now getting ready to schedule her for a biopsy to check for malignancy, it seems like it will be at least another couple of weeks.

My sister is really worried and I'm trying to learn more about colonic lesions and how dangerous they can be. Her doctor will more than likely remove the lesions because they are causing bleeding. But what are the chances of these lesions turning out to be malignant?

I want to believe that it's not very high since the lesions are caused because of Crohn's.

Has anyone with Crohn's disease been diagnosed with colon lesions? I would love to hear about anyone else's experiences with this. I want to support and help my sister as much as possible.

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    • A doctor will perform a colonoscopy to check for colon lesions.
      By: Chrispo
      A doctor will perform a colonoscopy to check for colon lesions.
    • A colon lesion is an abnormality in th colon that is caused by inflammation.
      By: ancroft
      A colon lesion is an abnormality in th colon that is caused by inflammation.
    • Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome can both cause colon lesions.
      By: CLIPAREA.com
      Crohn's disease and irritable bowel syndrome can both cause colon lesions.
    • Infections of the digestive system can be responsible for a colon lesion.
      By: rob3000
      Infections of the digestive system can be responsible for a colon lesion.
    • Many men develop colon polyps in their 50s because of age or genetics.
      By: rob3000
      Many men develop colon polyps in their 50s because of age or genetics.