Is enteritis prone to recurrence?

Written by Li Ying
Gastroenterology
Updated on February 20, 2025
00:00
00:00

Enteritis is primarily a disease of the intestines, with a higher incidence in autumn and summer, predominantly manifesting as acute enteritis during these times. The incubation period ranges from 12 to 36 hours, and the main symptoms may cause the patient to experience diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

There is also chronic enteritis, which occurs more slowly and causes repeated episodes of abdominal pain over a long period, including diarrhea and various degrees of indigestion. Changes can also be observed in the stool, which may be watery or mucus-laden. Patients with mild diarrhea might defecate three to four times a day. There might be alternating episodes of constipation and diarrhea. In severe cases, patients might experience bowel movements once every one to two hours, or even suffer from severe fecal incontinence. Sometimes, the stool might contain a large amount of mucus and possibly pus and blood, or even fresh blood, which necessitates ruling out other diseases. If enteritis is well-managed, it can be a long time before a recurrence, but if the treatment is not thoroughly standardized, enteritis is likely to recur.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
55sec home-news-image

What foods should I eat to regulate enteritis?

When dealing with colitis, dietary considerations are crucial. Smoking and alcohol consumption should be avoided, as well as fatty, rich, spicy, stimulating, fried, grilled, and raw cold foods. The diet should primarily consist of light and easily digestible foods. Suitable options include porridge, such as yam porridge, barley porridge, and millet porridge, as well as soups like chicken soup and pork rib soup, and even noodles. Additionally, when consuming meat, ensure it is thoroughly stewed before eating. Increased physical activity is also recommended, as it can promote gastrointestinal motility and potentially improve digestive functions. Avoid staying up late and excessive physical strain to maintain a relaxed mood and avoid excessive anxiety and depression.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Zhen Quan
Colorectal Surgery Department
52sec home-news-image

Will enteritis cause stomach pain?

Patients with enteritis mostly experience symptoms of abdominal pain, mostly manifesting as mild to moderate abdominal pain. Spasmodic pain in the lower left abdomen or lower abdomen is more common, and sometimes it can involve the entire abdomen. Some patients also have these symptoms where urgency and severe straining follow a bowel movement, and abdominal pain relieves after defecation. In cases with milder conditions, the pain is only a discomfort in the abdomen or mild obscure pain. Moderate cases may have mild tenderness in the lower left abdomen, and sometimes doctors can also feel a spasming colon. In severe cases, such as those complicated by toxic megacolon or when inflammation spreads to the peritoneum, there can be persistent severe abdominal pain.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Wang Zhen Quan
Colorectal Surgery Department
47sec home-news-image

Can you drink alcohol with enteritis?

Can patients with enteritis drink alcohol? Patients with acute enteritis must abstain from alcohol during the illness. For those with chronic enteritis, it is also advisable to control their alcohol consumption, trying to drink less or even not at all. This is because alcohol can easily irritate the gastrointestinal tract, damage the mucous membrane of the gut, and further affect the digestive and absorption functions of the stomach and intestines. This can exacerbate the condition of enteritis and pose greater risks to health. Additionally, it is also important to avoid other spicy and irritating foods, as well as cold, hard substances. Drinking less strong tea and consuming more bland, warm, and soft foods can help with digestion.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Ying
Gastroenterology
47sec home-news-image

How is enteritis treated?

Gastroenteritis can generally be divided into viral gastroenteritis and bacterial gastroenteritis. In terms of treatment, the first is pathogen treatment, and the second is symptomatic treatment. For pathogen treatment, it is best to choose antibacterial drugs based on the type of bacteria for bacterial gastroenteritis; however, viral gastroenteritis generally does not require pathogen treatment, and most patients can recover on their own. For symptomatic treatment, since gastroenteritis may cause symptoms such as dehydration and vomiting, it is necessary to timely provide fluid replenishment to the patients to prevent mild dehydration.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Jiao Yan
Neonatology
47sec home-news-image

What to do with infant enteritis?

When an infant has enteritis and frequently diarrhea, it is essential to treat this condition. First, you should administer appropriate anti-inflammatory medication. Additionally, medications that stop diarrhea and regulate intestinal flora are needed. If the infant has numerous bouts of diarrhea, followed by reduced urine output or cries without tears, it indicates dehydration. In such cases, it's important to replenish fluids, possibly through oral rehydration salts. If the infant shows significant restlessness or cries without any tears at all, or if there is a noticeable decrease in urine output, fluid replenishment therapy is necessary.