I’m a bit of a hypochondriac, so I know a lot about various diseases and conditions even though I have no good reason to know about them.
On top of that, I’m a medical television addict. I love watching shows like House and Grey’s Anatomy.
Because of all this, I’m usually pretty surprised when someone tells me about a health problem that I haven’t heard of before. When a friend of mine mentioned that her uncle had toxic megacolon, the first thing I thought was, “What on earth is that?!”
Not only does toxic megacolon have a unique (and terrifying) name, I’d never heard of it before!
I immediately started researching the condition, and was stunned by what I found. Although it’s not very common, toxic megacolon can be life-threatening — especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for.
Read below to learn more about the signs and symptoms of toxic megacolon!
Thumbnail Photo: Wikimedia / Hellerhoff
What Is Toxic Megacolon?
Because toxic megacolon is relatively rare, many people don’t know what it is.
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, “Toxic megacolon occurs when swelling and inflammation spread into the deeper layers of your colon. As a result, the colon stops working and widens. In severe cases, the colon may rupture.”
What Causes Toxic Megacolon?
Toxic megacolon can be caused by a number of things.
Johns Hopkins Medicine explains that “It is a complication of severe colon disease or infection.”
It can also be caused by ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease that isn’t controlled well.
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