Microscopic Colitis

Diagnosis

Your doctor will begin an evaluation with a careful health history to see if other conditions may be contributing to your symptoms.

• A significant number of people tested for microscopic colitis are found to have celiac disease, or a subset, collagenous sprue.
• Autoimmune disease such as arthritis and Sjogren's syndrome can occur together with colitis symptoms.

People who use multiple drugs, especially nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, have a higher risk of developing microscopic colitis.

You would have either a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy to examine the colon (large intestine).

To confirm microscopic colitis, a tissue sample (biopsy) is taken of the lining of the colon. These samples are studied under a microscope to determine if they contain cells associated with inflammation. Tissue samples must be taken from several areas of the colon because microscopic colitis can occur in patches.