Colitis

In the framework of Western medicine, colitis is understood as an inflammatory condition affecting the colon, and it is generally categorized into three subtypes: Proctosigmoiditis, which impacts the rectum and lower portion of the colon; Left-sided ulcerative colitis, affecting the left side of the colon starting from the rectum; and Pancolitis, which affects the entire large intestine (Ordás et al., 2012, Gastroenterology; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22326433). Conversely, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) conceptualizes general colitis as a pattern of disharmony termed "heart and spleen deficiency." In this paradigm, the heart receives nutrient-rich blood from the spleen and, in turn, circulates it back to the spleen for optimal functioning. When in a state of deficiency, symptoms such as heart palpitations, fatigue, poor appetite, and insomnia may manifest (Wang et al., 2015, Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26591682). These contrasting frameworks offer unique diagnostic and therapeutic perspectives, serving as complementary approaches for the comprehensive management of colitis, although further research is necessary to fully integrate these approaches (Ooi et al., 2019, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30753378).