The colon is the large intestine

The colon is the large intestine

Colon

The colon is a part of the large intestine. Its main function is to absorb water and the remaining salts from the food follicles, and then pass the latter out of the body. The colon is commonly referred to as the colon or the large intestine. The term colon may also be used to express disorder Which affects the large intestine. In this article we will show how true these expressions are, then their sections, and how they work.

The colon is part of the large intestine

The colon is not the same as the large intestine, but is part of it, according to the following:

  • The large intestine is part of the digestive system, 150 cm long and 6.5 cm wide. It extends between the ileum (the last part of the small intestine) and the anus, and its main functions are: complete absorption processes, and manufacture some vitamins needed by the body , The formation of stool, and disposal, and the colon has been defined in the introduction above.
  • The large intestine is divided into three sections, namely:
    • Caecum: the first section, up to 8 cm long, and has only one hole, and that is why it is called the ache.
    • Colon: The second section, divided into several sections, we will explain in the next paragraph of this article.
    • Rectum: the last section, up to 18 cm long, and connected to the anal canal.

Colon Sections

  • Ascending Colon: It is 13 cm in length and comes right after the cecum and reaches the lower right surface of the liver area.
  • Transverse Colon: It is 38 cm in length and extends across the abdominal area, located above the small intestine, below the liver and stomach.
  • Descending colon: It is 25 cm long and extends vertically on the left side of the abdomen.
  • Sigmoid Colon: It is an S-shaped, with a terminal segment of the rectum.

How Colon Works

  • The walls of the colon lining the millions of nerve receptors, which act as sensors to determine the quality of the food that arrives, and thus send the brain signals nervous, to respond to the appropriate order by the contractions muscles of the walls, and therefore the colon function is the absorption of excess water from the remnants of food, The latter are intended for disposal, and the process controls the nerves, hormones, and the extent to which the colon responds to its contents.
  • A malfunction of the colon’s functional contractions leads to many health problems, including: irritable bowel syndrome, colic, bloating, gas discharge, constipation, diarrhea, etc.