text: what is colitis?   colitis is a digestive disease characterized by inflammation of the colon.                           signs and symptoms of colitis includes pain, tenderness in the abdomen, fever, swelling of the colon tissue, bleeding of the surface of the colon, rectal bleeding and ulceration of the colon. to make proper diagnosis the tests include x-ray, stool culture, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy. perhaps blood test. there are several types of colitis including ulcerative colitis, crohn's colitis, diversion colitis, infectious colitis, atypical colitis etc. many patients suffer severe pain, diarrhea and fever. a number of the patients require surgery. treatment usually involves antibiotics, general anti-inflammatory medications, steroids, other drugs or surgery. reducing carbohydrates, lactose products, soft drinks and caffeine is also beneficial.