Colitis refers to inflammation of the large intestine. Also this is used to refer to inflammation of the small intestine. Although the proper term would be ileitis when speaking of the ileum which is the end of the small intestine, colitis may be due to infections like Salmonella, diseases like ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

Stress-related colitis, also called the irritable bowel syndrome does not truly cause inflammation of the colon, but it does cause the same symptoms.