Ulcerative colitis is one of many inflammatory bowel diseases that wreak havoc on your digestive system. While ulcerative colitis is considered an inflammatory bowel disease, it’s a standalone condition. People with ulcerative colitis will experience a wide range of symptoms in varying degrees depending on how advanced and severe their condition is. While symptoms will vary, the defining feature of ulcerative colitis is abdominal pain and discomfort.
The reason that ulcerative colitis is so painful is because it causes inflammation and ulcers in your digestive system. The inflammation starts in your rectum and proceeds to your colon and abdomen. Although ulcerative colitis isn’t life-threatening by itself, it can cause other conditions that have life-threatening ramifications. Therefore, early diagnosis and treatment is essential for people with ulcerative colitis.
Like all inflammatory bowel diseases, ulcerative colitis is extremely uncomfortable and painful. Symptoms will come and go periodically and will cause occasional or frequent flair-ups. In most cases, however, your symptoms will get progressively worse if you don’t start a treatment plan. While symptoms vary from person to person, here are some of the most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
Each of these symptoms are chronic and will only go away with proper treatment. If left untreated, ulcerative colitis can lead to liver disease, colon cancer, internal bleeding, and other problems.
Medical experts are not sure what exactly causes ulcerative colitis. While there are plenty of risk factors and things that can cause flair-ups, no one knows what causes ulcerative colitis to start for the first time. The most common theory is that ulcerative colitis is caused by a problem with the immune system. This problem causes your immune system to be overactive, leading to inflammation and the formation of ulcers.
While we do not know the exact cause, here are a few risk factors and things that can lead to flair-ups.
Despite these risk factors, ulcerative colitis can happen to anyone at any age.
If someone is displaying the symptoms above, there’s a good chance that your doctor will suspect an inflammatory bowel disease. However, to determine whether or not that condition is ulcerative colitis, they’ll have to perform additional tests.
A blood test is a good way to check for inflammation and anaemia, which are both signs of ulcerative colitis.
A stool sample is one of the best ways to confirm a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.
Imaging tests, such as X-rays and MRIs, allow your doctor to inspect your internal organs and check for inflammation and ulcers.
An endoscopy is done so that your doctor can get a look at your colon and digestive system. They can also get a tissue sample for laboratory testing.
Using a combination of these tests, your doctor will be able to confirm a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.
While there’s no known cure for ulcerative colitis, there are treatments that can help manage symptoms and prevent flair-ups.
Medications are the most popular and effective treatment for ulcerative colitis. Medications are used to reduce inflammation, manage your symptoms, and regulate your immune system, which helps prevent flair-ups.
It’s suspected that certain foods and stress can cause ulcerative colitis flair-ups. Therefore, your doctor may recommend dietary changes and finding ways to reduce stress in your life.
In extreme cases where medications aren’t working, surgery may be necessary to correct problems caused by ulcerative colitis.