Ulcerative colitis (patient information)

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What is Ulcerative colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the large intestine and rectum.

What are the symptoms of Ulcerative colitis?

The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Patients also may experience:

• anemia
• fatigue
• weight loss
• loss of appetite
• rectal bleeding
• loss of body fluids and nutrients
• skin lesions
• joint pain
• growth failure (specifically in children)

About half of the people diagnosed with ulcerative colitis have mild symptoms. Others suffer frequent fevers, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps. Ulcerative colitis may also cause problems such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease, and osteoporosis. It is not known why these problems occur outside the colon. Scientists think these complications may be the result of inflammation triggered by the immune system. Some of these problems go away when the colitis is treated.

What are the causes of Ulcerative colitis?

Many theories exist about what causes ulcerative colitis. People with ulcerative colitis have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities are a cause or a result of the disease. The body’s immune system is believed to react abnormally to the bacteria in the digestive tract.

Ulcerative colitis is not caused by emotional distress or sensitivity to certain foods or food products, but these factors may trigger symptoms in some people. The stress of living with ulcerative colitis may also contribute to a worsening of symptoms.

When to seek urgent medical care

Call your health care provider if you develop persistent abdominal pain, new or increased bleeding, persistent fever, or other symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

Call your health care provider if you have ulcerative colitis and your symptoms worsen or do not improve with treatment, or if new symptoms develop.

Where to find medical care for Ulcerative colitis

Directions to Hospitals Treating Ulcerative colitis

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)

The course of the disease generally varies. Ulcerative colitis may be inactive and then get worse over a period of years. Sometimes ulcerative colitis can progress quickly. A permanent and complete cure is unusual.

The risk of colon cancer increases in each decade after ulcerative colitis is diagnosed.

Possible Complications

• Ankylosing spondylitis
• Cancer
• Colon narrowing
• Complications of corticosteroid therapy
• Impaired growth and sexual development in children
• Inflammation of the joints
• Lesions in the eye
• Liver disease
• Massive bleeding in the colon
• Mouth ulcers
• Pyoderma gangrenosum (skin ulcer)
• Tears or holes (perforation) in the colon