Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsCausesStool ChangesOther SymptomsFood TriggersTreatment
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Causes
Stool Changes
Other Symptoms
Food Triggers
Treatment
Ulcerative colitis(UC)is a lifelong inflammatory disease of thecolon and rectum. The immune mediated disease causes changes in stools ranging from diarrhea and bloody stools to constipation and urgent bowel movements.
Changes in the consistency, color, smell, or frequency of stools are often the first clue that a person with UC is moving from a period of low disease activity (remission) to an active flare. Recognizing these changes can ensure that the appropriate treatments are dispensed to reduce symptoms, avoid potentially serious complications, and achieve remission.
This article explains how ulcerative colitis causes changes in stools and bowel movements. It also lists foods that trigger UC flares and ways to effectively treat stool-related symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
Verywell / Laura Porter
Why Does Ulcerative Colitis Affect Stool?
Ulcerative colitis is achroniccondition, meaning that it is persistent with recurrent episodes. Currently, there is no cure for UC.
Why Am I Pooping So Much?
What Are the Stool Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis?
In people with ulcerative colitis, stool changes are due to the inflammatory damage of the lining of the large intestine. This can cause changes in the color, appearance, texture, and smell of stools as well as the frequency of bowel movements.
Color/Appearance
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In addition to the texture and appearance of stools, the color of stools can also hint at problems associated with UC:
Stool Smell
Foul-smelling stools are common in people with UC. There are several reasons for this:
Bowel Frequency
Frequent bowel movementsare more characteristic of ulcerative colitis. The severity of UC is classified as follows:
Infrequent bowel movementscan occur in ulcerative proctitis. Symptoms include:
Other Bowel Symptoms
Diarrhea, bowel urgency, abdominal pain, cramping, mucus in stools, and bloody stools are common in people with ulcerative colitis.
Other symptoms include:
What Foods Trigger Stool-Related Symptoms?
While diet is not a cause of UC, certain foods and beverages make symptoms worse. The various food triggers commonly associated with UC can vary from one person to the next.
The followingdietary changesmay help relieve UC symptoms during an acute flare:
You should also drink plenty of water throughout the day, and eat smaller, snack-sized meals five or six times daily to place less stress on your digestive tract.
How to Treat Stool-Related Symptoms
The treatment of ulcerative colitis typically involves medications, diet, and lifestyle changes.Prescription drugs commonly used to treat UC include:
Stress is another factor that can contribute to changes in the stool.The brain-gut connection is thought to play a role in the inflammation of the GI tract. Managing stress levels might help decrease diarrhea and other UC-related bowel problems
Exercise also helps with the movement of stools, which can be especially helpful if you have constipation. It also stimulates feel-good hormones calledendorphinswhich can improve moods and help lift UC-related fatigue.
Quitting cigarettes should also be a part of the treatment plan. Tobacco smoke not only promotes inflammation but causes the narrowing of blood vessels in the intestine, slowing the healing of damaged tissues.
How Ulcerative Colitis Is Treated
Summary
Ulcerative colitis can produce changes in your stool and bowel habits. These commonly include diarrhea, bowel urgency, bloody stools, mucus, and abdominal pain. People with inflammation of the rectum only (ulcerative proctitis) may have constipation.
Recognizing the onset of UC symptoms allows you to access treatment faster before they turn severe. These include changes in diet and prescription drugs like aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, immunomodulators, biologics, small molecules, and JAK inhibitors.
7 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Gastroenterological Association.Overview of ulcerative colitis.Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.Bleeding and blood in the stool.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ulcerative colitis: introduction.Keshteli AH, Madsen KL, Dieleman LA.Diet in the pathogenesis and management of ulcerative colitis; a review of randomized controlled dietary interventions.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1498. doi:10.3390/nu11071498Feuerstein JD, Isaacs KL, Schneider Y, et al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the management of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.Gastroenterol. 2020;158(5):1450-1461. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.01.006National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for ulcerative colitis.Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis.
7 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Gastroenterological Association.Overview of ulcerative colitis.Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.Bleeding and blood in the stool.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ulcerative colitis: introduction.Keshteli AH, Madsen KL, Dieleman LA.Diet in the pathogenesis and management of ulcerative colitis; a review of randomized controlled dietary interventions.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1498. doi:10.3390/nu11071498Feuerstein JD, Isaacs KL, Schneider Y, et al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the management of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.Gastroenterol. 2020;158(5):1450-1461. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.01.006National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for ulcerative colitis.Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Gastroenterological Association.Overview of ulcerative colitis.Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.Bleeding and blood in the stool.Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ulcerative colitis: introduction.Keshteli AH, Madsen KL, Dieleman LA.Diet in the pathogenesis and management of ulcerative colitis; a review of randomized controlled dietary interventions.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1498. doi:10.3390/nu11071498Feuerstein JD, Isaacs KL, Schneider Y, et al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the management of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.Gastroenterol. 2020;158(5):1450-1461. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.01.006National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for ulcerative colitis.Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis.
American Gastroenterological Association.Overview of ulcerative colitis.
Crohn’s and Colitis Canada.Bleeding and blood in the stool.
Johns Hopkins Medicine.Ulcerative colitis: introduction.
Keshteli AH, Madsen KL, Dieleman LA.Diet in the pathogenesis and management of ulcerative colitis; a review of randomized controlled dietary interventions.Nutrients. 2019;11(7):1498. doi:10.3390/nu11071498
Feuerstein JD, Isaacs KL, Schneider Y, et al.AGA clinical practice guidelines on the management of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis.Gastroenterol. 2020;158(5):1450-1461. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.01.006
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for ulcerative colitis.
Cleveland Clinic.Ulcerative colitis.
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