Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTypesSymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Types
Symptoms
Causes
Diagnosis
Treatment
Summary
Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic disease for which there is currently no known cure. The primary sign of the condition is inflammation of the colon and rectum, which causes a variety of ulcerative colitis symptoms in the gastrointestinal tract, including pain andbloody stool.
Lifestyle modifications may help relieve symptoms, as can medications such as anti-inflammatories and antidiarrheals. The disease can sometimes result in complications that affect other parts of the body, including the joints, skin, and eyes.
Types of Ulcerative Colitis
There are severaldifferent types of ulcerative colitis. Knowing which form you have will allow your healthcare provider to provide the most suitable and effective treatments.
Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms
The symptoms of the different types of ulcerative colitis can overlap:
If you’ve had ulcerative colitis for a long time, you may experience symptoms in other areas of your body, including rashes, mouth sores, and joint pain.
Flares and Remission
Ulcerative colitis symptomscome and go.When symptoms are active, it is called a flare-up. A flare-up can be severe for a few days or weeks and then go into remission, where there are few or no symptoms or little inflammation in the colon. Some people with ulcerative colitis will not experience remission but instead will have continuous, active disease.
For most people, symptoms continue to flare up on and off throughout their lives. (Approximately 10% of people never have another flare-up after their first one, however, potentially because the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis was incorrect.)
Sometimes during a severe flare-up, your large intestine swells up and may develop a small perforation.A perforation lets stool leak into your abdomen, which can cause a life-threatening infection (peritonitis).
Progression
Chronic inflammation of the colon stimulates changes in the cells in the intestinal lining; this cell “turnover” can eventually result in the formation of cancerous cells. Other factors, including a family history of cancer, can also raise the risk. Fortunately, most people with ulcerative colitis do not get colon cancer, and when caught early, the disease can be treated successfully.
Approximately 5% of people with ulcerative colitis will eventually develop colon cancer. Your risk increases once you have had symptoms for eight to 10 years.
Verywell
Ulcerative colitis is an idiopathic disease, meaning there is no knowncause. There are, however, severaltheories about the origins of ulcerative colitisand conditions that may contribute to its development.
Recent research suggests that more than 100 genes may be associated with the development of IBD. None of these theories are yet proven, however, and more studies will need to be done before there is a definitive answer.
In the past, it was widely believed that there was a psychological component to IBD. Older studies that showed that stress and psychological problems played a role in the development of IBD have remained unconfirmed. More recent research has shown that earlier studies may have been flawed because their results cannot be reproduced.There isno direct connection between IBD and mental disorders. Unfortunately, many people still believe in the IBD-stress connection.
What foods trigger colitis?Foods to avoid when you’re dealing with colitis may include:Spicy foodsFoods that are high in lactoseAlcoholCaffeineHigh-sugar foods and beveragesHigh-fat foods, like butter and fried foodsHigh-fiber foods that are harder to digest can cause inflammation. Think: cabbage, raw kale, apple skin.
What foods trigger colitis?
Foods to avoid when you’re dealing with colitis may include:Spicy foodsFoods that are high in lactoseAlcoholCaffeineHigh-sugar foods and beveragesHigh-fat foods, like butter and fried foodsHigh-fiber foods that are harder to digest can cause inflammation. Think: cabbage, raw kale, apple skin.
Foods to avoid when you’re dealing with colitis may include:
To helpconfirm a diagnosisof ulcerative colitis, your healthcare provider will order one of the following tests:
Your healthcare provider may also consider ordering additional tests, though these alone cannot confirm ulcerative colitis:
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Most of the time,ulcerative colitis is treatedwith various prescription drugs, including immune system suppressors and anti-inflammatories; these medications are often used in combination.
Common medicines used include:
Some medicines may increase symptoms. It’s best to avoid:
Over-the-counter medications, such as antidiarrheals, enemas, and acetaminophen, may be used to address specific symptoms, but are not able to manage the disease as a whole.
A portion of people with ulcerative colitis do not respond to drug therapy and continue to have symptoms even during treatment.Others may be at a high risk for colon cancer after having the disease for a number of years.In these cases, a type of surgery calledileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA), more commonly known as a “J-pouch,” may be done. If it’s not a viable option, ileostomy surgery is another surgical option for ulcerative colitis.
Does ulcerative colitis go away?Because ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease, there’s technically no cure, but it is possible to go into periods of remission for months or even years. There are treatment options to make living with the condition more manageable, as well as lifestyle changes to avoid triggers and lessen symptoms.
Does ulcerative colitis go away?
Because ulcerative colitis is a chronic disease, there’s technically no cure, but it is possible to go into periods of remission for months or even years. There are treatment options to make living with the condition more manageable, as well as lifestyle changes to avoid triggers and lessen symptoms.
Although the exact cause of ulcerative colitis isn’t fully understood, it’s thought to involve a combination of genetic and immune system factors. While there’s no cure, medications like anti-inflammatories and corticosteroids can help manage symptoms, along with lifestyle changes around diet and avoiding food triggers.
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