Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects over 500,000 Americans. Ulcerative colitis causes chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, which leads to severe diarrhea, pain, and can cause life threatening complications. Ulcerative colitis often acts and appears so much like Crohn’s disease that physicians often mistake one for the other, however, Crohn’s disease affects deep layers of tissue inside the digestive tract while ulcerative colitis affects only the inner lining of the digestive tract.
There is no cure for ulcerative colitis, but therapies and medications are now making it possible for patients to experience long term remission and periods of symptom free living.
Ulcerative colitis is segregated into various types depending on its location and the symptoms. Most patients’ experiences with ulcerative colitis are unique. Ulcerative proctitis is inflammation of the rectum and some people experience only bouts of rectal bleeding. Left sided colitis is know to affect the left side and patients may experience bloody or watery diarrhea, weight loss, pain throughout the abdominal region, and cramping of the abdomen. Pancolitis affects the entire colon and may be accompanied by weight loss, severe bloody or watery diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, fatigue, and night sweats. Fulminant colitis, is rare but life threatening, and causes profuse diarrhea, severe pain, and can cause shock and dehydration. Most patients experience times of severe symptoms followed by periods of remission and relief from symptoms.
Ulcerative colitis is caused by inflammation brought about by ulcers in the intestinal tract. Ulcerative colitis tends to create on long strip of inflammation along the intestinal tract, anywhere from a few inches in length to the length of the entire intestines. While research has yet to prove one single actual cause of ulcerative colitis, research suggests that hereditary factors, a malfunction of the immune system, the overuse of antibiotics, and yet to be understood environmental factors all play a role in the causes of ulcerative colitis.
Risk factors for ulcerative colitis may include age, family history, ethnicity, and whether the patient lives in an urban and northern region. Patients living in cities in temperate climates of the United States tend to have much higher incident rates than people living in the southern states or in rural settings.
When diagnosing ulcerative colitis, the physician may need to determine a variety of factors, including the lack of another explanation for pain and diarrhea. Testing can rule out and confirm the presence of ulcerative colitis. Blood tests, colonoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, barium enemas, and small bowel x-rays can determine the presence or deny the presence of ulcerative colitis. Tests such as the flexible sigmoidoscopy allow the physician to view the colon and determine the cause of the pain and diarrhea.
Complications which may be caused by ulcerative colitis are severe and can even become life threatening. Complications may include perforated bowels, liver disease, severe dehydration, inflammation of the skin, joints, and eyes, and difficulty with pregnancy. Patients with ulcerative colitis also have a significantly increased risk of colon cancer.
Treatment option for ulcerative colitis involve attempting to relieve symptoms as well as trying to prevent flare ups and encourage long term remission. Anti-inflammatory medications and fish oil can help decrease the inflammation of the colon and provide some relief from the chronic pain and the diarrhea which can be seriously life affecting. Immunosuppressant medications often target the immune system causes and can help off set the colitis and encourage remission. Nicotine patches for smoking cessation seem to help alleviate flare ups, although no one is really sure why. Iron supplements, anti-diarrhea medications, laxatives, and pain relievers have been moderately successful in treating ulcerative colitis. New surgical procedures are offering greater hope to patients. In some cases, however surgical procedures to deal with ulcerative colitis mean removing the entire colon, which has its own set of complications.
Alternative therapies are growing in popularity, and nearly half of all sufferers of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease have turned to alternative medicines in search of successful therapies. Alternative medicines have provided a great deal of relief to the majority of those who seek relief there.
Ulcerative colitis videos
Ulcerative Colitis
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Ulcerative Colitis Surgery
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Corneal Ulcer Treatment with Fugo Blade
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BLEEDING ULCER IN DUODENUM
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Colonoscopy
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Histopathology Colon--Ulcerative colitis, carcinoma, atypia
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Find out more by viewing the Human Anatomy page:
Digestive system
Endocrine system
Medication commonly used for these disease:
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The generic equivalent to Catapres is clonidine, both of which are commonly used to treat hypertension. Despite the fact that the American Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve Catapres for the use of relieving withdrawal symptoms related to alc more...
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Azathioprine is an immunosuppressant, which means it is a drug whose purpose is to weaken the immune system. It is the generic name for a drug that goes under the brand names Imuran, Azasan, and Azamun, and is available in tablet form, as an injection, or more...
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Rhinocort Aqua may also be prescribed as Rhinocort nasal spray, Rhinocort turbuhaler, and Rhinalar, and is considered part of the corticosteroid family. Rhinocort Aqua is a steroidal, anti-inflammatory medication commonly used to treat the symptoms of hay more...
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Combipres is also known generically as clonidine and chlorthalidone and is commonly used in the treatment of high blood pressure. Combipres is a combination medication. One medication (clonidine) relaxes the blood vessels and allows the heart to pump bloo more...
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Pulmicort is generically prescribed as budesonide inhalation and is commonly used to treat the inflammation that causes asthma attacks. Pulmicort is used to prevent asthma attacks and is not considered a rescue inhaler. Pulmicort can lower the more...
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Betamethasone was originally approved by the FDA in 1961, with a foam-style formulation, called betamethasone valerate, approved in 1999. Betamethasone is a drug in the steroid family of medications, and comes in topical applications. Besides the foam, more...
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Asacol is a brand name for mesalamine, a medication given for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammation of the inner lining of the rectum and colon characterized by periods of remission. Symptoms alternate between flare- more...
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Clonidine is one promising antihypertensive drug which can help patients deal with psychological bout as well. The drug also is proven effective in children suffering from ADHD. It needs to be taken properly to maintain maximum efficacy and safety. more...
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Deltasone is a brand name for the drug predisone, in the steroid classification of drugs. It is used to reduce swelling, but also lowers the immune system. It comes in tablets and is prescribed for several different problems. These can include endocrin more...
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Mesalamine is an anti-inflammatory agent that is derived from salicylic acid. It is also known as Mesalazine, and is usually prescribed for the treatment of Crohn s disease (inflammation of the intestines) and ulcerative colitis (swelling or wearing away more...
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