What Is Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis (UC) form of an inflammatory bowel disease that cause inflammation & ulcer in colon.
There’s no cure, and people usually have symptoms off and on for life. But the right treatments can help you keep a handle on the disease.
Ulcerative Colitis Causes :
- The exact cause is not known.
- It is autoimmune disease
Risk Factors
- It’s most likely if you’re between 15 and 30 years old or older than 60.
- Family history. Your risk could be up to 30% higher if you have a close relative with the condition.
Types of Ulcerative Colitis
The type of ulcerative colitis you have depends on where it is in your body:
- Ulcerative proctitis is usually the mildest form. It’s only in the rectum, the part of your colon closest to your anus.
- Proctosigmoiditis happens in your rectum and the lower end of colon You’ll have bloody diarrhea, belly cramps, and pain , tenesmus(constant urge to poop , but wont be able to).
- Left-sided colitis causes cramps on that side of your belly , bloody diarrhea, weight loss . inflammation from your rectum up through the left side of your colon.
- Pancolitis -It affects your entire colon. severe bouts of bloody diarrhea, belly cramps, pain, fatigue, and major weight loss.
Symptoms
- Diarrhoea mixed with blood or mucus
- Abdominal pain and cramping
- Rectal pain
- Rectal bleeding on PR examination
- Urgency to defecate
- Inability to defecate despite urgency
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
Your symptoms can flare up, go away, and come back. You might not have any for weeks or years.
Ulcerative Colitis Diagnosis
- Blood tests .
- Stool samples .
- Flexible sigmoidoscopy with biopsy
- Colonoscopy with biopsy.
Ulcerative Colitis Treatment
UC treatment has mainly 2 goal.. —1.To relieve symptoms and give your colon a chance to heal. —2. To prevent more flare-ups.
You may need a combination of diet changes, medication, or surgery to reach those goals.
- Diet. Some foods can make symptoms worse. You might find that soft, bland food doesn’t bother you as much as spicy or high-fiber dishes. If you can’t digest the sugar in milk called lactose .A balanced diet with plenty of fiber, lean protein, fruits, and veggies should provide enough vitamins and nutrients.
- Medicine. Your doctor may prescribe a few different kinds of drugs, including:
- Antibiotics. .
- Aminosalicylates. .
- Corticosteroids. .
- Immunomodulators.
- Biologics. .
- Loperamide.
- Surgery:- RPC IPAA (Restorative Proctocolectomy Ileal Pouch Anal Anastomosis)
- In this surgery, entire colon and rectum are removed and a pouch is created from small intestine and attached directly to anus, allowing you to expel waste normally.
- In some cases a pouch is not possible. Instead, surgeons create a permanent opening on abdomen (ileal stoma) through which stool is passed for collection in an attached bag.
Ulcerative Colitis Complications
- Severe bleeding- This can lead to anemia
- Colon perforation
- Severe dehydration
- Osteoporosis
- Inflammation of skin, joints, eyes, and sores in oral cavity
- Risk of colon cancer
Author :- Dr Sanjiv Haribhakti
M.Ch. GI Surgeon of Western India
Kaizen Hospital
