Ulcerative colitis is an intestinal disease. It causes sores and inflammation in the lining of the colon and rectum. It can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms caused by this disease are similar to symptoms for other intestinal conditions. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, this disorder can start at any age, but appears most often in those between the ages of 15 and 30. Colitis also tends to run in families. Weight loss occurs often in this disorder.
Symptoms
According to the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, or CCFA, the first symptom to appear in ulcerative colitis is a loosening of the stool. The stool is often bloody. You may have a sudden urge to have a bowel movement and experience cramping abdominal pain. Weight loss is a common symptom and often occurs due to a lack of appetite seen in this condition. Other symptoms include skin lesions, fatigue, joint pain, persistent canker sores and anemia. More severe symptoms can appear, such as dehydration, fever and severe bloody diarrhea. Ulcerative colitis can go into remission, which can last for months or years, but flare-ups do occur.
Cause
Though the cause of ulcerative colitis is not definitively known, it is thought to be an immune system response. Substances in the intestines, such as bacteria and food, may cause the uncontrolled inflammation seen in the disorder. According to the CCFA, researchers believe that once the immune system initiates an immune response to a perceived offender, the body does not know how to stop the reaction. The results include damage from inflammation and the symptoms involved.
Diagnosis
A doctor's evaluation for ulcerative colitis is based on a person's physical exam, medical history and a number of tests. Stool samples are taken to rule out an infectious cause for symptoms. Blood tests are often done to look for signs of anemia. This indicates bleeding in the intestine. A doctor may also recommend a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. With either of these tests, a doctor can look for signs of bleeding, inflammation and ulcers in the colon. Doctors may take samples of the colon for biopsies.
Treatments
No cure for ulcerative colitis exists, but some medications can suppress the inflammatory response that causes the disease. Among the five classes of drugs used are corticosteroids, antibiotics, immune modifiers, aminosalicylates and biologic therapies. Halting the inflammatory response lets the colon heal and relieves the rectal bleeding, diarrhea and abdominal pain. In some patients, medications are not successful in treating the disease, and removal of the colon is recommended.
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