Learn About Ulcerative Colitis 101: Everything You Need to Know About This Chronic Condition

What Exactly Is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a disorder in which the inner lining of the large intestine (colon) becomes red and bloated, resulting in ulcers. It’s a chronic ailment, which implies it lasts a long period or comes and goes frequently. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that only affects the colon.

What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Ulcerative Colitis?

The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis (ko-LYE-tiss) include cramping stomach pain and diarrhea. Other symptoms include:

• blood in the toilet, on toilet paper, or in the stool (poop);

• a fever; • low energy; and

• weight loss.

Other complications of ulcerative colitis include rashes, eye difficulties, joint discomfort and arthritis, and liver illness. Children with ulcerative colitis may not grow as well as other children their age, and puberty may occur later than usual.

What Is the Cause of Ulcerative Colitis?

The precise cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown. Inflammation is most likely caused by a mix of genetics, the immune system, and something in the environment. Diet and stress may aggravate symptoms but do not cause ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis runs in families. However, not everyone with ulcerative colitis has a family member who has ulcerative colitis or IBD. Ulcerative colitis can occur at any age, however it is most commonly diagnosed in teenagers and young adults.

What Is the Diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis?

Doctors use a mix of blood testing, stool (poop) tests, and X-rays to diagnose ulcerative colitis. They will look for blood in stool samples. They may also perform imaging tests such as CT scans and MRIs.

Doctors can examine the colon with an endoscope, which is a long, thin tube with a camera attached to a television monitor:

• In a colonoscopy, the tube is inserted through the anus, whereas in an upper endoscopy, the tube is inserted down the throat.