The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers (sores) in the digestive tract. The innermost lining of your large intestine (colon) and rectum are affected by ulcerative colitis. Symptoms usually appear gradually rather than abruptly.
Ulcerative colitis is a severe condition that can occasionally lead to life-threatening complications. While there is no known cure, treatment can significantly lessen the disease's signs and symptoms and lead to long-term remission.
The degree of the inflammation and where it occurs can affect the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. The following are possible signs and symptoms:
- Diarrhea, frequently accompanied by blood or pus
- Cramping and pain in the abdomen
- Rectal bleeding occurs when a tiny amount of blood is passed via the feces.
- Inability to excrete despite the need to defecate
- Failure to grow in children
The actual etiology of ulcerative colitis has yet to be discovered. Diet and stress were formerly suspected, but doctors now know that these factors can aggravate ulcerative colitis but do not cause it.
Dysfunction of the immune system is one probable cause. When your immune system tries to fight off an invading virus or bacteria, an aberrant immunological response causes your immune system to attack your digestive tract cells as well.
Ulcerative colitis is more likely in persons who have family relatives who have the condition, which suggests that heredity may play a role. Most people with ulcerative colitis, on the other hand, do not have this family history.
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Women and men are both affected by ulcerative colitis in about equal numbers. The following are some possible risk factors:
- Age. Ulcerative colitis commonly strikes people before they reach the age of 30. However, it can strike at any age, and some people do not develop the condition until after they reach the age of 60.
- Ethnicity or race. Although whites are at the largest risk of contracting the disease, it can affect people of any race. Your chances are even higher if you're of Ashkenazi Jewish origin.
- Family history. If you have a close relative with the condition, such as a parent, sibling, or child, you're at a higher risk
Diagnosis
The only approach to diagnose ulcerative colitis definitively is through endoscopic procedures with tissue samples. Other tests can help rule out complications or other types of IBD, such as Crohn's disease.
Drug therapy or surgery are frequently used to treat ulcerative colitis.
Several medication classes may be beneficial in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. The type you take will be determined by how serious your ailment is. Drugs that help some individuals may not help others, so it may take some time to discover one that works for you
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