Juliet Cohen asked:


Ulcerative colitis (UC) refers to a disease in which the lining of the colon (the large intestine) becomes inflamed. It occurs at any age. The disease may involve the entire colon (pancolitis), only the rectum (ulcerative proctitis) or, more commonly, somewhere between the two. The amount of the colon affected usually predicts the severity of the disease. The disease usually begins in the rectum or the rectum and the sigmoid colon (the lower end of the large intestine) but may eventually spread along part or all of the large intestine. In patients with ulcerative colitis, ulcers and inflammation of the inner lining of the colon lead to symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Like Crohn’s disease, another common IBD, ulcerative colitis can be painful and debilitating and sometimes can lead to life-threatening complications. Ulcerative colitis is a rare disease, with an incidence of about one person per 10,000 in North America. The disease tends to be more common in northern areas.

Ulcerative colitis is defined as mild, moderate or severe, according to the frequency of diarrhoea, the presence of blood and how generally unwell the person is. Ulcerative proctitis, which is confined to the rectum, is a very common and relatively benign form of ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is more common than Crohn’s disease. The disease may involve the entire colon (pancolitis), only the rectum (ulcerative proctitis) or, more commonly, somewhere between the two. It can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders and to another type of IBD called Crohn’s disease. Blood tests and stool samples help diagnosis, but the key test is internal examination of the bowel, and biopsy. It most commonly begin during adolescence and early adulthood, but they also can begin during childhood and later in life. Ulcerative colitis is an intermittent disease, with periods of exacerbated symptoms, and periods that are relatively symptom-free.

Causes of Ulcerative colitis

The common causes and risk factor’s of Ulcerative colitis include the following:

The exect cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown.

Abnormal activation of the immune system in the intestines.

A family history of Ulcerative colitis.

Smoking.

Generalized enhanced reactivity against intestinal bacterial antigens.

Environmental factors such as nutrition and exposure to various infections.

Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis

Some sign and symptoms related to Ulcerative colitis are as follows:

Loss of body fluids and nutrients.

Weight loss.

Nausea.

Abdominal cramps and pain.

Night sweats.

Fatigue.

Loss of appetite.

Fever.

Extreme tiredness.

Treatment of Ulcerative colitis

Here is list of the methods for treating Ulcerative colitis:

Aminosalicylates, drugs that contain 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA), help control inflammation.

Drugs such as azathioprine and mercaptopurine have been used to maintain remissions in people with ulcerative colitis who would otherwise need long-term corticosteroid therapy.

Taking nutritional supplements to restore normal growth and development in children and teens.

Steroids can help reduce inflammation, but they have numerous side effects, including a puffy face, excessive facial hair, night sweats, insomnia and hyperactivity. Long-term use of these drugs in children can lead to stunted growth.

Laxatives and antidiarrhoeals medicines.

Surgery is used in people who have severe symptoms that are not controlled by medicines, who have unacceptable side effects from medicines, or who have a very high risk of colon cancer because of extensive inflammation in the whole colon.

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Martin Richfield asked:


Ulcerative colitis is one of the most diagnosed diseases of the intestine. It is an autoimmune disease meaning that the body’s immune system is attacking the large intestine. Although commonly confused with irritable bowel syndrome and Chrones Disease it is different.

Ulcerative colitis affects the lining of the large intestine and rectum. Chrones can appear anywhere from the esophagus to the rectum and is deeper within the walls of the intestine and other organs. Ulcerative colitis is typically controlled through the use of an anti-inflammatory drug called Asacol. Although when Asacol does not control the illness the next step is steroids and then a surgery called a total colectomy and J pouch.

The root of the illness has not been determined, but there is definitely a genetic link. There is also the sign that stress and irritation to the body both physically and mentally can have a negative effect on the illness. Although stress does not create the disease, it can make the symptoms worse. If typical drug therapy is something that someone with colitis is not interested in, then there are complementary and alternative therapies available. However, colitis can be quite serious and results in the bleeding of the intestines and therefore, people are most often to use complementary therapies rather than alternative therapies.

The most common of the complementary and alternative therapies is most definitely psychotherapy or counseling. This is because it can reduce the stress and therefore lessen the symptoms of the disease. It allows people to remain on an even keel so to speak and with mood stabilization comes less pain and discomfort. Complementary and alternative therapies can also include changing your diet. For example, sometimes the lining of the colon is so affected that foods that are difficult to digest normally become impossible for people with colitis to digest.

Therefore, it is quite common for a complementary and alternative therapies diet to include the following. First, corn and popcorn are often not tolerated by people with the illness and refrain from eating these foods. Others may find it hard to digest foods that are considered roughage as well as anything that is overly spicy. There are many different diet plans available for people with colitis; however, each person will notice what disturbs their system the most. Complementary and alternative therapies may also include drinking hot beverages with their meals and having relaxing hot baths. The heat from the beverage helps to digest food while the heat from the bath tends to relax the bowel. Complementary and alternative therapies for ulcerative colitis can be researched online, from a physician, or in medical journals.

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Sharon Albright asked:


The colon or the large intestine extends from the cecum to the rectum. Colon’s main function is to extract water from feces. Colon, also called large bowel, measures 1.5 meters in length. There are various diseases of the colons like colitis, colon cancer, constipation, polyposis, pseudomembranous colitis, ulcerative colitis, diverticulosis, diarrhea, and chronic functional abdominal pain.

The colon consists of various parts. The cecum is found in mammals, birds, and certain reptiles. The appendix is a part of the cecum. The ascending colon is from the cecum to the hepatic flexure and is present on the right side of the abdomen. The transverse mobile colon is attached to the stomach with the help of a wide band of tissue called mesocolon. A descending colon is the part between the splenic flexure to the beginning of the sigmoid colon. The sigmoid colon is between the descending colon and the rectum. The rectum is the last part of the colon.

The colon cancer is the third most common form of cancer and the second most deadly one in the western world. Change in bowel movements like constipation or diarrhea, lower abdominal chronic pain, and blood mixed in feces are some of the early symptoms. Sometimes, without giving any symptoms, the tumor can enlarge and perforate the intestine or block it. Sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy is carried out to detect the presence of colon cancer. A camera or a flexible fiber-optic camera is inserted into the body through the anus to inspect the colon.

Colon cancer can occur due to hereditary reason. Improper diet, consuming loads of meat, fatty food, and lack of fiber, fruit and vegetables in the diet can all cause colon cancer. It is usually the people of the western world who are prone to colon cancer due to their nutrition-less diet. Even chain smokers and drinkers are prone to colon cancer.

There are various ways of reducing the risk against colon cancer. Some of them include eating fresh fruits and vegetables, consuming calcium rich products, and daily exercise. Aspirin is said to reduce the growth of colon polyps and cancers of the colon, stomach, and esophagus. But it may also cause bleeding of the intestine, and ulcer. The symptoms are usually avoided by the people, but it is important to consult the doctor immediately when such symptoms occur, since the survival rates for early detection of colon cancer is five times more than that of late stage cancer.

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