Ulcerative Colitis 101

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic disease of the colon/large intestine. The visible symptoms of the disease include inflammation and ulceration of the colon’s innermost lining, called the mucosa. Tiny open sores on the surface of the lining will bleed, ooze pus and drip mucus. As a result of all this fluid activity, patients often suffer diarrhea, bloody stools and abdominal cramping. The inflammation can involve the lowest part of the colon/the rectum (”ulcerative proctitis”), the left side of the colon (”limited/distal colitis”) or the entire colon (”pancolitis”). People who have UC are at a higher risk for developing early colon cancer symptoms.

Loose and bloody stools are what send most patients running to the doctor’s office with UC. They may find themselves running to the restroom suddenly and doubling over with cramps and uncomfortable abdominal pain. As the inflammation worsens, patients report fatigue and unexplained weight loss. About half of all sufferers exhibit only mild symptoms. However, if left untreated, more serious complications arise, such as anemia, skin lesions, joint pain, liver disorders, improper development, colon wall holes and cancerous colon polyps. Often sufferers have periods of remission and recurrence, which makes the inflammation sometimes difficult to treat.

While little is known about the direct cause of ulcerative colitis, researchers have identified certain risk factors. Age is one factor, since most people are diagnosed in their mid-thirties, although some men develop it in their fifties and sixties. Ethnicity is another factor, with a disproportionate amount of whites and Jews coming down with the disease. Family history plays a role if parents, siblings or children have had the disease. People living in industrialized countries and Northern climates have higher incidences of colon inflammation. Inflamed bile ducts, called “primary sclerosing cholangitis” causes inflammation of the liver and colon in some cases. Patients using accutane (used in many acne treatments) may be linked with this type of inflammation. Also, patients who eat diets high in refined foods or fat are also more likely to develop this cancer alternative disease.

Sometimes drug therapy and lifestyle modifications do not work to cure ulcerative colitis, so 25 to 40% of all patients are recommended for surgery. In the surgical procedure, one’s entire colon and rectum will be removed. In the past, patients had to wear small bags over abdominal openings to collect waste materials, but today surgeons can construct pouches from the intestinal ends and attach this directly to the anus, allowing for the expulsion of waste in a much more normal fashion. Since the colon is no longer there to absorb water, bowel movements will likely be watery and more frequent. For prolonged inflammatory bowel diseases, patients will then need to undergo a colonoscopy procedure every few years to make sure no more damage or recurrence has occurred.

Sarah Lomas is a foremost expert in how to cure yeast infection field. Her work has been extensively published in various online publications in the areas of yeast infection remedies. For more information on the treatment for yeast infections, visit remedyforyeastinfection.com.