Ulcerative Colitis |
Overview Ulcerative colitis, also known as colitis or proctitis, is an inflammatory bowel disease. About 170-thousand Canadians have inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis is the most common form. Children and seniors may develop the disease but it occurs most often between the ages of 15 and 30. It affects men and women equally and appears to run in some families. Causes There are many theories about what causes ulcerative colitis, but none have been proven. The most popular one is that the body's immune system reacts to a virus or bacteria by causing persistent inflammation in the intestinal wall. People with ulcerative colitis have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities are a cause or a result of the disease. Ulcerative colitis is not caused by emotional distress or sensitivity to certain foods or food products, but these factors may trigger symptoms in some people. Symptoms The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. You may also experience:
About half of those with ulcerative colitis experience only mild symptoms. Others suffer frequent fever, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps. Ulcerative colitis may also contribute to other problems such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease (hepatitis, cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis), osteoporosis, skin rashes, and anemia. No one knows for sure why problems occur outside the colon. Scientists think these complications may be a result of the immune system triggering inflammation in other parts of the body. Some of these problems go away when the colitis is treated. Treatment Treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on the seriousness of the disease. Most people are treated with drugs. In severe cases, the diseased colon is surgically removed. Surgery is the only cure for ulcerative colitis. Some people whose symptoms are triggered by certain foods are able to control the condition by avoiding highly seasoned foods, raw fruits and vegetables, or milk sugar (lactose) that might upset their intestines. Some people have remissions·periods when the symptoms go away·that last for months or even years. However, most patients' symptoms eventually return. This changing pattern of the disease means one cannot always tell when treatment has been effective. Some people with ulcerative colitis may need medical care for some time, with regular visits to the doctor to monitor the condition. About 5 percent of people with ulcerative colitis develop colon cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the duration and the extent of involvement of the colon. For example, if only the lower colon and rectum are involved, the risk of cancer is no higher than normal. However, if the entire colon is involved, the risk of cancer may be more than thirty times the normal rate. |