A Guide to Ulcerative Colitis

Although ulcerative colitis is a relatively rare disease, affecting less than 0.1% of the population, it has managed to become somewhat well-known. This notoriety may be due to some confusing it with the somewhat similar Crohn's disease and with irritable bowel syndrome. It may also be due to the fact that it is primarily a disease of the developed parts of the northern hemisphere, not some exotic tropical condition. Ulcerative colitis has a particularly distasteful set of symptoms, of the sort that many people would consider both frightening and humiliating.

Basic ulcerative colitis information

Ulcerative colitis is the inflammation of the lining of the colon. Along with the inflammation there are sores also known as ulcers. If the ulcers occur in the rectum the condition is called ulcerative proctitis. Since this disease often begins in the rectum, ulcerative proctitis is sometimes one of the first ulcerative colitis signs. It differs from Crohn's disease in that Crohn's can show up anywhere in the intestine whereas ulcerative colitis is limited strictly to the colon. Both conditions, however, are a part of what is called Irritable Bowel Disease (IBD). Ulcerative colitis can go into remission with or without treatment, though remission with treatment is more likely.

Ulcerative colitis Symptoms

The disease brings with it abdominal pain that ranges from mild to severe. Due to the open sores in the lining of the colon there may also be blood and/or pus in the feces. There may also be fever, diarrhea, loss of appetite and the frequent urgent need to defecate. As a direct result of the decreased appetite there is usually some amount of weight loss. Other effects are the failure of children with the condition to grow properly and skin lesions.

The causes of ulcerative colitis

Like Crohn's, ulcerative colitis is caused by the body's own defense mechanism: the immune system. It is therefore classified as an autoimmune disease. The methods that the body uses to defend itself against infection are malfunctioning in the person with ulcerative colitis. The immune system wrongly targets contents of the colon as possible sources of infection. The process of fighting off what it perceives as an attack is what causes the ulcers on the lining of the colon.

Heredity may be a cause of ulcerative colitis, albeit to a limited extent. Most people who have the disease do not have a family history of it, but it does tend to run in families, so genetics is a factor. Diets low in fiber are another potential factor, as is the time of year. Some people's recurrences of the condition coincide with spring and fall and maybe due to the immune system's reactions to seasonal allergens in the air. None of the research on these causes is conclusive and researchers have no definite conclusions about the causes of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis treatment

Because of the immune system connection, drugs that suppress the immune system are helpful in alleviating symptoms. These drugs fall into the class of drugs called immunosuppressants. Immunosupporessants used to treat ulcerative colitis are cyclosporine and Azathioprine. Other drugs like sulfasalazine are used to treat the inflammation and promote healing of the colon's lining. The goal in this treatment is to send the disease into remission and to prevent relapse. In some cases surgery may be an alternative. The surgery may involve removing the entire large intestine, thus removing infectable tissue altogether. This is effectively a cure since the person can no longer relapse.