Online Ulcerative Colitis Help

If you're newly diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, or if you haven't yet explored everything the net has to offer on the subject, it might be time that you utilize the Web to your advantage. There are plenty of online ulcerative colitis resources if you choose to look hard enough, many of which are better than what you'd find in the library because they contain the most up-do-date information.

Following are five of the best online ulcerative colitis resources.

MayoClinic.com
URL: www.mayoclinic.org/ulcerative-colitis

If you're looking for basic information on what ulcerative colitis is and how it is diagnosed and treated, MayoClinic.com is probably your best resource on the net. Compiled by a number of physicians and researchers, MayoClinic.com provides a comprehensive guide to this disease, including the common signs and symptoms, and self-care tips for those who can't afford medical treatment.

There are plenty of ulcerative colitis resources on the net that give similar information, but MayoClinic.com provides an easy-to-read resource that is well-organized. They also give links and phone numbers to other resources that might provide you with additional information.

CCFA.org
URL: http://www.ccfa.org

Just about every disease, disorder and condition has an organization dedicated to it these days, and ulcerative colitis is no exception. CCFA.org is the web site for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, and is the best resource on the net for information about the latest treatment options.

The CCFA posts articles and links pertaining to new developments in research, which is the best way to keep on top of your ulcerative colitis. They also provide access to both online and in-person support groups that can help you deal with your condition. This is the place to go when you want to be reminded that you're not the only one.

HealingWell.com Forums
URL: http://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38

Sometimes, community is the best way to deal with a disease, and ulcerative colitis is no exception. If you're looking for resources on the net that can connect you to others with similar conditions, HealingWell.com offers a great forum message board for this purpose.

You don't have to register to view the forum topics and the replies from members, but I suggest joining if you want to get the most out of this ulcerative colitis resource. The net is full of people just like you who are encountering the exact same obstacles, and you might learn new information that can help you and your family cope.

UC Blog
URL: http://ucblog.gastro.org/

The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) keeps a UC Blog on its web site that I have found to be extremely unformative. Categories range from bone health to pregnancy to surgery to colon cancer, and it is written by David T. Rubin, MD, Nancy McGreal, MD and Marc Schwartz, MD, all of whom are focused entirely on gastroenterology.

This is a great resource for ulcerative colitis sufferers who comb the net each day looking for better information. You know you won't be led astray because the blog is written by licensed physicians who genuinely want to help people. Furthermore, they answer common questions that their patients bring up, which can save you the trouble of asking.

ColitisBlog.com
URL: http://www.colitisblog.com/

This is another great blog, and is written by Robert Edwards, a fellow ulcerative colitis sufferer. He stopped posting new information in July of 2007, but there are hundreds of pages of information through which you can sift, much of which is still very relevant. Perhaps the most useful information he provides is links and recommendations to other resources on the net, including web sites, books and magazines.