The Subtypes of Ulcerative Colitis

With obesity and poor nutrition a leading health epidemic in the United States, many healthcare professionals are beginning a quest to educate patients in the symptoms and complications of gastrointestinal diseases. For many patients, these GI complications are often associated with a poor history of diet and nutrition, coupled with disease and complications of obesity. Understanding the general classifications of disease in Ulcerative colitis will aid many patients in understanding, more clearly, the extent of the complications involving their gastrointestinal tract.

When suffering from a subtype of Ulcerative colitis, the ultimate health complications are the same; diarrhea, bloody stool and abdominal pain. For many patients, suffering from one subtype is no different than suffering from another subtype as the treatment may, ultimately, be the same.

In Ulcerative colitis, the complication generally begins at the rectum and progressively moves upward, affecting the colon, with the first progression known as Ulcerative proctitis. In Ulcerative proctitis, the complication is limited to the rectum with symptoms generally limited to excessive forms of diarrhea.

Beyond Ulcerative proctitis, the patient may develop Proctosigmoiditis, which is the disease which spreads from the rectum into sigmoid colon which is the first 50 centimeters of left colon. Again, symptoms are commonly diarrhea and abdominal pain.

Next is the progression to Left-sided colitis which involves the entire left side of the colon, as in Proctosigmoiditis, but also includes the area where the colon bends, descending outward, near the spleen. Once again, the most prevalent symptom involves diarrhea.

And, finally, there is the complication known as Pancolitis. While this may sound the most severe of all colitis conditions, it is actually a term used to describe any of the other three Ulcerative colitis conditions that can not be treated through the use of enemas or steroids. Instead, when these three conditions require the use of oral medications, the condition automatically is classified as Pancolitis.

When suffering from symptoms associated with Ulcerative colitis, of any subtype, the key to optimal gastrointestinal health outcomes lies in the early diagnosis and intervention. While most Ulcerative colitis conditions can be treated with minimal medical treatment, going without treatment may leave the GI patient at greater risk for developing conditions such as colo-rectal cancer.

When suffering from Ulcerative colitis, therefore, it is imperative that regular colonoscopies take place, annually, approximately five years after the initial diagnosis was made. With this annual screening, your gastroenterologist can determine to what extent the treatment of the prior five years was successful and monitor for any future complications involving the rectum, colon or gastrointestinal tract.