Ulcerative colitis

Some people have a sick belly.

This sickness makes parts of the gut red and sore. It can cause bad tummy pain. It can also cause many trips to the bathroom.

Sometimes, there is blood in the stool. People might also lose weight or feel a fever. These feelings can come and go.

This sickness can hurt other parts too. It can make eyes or joints feel sore.

It can even cause sores in the mouth.

Doctors use special tools to look inside. They can give medicine to help.

Sometimes, a doctor must do surgery. This can help the person feel better.

Ulcerative colitis is a long-term sickness of the gut.

It causes swelling and sores in the colon and rectum. The colon is the last part of your gut. This sickness is one of two types of inflammatory bowel disease.

Many people feel symptoms like belly pain or diarrhea. Often, there is blood in the stool. Some people also feel tired, lose weight, or have a fever. These feelings can come and go. Doctors call the quiet times remission. This is when the sickness is not active.

The sickness can stay in one part of the gut. It can also spread to the whole colon. This is called pancolitis. Doctors use a tool called a colonoscopy to look inside. They can also take small bits of tissue to study.

Sometimes, the swelling affects other parts of the body. It can cause sores in the mouth. It can also make the eyes or joints sore. There are many medicines to help. If the sickness is very bad, a doctor may use surgery. Removing the colon can cure the condition.

Ulcerative colitis is a long-term condition that affects the digestive system.

It is one of two types of inflammatory bowel disease. This sickness causes swelling and small sores, called ulcers, in the colon and rectum. The colon is the last part of the large intestine. Unlike some other diseases, the swelling in ulcerative colitis usually happens in one continuous area. It often starts in the rectum and can spread upward. This condition is important to understand because it changes how a person's body works every day.

When the disease is active, it causes several different symptoms. Many people experience diarrhea that contains blood, which doctors call hematochezia.

About 90% of people with this condition see rectal bleeding. Others feel a sudden, strong need to go to the bathroom. This feeling is called tenesmus, and it can feel like constipation even if there is very little stool. Some people also deal with abdominal pain, weight loss, or a fever. These symptoms often come in waves, with quiet periods called remission in between.

Doctors are not yet sure why this condition happens.

They have several theories about the cause. One idea is that the immune system, which protects the body, does not work correctly. It might also be linked to genetics or changes in the bacteria living in the gut. Some researchers think the environment or a Western diet plays a role too. Interestingly, having the appendix removed at a young age might actually help protect a person. Doctors often use a colonoscopy to see what is happening inside the colon.

The disease is classified by how much of the colon is affected. Proctitis means only the rectum is swollen. If it reaches the descending colon, it is called left-sided colitis. If it spreads through the entire colon, it is called pancolitis. In some cases, the swelling can even reach the end of the small intestine. This is called ileitis and happens in about 17% of people. Doctors use tools like the Mayo Score to decide if the disease is mild, moderate, or severe.

Sometimes, the swelling can affect parts of the body far away from the gut.

It can cause sores in the mouth or redness at the corners of the lips. Some people experience eye pain or redness, which can affect their vision if not treated. It can also cause joint pain or skin issues like red bumps on the shins.

Many medicines help manage these symptoms and keep the disease in remission. If the disease is very severe, surgery to remove the colon and rectum can often cure it.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease.

It specifically targets the colon and the rectum. This condition causes long-term inflammation and the formation of ulcers. Ulcers are small sores on the lining of the gut. Unlike Crohn's disease, which can appear in patchy "skip lesions," UC inflammation is usually continuous. It typically starts in the rectum and spreads upward through the colon. Understanding UC is vital because it affects both digestion and the entire body. It is one of two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The symptoms of UC often occur in intermittent waves. During a "flare," symptoms become active and more intense. Many patients experience diarrhea mixed with blood, a condition called hematochezia. About 90% of people with UC experience rectal bleeding. Another common symptom is bowel urgency, where a person feels a sudden need to use the bathroom. Some may experience rectal tenesmus. This is an urgent desire to evacuate the bowels even when very little stool is present. This sensation can sometimes be mistaken for constipation.

Doctors classify UC based on how much of the colon is involved. Proctitis is inflammation limited to the rectum. Proctosigmoiditis involves the rectum and the sigmoid colon. Left-sided colitis occurs when inflammation reaches the descending colon. Extensive colitis involves areas proximal to the descending colon. Pancolitis is the most widespread form, affecting the entire colon from the rectum to the cecum. About 17% of people with UC also develop ileitis, which is inflammation of the ileum. This is often called "backwash ileitis" when it occurs during pancolitis.

The exact cause of ulcerative colitis remains unknown. Scientists have several theories regarding why it develops. One theory suggests immune system dysfunction, where the body attacks its own tissues. Genetics may also play a significant role in who develops the condition. Changes in the normal gut bacteria might contribute to the inflammation. Environmental factors and a Western diet are also being studied. Interestingly, removing the appendix at an early age may offer some protection.

The severity of UC is measured by symptoms and biological markers. Doctors use tools like the Mayo Score to classify disease as mild, moderate, or severe. Mild disease usually involves fewer than four stools per day. Severe disease can involve more than six stools daily and frequent bloody stools. High levels of inflammatory markers, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), often indicate more severe illness. In very rare, acute-severe cases, the colon can dilate abnormally. This is called toxic megacolon and is a medical emergency.

UC is a systemic condition, meaning it can affect parts of the body far from the gut. Between 6% and 47% of patients experience extra-intestinal manifestations. For example, about 8% of people develop oral issues like aphthous stomatitis. These are benign, noncontagious sores in the mouth. The disease can also cause eye inflammation, such as uveitis or episcleritis. If left untreated, eye inflammation can lead to permanent vision loss. Some patients also experience joint pain or swelling, known as arthritis.

Skin issues are another common complication of UC. Erythema nodosum causes red, tender nodules on the shins in up to 3% of patients. Another condition, pyoderma gangrenosum, involves deep, painful skin ulcers. This affects about 1% of patients and often occurs independently of gut inflammation. To manage these symptoms, doctors use various medications. These include aminosalicylates, steroids, and immunosuppressants. In severe cases, surgery to remove the colon and rectum may be necessary. This surgical removal generally cures the condition.