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Welcome to HealthiNation. I’m Dr. Holly Atkinson.
Experts estimate that over seven hundred thousand Americans have ulcerative colitis. So you’ve
probably heard of it. But maybe you’re not clear about what it is exactly or how it’s
different from conditions like Crohn’s Disease or IBS. Maybe you or someone you care about
has even been having symptoms that you think could be pointing to ulcerative colitis…but
you’re not sure. As challenging as it can be to live with, UC can also be uncomfortable
to discuss. You’ve got important questions about the condition, its symptoms and treatments.
In this video, we’ll give you the answers you need.
Ulcerative Colitis (or UC) is a disease in which the lining of the colon (also called
the large intestine) becomes inflamed. This inflammation destroys the cells that normally
line the colon wall. As a result, sores—or ulcers—develop in those damaged areas.
All this leads to a number of unpleasant symptoms for people with UC, ranging from mild to moderate
to severe discomfort. Symptoms might occur only rarely, or they might come and go as
part of the chronic condition.
The symptoms of UC, as well as possible complications, vary depending on the extent of inflammation.
That’s why it is important to know how much of the bowel the disease affects.
UC inflammation almost always affects the *** and lower part of the colon, but it
can sometimes affect the entire colon.
When the inflammation is in the *** and lower part of the colon, this condition is
called ulcerative proctitis. For about 30 percent of all UC patients, the disease begins
in this form. It’s because of this limited affected area that ulcerative proctits tends
to be a milder form of UC that is associated with fewer complications than a more widespread
form of UC. Symptoms may include mild diarrhea or constipation, mild crampy abdominal pain,
mucus discharge from the ***, and occasional bloody bowel movements. Children with the
disease over time may also have growth problems because of poor absorption of nutrients.
If only the left side of the colon is affected, it is called limited, distal or left-sided
colitis. With this type of UC, inflammation begins at the *** and continues as far
as the bend in the colon near the spleen. Symptoms may include an intensified version
of those already mentioned, as well as loss of appetite, weight loss, intense pain on
the left side of the belly, and *** bleeding.
When the inflammation is throughout the entire colon, it’s called Pan-ulcerative (total)
colitis or pancolitis. Symptoms tend to be the most severe forms of those mentioned,
including severe abdominal pain, serious weight loss, fever and anemia from heavy bleeding.
Another potentially serious complication is the progression of sores to actual holes in
the bowel wall that require surgery.
For reasons that are not yet clearly understood, people with UC can also develop inflammation
elsewhere, beyond the colon. This inflammation often affects large joints – like hips and
knees – that causes swelling and pain. The eyes, skin and less often even the lungs can
also be affected by inflammation and lesions. The non-bowel symptoms usually occur when
a person is having a flare up of UC. But sometimes, symptoms beyond the colon can develop even
when colon UC symptoms are in remission.
People often confuse UC with Crohn’s disease. Both are a type of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
– or IBD. One difference is that while UC only affects the colon, Crohn’s can affect
any area of the gastrointestinal tract. Another difference is that with UC, inflammation involves
the entire *** and extends up through the colon in a continuous way; with Crohn’s
Disease there can be normal areas interspersed with the diseased ones.
It’s important to note that Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is NOT the same as Irritable
Bowel Syndrome (IBS). IBS is a condition that affects muscle contractions of the colon.
IBS is not defined by intestinal inflammation.