Ulcerative Colitis is still much an enigma and even unknown to most people. While this chronic inflammatory bowel disease can cause a gamut of difficulties, Ulcerative Colitis sufferers may not even be aware of being afflicted with it. Ulcerative Colitis is sometimes mistaken for the better known Crohn's disease. These two are very dissimilar inflammatory bowel diseases, however. Ulcerative Colitis affects the colon and rectum area while Crohn's disease may affect any part of the digestive tract. A person with Ulcerative Colitis has inflammation and tiny ulcers on the lining of the rectum and the colon. These ulcers may sometimes bleed and develop pus.
The following are a few signs of Ulcerative Colitis:
#1. Diarrhoea: A person with Ulcerative Colitis has difficulty going any place that has no toilet nearby.
#2. Pain: Frequent occurrence of abdominal cramps
#3. Tiredness: A regular sense of fatigue and a frequent driving need for sleep that may require intake of medications and supplements as iron, zinc and vitamin B12.
#4. Fever: Flare ups of Ulcerative Colitis may cause a person to feel feverish and experience a general feeling of being unwell.
#5. Appetite and weight loss: Rapid loss in weight gets to a point of physically appearing quite unhealthy.
#6. Anaemia: Red blood cell count is very significantly decreased.
Some of the health conditions that have been linked with Ulcerative Colitis are: ulcers in the mouth, skin blisters and ulcers, painful welts on the legs, eye inflammations, weakened bones and clotting of the blood, which may include deep vein thrombosis.
Studies are yet to be completed on the main causes of Ulcerative Colitis. However, these factors are believed to contribute to Ulcerative Colitis risk: genes, reaction of the digestive system to intestinal bacteria and an unidentified trigger which may include viruses, other bacteria, diet and stress.
Ulcerative Colitis has no cure and, unattended, may get to the point of requiring surgery. Needless to say, regular medical consultations are recommended. Ulcerative Colitis does not always progress to colon cancer and medications may manage symptoms. Healthy lifestyle and diet choices also benefit Ulcerative Colitis patients.
