What is ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers (open sores) to appear on the
lining of the colon (large intestine) and rectum. Symptoms vary from person
to person and range from mild to severe. They may change over time, with
periods of good health where you will have few or no symptoms, this is known
as remission. These periods may alternate with times when your symptoms
are more active, commonly referred to as ‘flare ups’.
What are the main types of ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is generally categorised according to how much of the colon is
affected. The diagram shows the four main types:
Proctitis Proctosigmoiditis
Left-sided or
distal colitis
Total or pancolitis
What symptoms can I expect to experience?
The main symptoms include:
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Diarrhoea
Feeling generally unwell
Abdominal pain
Loss of appetite and weight
Extreme tiredness
How is ulcerative colitis treated?
Ulcerative colitis is managed with medication.
Treatment will depend on how severe your
symptoms are and the choices you make with
your doctor. Drugs used to help control IBD
include anti-inflammatory drugs (such as
5-ASAs and steroids), immunosuppressants
(such as azathioprine, methotrexate and
cyclosporin) and biological drugs (like
infliximab and adalimumab).
Initially, the aim of treatment is to reduce
inflammation in your gut to provide relief from
the symptoms you may be experiencing. Once
your disease is under control, your doctor may
continue to prescribe drugs to prevent your
symptoms from coming back.
In some cases, if your symptoms are severe
and medication is not effective, surgery may
be needed.
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