Ulcerative Colitis – Causes and Treatment
Colitis usually begins in the lower part of the colon and spreads upwards. The first symptom of the trouble is an increased urgency to move the bowel, followed by cramping pains in the abdomen and, sometimes, bloody mucus in the stools. As the disease spreads upward, the stools become watery and more frequent and are characterised by rectal straining. The loss of blood and fluid from the bowels results in weakness, fever, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and anaemia.
Ulcerative colitis is defined as mild, moderate or severe, according to the frequency of diarrhoea, the presence of blood and how generally unwell the person is. Ulcerative proctitis, which is confined to the rectum, is a very common and relatively benign form of ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is more common than Crohn’s disease. The disease may involve the entire colon (pancolitis), only the rectum (ulcerative proctitis) or, more commonly, somewhere between the two.
Diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping are the main symptoms of this disease . Anemia, rectal bleeding, loss of appetite, fever, eye irritation, dehydration, painful spasms and fatigue, ulceration in the digestive tract, bloating, and mucus in the stool are certain other symptoms. About 2 million of the total population in the U.S. suffer from this disease which is rarely found in Asia and South America. It has also been found that Jewish people tend to have more incidence of colitis than non-jewish people.
Ischemic colitis involves an area of inflammation caused by interference with the blood flow to the colon. Most of the classifications of intestinal ischemia in the literature are based on the major causative factors. This is a potentially serious condition and requires care from your doctor. Patients may present with colicky abdominal pain, which becomes continuous. The extent of IBD can range from mild to severe based on the amount of damage from lack of oxygenated blood. The sooner IBD is treated, the more favorable the outcome.
Causes
No one knows for sure what causes inflammatory bowel disease. A number of theories have been developed to explain the condition. Some researchers believe that the disorder is caused by some organism, such as a bacterium or virus. No such organism has been found, however. Other researchers think the body’s immune system becomes confused and begins to attack the body’s own cells as though they were foreign invaders that needed to be killed.
The Facts on Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes inflammation and sores in the lining of the rectum and large intestine (colon). It’s a chronic condition although symptoms can disappear for months at a time, only to flare up again unexpectedly. It typically first appears in men or women between the ages of 15 and 40, but occasionally this condition first occurs in people in their 60s.
Treatment
The goals of therapy are to control the infection and relieve symptoms. Medicines to fight the virus (antiviral medications) are prescribed. The medicines may be given through a vein and sometimes by mouth for several weeks. In some cases, long-term therapy may be needed. A medication called CMV hyperimmune globulin may be used when other drugs don’t work.
