Ulcerative colitis is a gastrointestinal tract disease in which the gastrointestinal system’s membrane lining is damaged. It affects all main portions of the gastrointestinal tract, including the rectum, colon, and large intestine.
Ulcerative colitis is a gastrointestinal tract disease in which the gastrointestinal system’s membrane lining is damaged. This damage affects all main portions of the gastrointestinal tract, including the rectum, colon, and large intestine. As the GIT’s inner lining deteriorates, other body regions become irritated, and the inflammation becomes so severe that sores develop, eventually leading to ulcers. The colon and rectum are completely engulfed with inflammation. This induces enhanced peristalsis activity in the intestines, resulting in fast emptying of the gut contents. In certain cases, the inflammation becomes so severe that the cells of the lining membrane die, resulting in an ulcer. These ulcers produce a variety of health problems, including bleeding, the production of mucus, and the formation of Pus cells. This condition does not affect just one age group; it most usually affects those aged 15 to 40. Ulcerative colitis is not brought on by stress. You are 30 percent more likely to get UC if you have a family history of the disease. Although this disease does not affect only one gender, males are more likely to contract it than females.
The inflammation of the entire bowl is known as ulcerative colitis. Ulcers form when the inner lining of the intestine becomes inflamed. Ulcerative colitis is caused by the body’s autoimmune malfunctioning. Sometimes the immune system makes a mistake and targets its own cells, mistaking them for antigens and producing antibodies against them, causing harm to the cells of the gut lining. Our immune system treats food, bacterial flora, and even our own cells as antigens in ulcerative colitis and acts against them, attempting to eliminate them. The immune system’s white blood cells, which previously protected the body from harm, now produce the body’s own inflammation and ulcer.
As mentioned before Ulcerative colitis occurs due to a defective immune system. Many other factors also contribute to the Ulcerative colitis
- It could occur because of a default gene that is inherited from the parents, it increases the chance of a person getting the disease itself.
- Many environmental factors could be the leading cause of Ulcerative colitis.it could be an irritant or antigen like microorganisms like bacteria, viruses, fungi, amoeba, etc. that may stimulate the immune system.
- If the person is suffering from any other immune disorder he/she is at greater chance of getting the disease.
The usual symptoms[i] of ulcerative colitis are different in many stages of the disease. Starting from mild discomfort to severe conditions like blood in feces. Many other signs and symptoms include
- High grade fever
- Skin rashes
- Sudden weightless
- Loss of appetite
- Felling of discomfort
- Tummy ache
- Fatigue
- Bone pains
- Hemolytic anemia
- Soreness in whole body
- Weakness
- Paleness
- No control over rectum
- Sudden discharge of mucus or poop from rectum
- Pain
- Blood in feces
- Sensitivity to light exposure
- Sleeplessness
- Pain in rectum
- Cramping leading to diarrhea
These many symptoms are inconsistent with the condition. It comes and goes with time. a patient suffering from ulcerative colitis may feel no symptoms for week but the sudden reoccurrence of disease occurs.
Ulcerative colitis can be divided into many types according to its location in the body.
Types of ulcerative colitis include
- Ulcerative proclitic.
- Left-sided colitis.
Ulcerative proclitic Is located in the area near the anus (rectum)
Proctosigmoiditis Is located in the rectum and sigmoid part of the colon (lower Part)
Left-sided colitis Is located in the rectum, sigmoid and descending part of the colon.
Pan colitis. The location involves the whole of the colon.
The Treatment[ii] for ulcerative colitis is always symptomatic and its main objective is to relieve or ameliorate the symptoms and prevent the reoccurrence of the disease. There is no one solid treatment of the disease, only symptomatic treatment is available. No cure for this disease is available but many options are under research. Many classes of drugs can be utilized for long-term maintenance of the disease like steroids, immune suppressants, anti-inflammatory, and antibiotics, etc. Many of these medicines can have side by side many adverse effects as well. Many therapies options and therapeutic regimens approaches are being investigated like in one technique medicine is given in increasing strength and side by side dealing with the adverse and side effects and in some cases, medicine is started with the highest dose. Most medicines used for this purpose are
- Corticosteroids
- Amino salicylates drugs
- Immune suppressants
- Pain killers for long term use
If medicine fails to cure the disease’s symptoms, surgery is the only remaining choice. Once the surgery is completed, many more options become accessible, such as the removal of the diseased part of the intestine and subsequent connection of the healthy ends. When this isn’t possible or a large portion of the intestine has been damaged, a surgical cut in the abdomen is made and a tube is introduced to allow feces to be discharged into a bag outside the body. Another option is to clear the blockages in the gastrointestinal system, which are known as strictures.
Many complications of Ulcerative colitis lead to adverse conditions like damaging of the duct of bile present inside the liver leading to the liver abnormality. Ulcerative colitis in some cases can lead to rectal/bowel cancer which could further spread to other parts of the body as well. all these conditions can affect the quality of life, as well as the growth and development of the people in their early adulthood, are affected adversely. Many of the medicine given to treat ulcerative colitis can affect the body adversely and cause damage itself like it could cause bone weakness body pains etc.
The condition might resurface at any time and can be treated at home. Mild symptoms, such as diarrhea or abdominal aches, can be managed at home; however, more serious conditions require hospitalization for proper care and medication. If treatment fails to relieve the symptoms, surgery is the only remaining choice. Certain foods may exacerbate the disease’s symptoms, leading to a worsening of the condition. Smokers are at an increased chance of contracting the condition, thus quitting is essential.
[i] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ulcerative-colitis/
[ii] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/ulcerative-colitis/
https://www.healthline.com/health/ulcerative-colitis
