What is ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a condition that causes inflammation and ulcers in the colon, which includes the large intestine and rectum. It’s a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). UC can be mild in some people, while others have more severe symptoms. Although the disease is a lifelong condition, there are effective treatments that can reduce inflammation, heal your colon, and help you feel better.
Penn Medicine’s gastroenterologists and other specialists have the expertise to diagnose UC and create a treatment plan designed around your needs. With the right therapies, you can achieve long-term remission and live an active life.
Signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis
UC symptoms usually come on gradually and may worsen over time. The disease goes through cycles that include periods when symptoms are worse, known as flares, and go away, called remission. Mild ulcerative colitis symptoms can include:
- Diarrhea that may contain blood or mucus
- An increase in bowel movements of up to four a day
- Urgency to use the bathroom
- The inability to have a bowel movement even though you have the urge to go
- Belly pain
When UC is moderate or severe, symptoms may include:
- More than four bowel movements a day with blood or mucus
- Severe cramping
- Nausea
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Weight loss
- Anemia
- Delayed growth in children
What causes ulcerative colitis?
The exact cause of UC isn’t known, but it involves an overreaction of the immune system, which mistakenly attacks the lining of your colon. An imbalance of the bacteria in your gut may also play a role. Inflammation might only develop in the rectum at the end of your colon, but it can spread to the lower part of your colon or the entire colon. While stress and certain foods can trigger UC symptoms, they don’t cause the disease.
You’re at higher risk of having ulcerative colitis if you have a family member who has UC or Crohn’s disease, another type of inflammatory bowel disease. UC tends to affect people younger than 30 or older than 60. Although anyone can get the disease, it’s more common among people who are white, especially those who are of Ashkenazi Jewish descent.
Steps to diagnosing UC
To diagnose ulcerative colitis, you may need blood tests, a stool sample, and imaging. You’ll also need a procedure that allows your doctor to look at your colon and take tissue samples for testing, called biopsies. Other tests can rule out Crohn’s disease, which has similar symptoms but affects any part of your digestive tract rather than just your colon.
How UC is treated
Several types of medicines can treat ulcerative colitis. Drugs can lower inflammation, suppress the immune system, and address specific symptoms like diarrhea. Therapies can also target parts of the immune system that lead to colon inflammation. These drugs may be taken as pills, injections, or infusions. If medicines don’t help resolve your symptoms, surgical options are available.
Advanced diagnostics, tailored treatments for IBD care
Our goal at Penn Medicine is to help you reach long-term remission from ulcerative colitis symptoms. We use the latest tests to ensure you have an accurate diagnosis, and our gastroenterologists work to find the right therapeutic approaches for you. Experts from other specialties may also be part of your care, including dietitians who can help you make changes to your eating habits that improve your symptoms.
We support you throughout life and treat flares as soon as they occur. Through our partnership with Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania, children with UC can receive uninterrupted care as they move from pediatric to adult specialists. We’ve also received recognition for our work conducting clinical trials and research in IBD from the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America. From our expert diagnosis to innovative treatments, our specialists provide you with the care you need, whenever you need it.