What is Ulcerative Colitis ?
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation in part of your digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis usually affects only the innermost lining of your large intestine (colon) and rectum. It occurs only through continuous stretches of your colon.
Causes:
- Genetics
- Environmental -diet, air pollution, cigarette smoke and hygiene.
- Immune system -the body responds to a viral or bacterial infection by causing the inflammation linked to ulcerative colitis. However, for some unknown reason, when the infection has gone the immune system continues responding, which carries on causing inflammation.
Symptoms:
- Abdominal pain
- Bloody diarrhea with mucus
The following symptoms are also possible:
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Anemia
- Elevated temperature
- Dehydration
- Tenesmus (wanting to empty the bowels constantly)
