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Live Well with Ulcerative Colitis - What Happens
- Topic Overview
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Health Tools
- Cause
- Symptoms
- What Happens
- What Increases Your Risk
- When To Call a Doctor
- Exams and Tests
- Treatment Overview
- Prevention
- Home Treatment
- Medications
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- Other Places To Get Help
- Related Information
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Ulcerative colitis may be mild, moderate, or severe. It may be described as dependent on corticosteroids, unresponsive to steroids, active, or not active (in remission).
Ulcerative colitis
also may be defined by the part of the large
intestine affected: the rectum (proctitis), the left side of the colon
(left-sided colitis), or the entire colon (pancolitis).
Most people with ulcerative colitis have periods of remission that may last up to several years. These periods are interrupted by occasional flare-ups of moderate symptoms. About 5 to 10 out of 100 people who have ulcerative colitis have symptoms all the time.1
Children may have the same symptoms as adults. Also, children with ulcerative colitis may grow more slowly than normal and go through puberty later than expected.
Complications and long-term effects
- Inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts (primary sclerosing cholangitis) may occur. A bile duct is a passage that carries fluid produced in the liver to the small intestine.
- Severe inflammation and ulceration sometimes irritate muscles in the colon, causing colon walls to stretch. The colon may swell to many times its normal size, a condition known as toxic megacolon. This is an emergency that requires immediate treatment, but it is rare.
- Narrowed areas of the intestine (strictures) may occur in ulcerative colitis, causing difficulty in passing stools.
- Your risk of cancer of the colon and rectum is higher than average if you have had ulcerative colitis for 8 years or longer. With regular screening, some cancers can be detected early and treated successfully.
- Ulcerative colitis can cause rare complications such as scarring of the pancreas and inflammation of the membrane surrounding the heart (pericarditis).
Some people who have ulcerative colitis also have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which is not as serious as ulcerative colitis. IBS causes abdominal pain along with diarrhea or constipation.
Most women with ulcerative colitis can have a normal pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby. Symptoms may become worse during the first 3 months of pregnancy. Some medicines to treat the disease can be used during pregnancy.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 7, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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