Signs and symptoms
Ulcerative Colitis is a very individual condition and its symptoms will vary from person to person. They range from mild to severe and may also change over time. Some people remain well for a long time, while others have frequent flare-ups.
The most common symptoms are:
- Diarrhoea
- Cramping pains in the abdomen
- Tiredness and fatigue
- Feeling generally unwell or feverish
- Loss of appetite and weight loss
- Anaemia (a reduced level of red blood cells)
Causes and risk factors for Ulcerative Colitis
It is not known what causes Ulcerative Colitis. However, it is probably a combination of factors:
- Genetic
- Immunological
- Previous infection
- Environmental;
Treatment
There’s currently no cure for ulcerative colitis, but treatment can improve the symptoms. The main aims of treatment are to:
- Reduce symptoms – known as inducing remission (remission is a period without symptoms)
- Maintain remission
Treatments may be medical, surgical or a combination of both in most cases the first line of treatment is steroids to reduce the inflammation.
