Dorothy FarrarUlcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the colon . Even many years after it was first described, the intestinal disease ulcerative colitis remains a mystery to medicine. Both the causes and the possible cures have not yet been researched.
What is Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease in which parts of the intestine are chronically inflamed. This is where the name comes from: “Colon/Kolon” comes from the Greek and means sausage or (grievous) intestine, “-itis” is a medical foreign language syllable and means inflammation and “Ulcus” means “ulcer” translated from Latin. .
It is therefore an ulcer-like inflammatory disease of the colon. What is special about ulcerative colitis is that it is continuous. That is, the first inflamed spots appear at the end of the large intestine, the rectum, from there they spread uninterruptedly to the upper sections of the intestine. Ulcerative colitis that is so advanced that it affects all parts of the large intestine is called pancolitis.
Ulcerative colitis differs from the similar Crohn’s disease in that the inflammation ends at the junction of the colon and the small intestine . Crohn’s is also a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestines, which, unlike ulcerative colitis, can also affect the small intestine and even the esophagus.
causes
Even many decades after the discovery of ulcerative colitis, it is still not clear what causes this disease. The only thing that is certain is that it is not a pathogen. Rather, the body’s own immune system plays a major role. Inflammation is caused by the immune system itself, which mistakenly identifies the cells of the intestine as foreign bodies and attacks them, leading to inflammation.
But the question of what suddenly caused the immune system to malfunction is unclear. Leading gastroenterologists believe in a previous infection with a virus that has overwhelmed the immune system in such a way that it has become aggressive, i.e. it also attacks harmless (intestinal) cells. A proof that this is clearly the trigger of ulcerative colitis is still missing, even after various studies.
When to the doctor?
Persistent diarrhea, blood in the stool, or very liquid stools should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as they persist for several days. Pain in the abdomen or in the stomach region should also be clarified by a doctor. If the symptoms occur in connection with mental or emotional problems, there is a psychosomatic illness. It is advisable to see a doctor and a therapist if the problems have persisted for several weeks or months. The causes must be clarified and treated. There are often life crises, persistent stress or unprocessed trauma that must be identified and treated so that the symptoms can be alleviated.
If the symptoms increase or other symptoms appear, a doctor’s visit is necessary. A general weakness, inner restlessness or an increased body temperature are among the complaints that should be controlled. In the case of nausea or vomiting , a doctor’s visit is also necessary, as general well-being is significantly reduced.
If sleep disorders occur or if ulcerative colitis prevents participation in professional and social life, a doctor is needed. Before taking pain-relieving medication, you should always consult a doctor. There is a risk that other complaints will arise that need to be discussed and clarified.
symptoms and course
It is characteristic of the symptoms of ulcerative colitis that they occur in episodes. That is, the person affected does not suffer from the symptoms continuously; Rather, these appear regularly only for a certain period of time before they recede again, the so-called symptom-free remission occurs.
There are various possible reasons for triggering a flare-up, such as stressful situations or the wrong diet. Abdominal pain is characteristic of an active attack, i.e. abdominal pain that the patient cannot localize more precisely.
Due to the inflammation in the intestines, blood in the stool and traces of mucus are detectable in the patient; in most cases there is also diarrhea ( diarrhea ). After all, vitamin deficiency is one of the typical consequences of ulcerative colitis, albeit to a much lesser extent than is the case with its sister disease, Crohn’s disease.
This is because the intestines are unable to absorb vitamins from food due to the ongoing inflammation, leading to long-term vitamin deficiencies as a result of ulcerative colitis.
Diagnose
If the symptoms mentioned above are present, it cannot be assumed that you have ulcerative colitis, as they can also occur with many other diseases. The only way to diagnose ulcerative colitis with a high degree of probability is colonoscopy .
For this purpose, a tube-like probe is pushed into the patient’s anus, at the upper end of which a camera is installed, with which the treating doctor can examine the intestine for inflammation. Tissue samples are then taken from suspicious areas and examined for their condition in the laboratory. At this point at the latest, the suspicion of ulcerative colitis can be confirmed or denied with a high degree of certainty.
complications
Complications from ulcerative colitis are possible. This danger exists above all in the case of uncontrolled disease progression. In some cases, an operation is even necessary. One of the dangerous sequelae of intestinal disease is toxic megacolon. The inflammation spreads to the entire intestinal wall. This, in turn, increases the risk of the bowel overstretching and eventually bursting, spreading inflammation throughout the abdomen.
Toxic megacolon is a life-threatening emergency. The complication is fatal in approximately four percent of all affected individuals. If the intestine bursts, as many as 20 percent of all patients die from it. For this reason, immediate treatment of toxic megacolon in a hospital is required.
Bleeding is also one of the serious effects of ulcerative colitis. In about 4.5 percent of all patients, the bleeding is even life-threatening. Sometimes the bleeding is so intense that the person loses consciousness. They often present after a toxic megacolon. Treatment is blood transfusions or surgery.
Another consequence of ulcerative colitis is the increased risk of patients developing colon cancer. Colorectal cancer can appear about 10 to 15 years after the onset of ulcerative colitis and is evident when the colon is completely involved.
treatment and therapy
Ulcerative colitis is treated in stages. First of all, an attempt is made to let the inflammation subside with the preparations with the fewest side effects so that remission can occur. The drug of first choice is the active ingredient mesalazine. Cortisone preparations are only administered if this does not work as desired .
If even these cannot inhibit the inflammation, the immune system as such must be weakened – with immunosuppressants . These drugs weaken the entire immune system and thus also its misguided reaction to attack your own intestinal cells. As a last resort, it is also advisable to completely remove the large intestine.
This would cure ulcerative colitis, since it is known that it can only spread to the large intestine and not to the small intestine. A so-called pouch is then formed from the last end of the small intestine, which takes over the function of the large intestine as a stool reservoir.
prevention
Since the exact causes and triggers of ulcerative colitis are not known, the disease cannot be prevented. In general, a stress-free lifestyle and a healthy diet should be observed.
Hello and welcome to my Health Guide & Encyclopedia! My name is Dorothy Farrar, and I'm the founder and main author of this platform.
My passion for health and wellness started at a young age when I became interested in the connection between the food we eat and the way we feel. This fascination led me to study nutrition and dietetics in college, where I learned about the importance of a balanced diet and the impact of various nutrients on the body.