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ABC Medical Center > Ulcerative colitis

What is Ulcerative colitis?

21:53 - 4 May , 2021

Disease

It is a large intestine disease that affects the colon and rectum, causing swelling and the progressive appearance of ulcers.

It is a condition whose potential complications can be of high risk to your health becoming life-threatening.

The apparent origin of ulcerative colitis is an immune system anomaly, which when defending the body against pathogens it also mistakenly attacks the cells found in the intestine.

Similarly, eating habits and continuous stress are factors that contribute to developing this disease.

It is a chronic condition for which there is no treatment, but it is possible to control the symptoms, achieving prolonged periods without its manifestation.

Signs and symptoms Ulcerative colitis

The symptoms’ intensity varies since it depends on the progress of the disease, the most common being:

  • Rectal pain.
  • Apparent need to defecate without success.
  • Decreased body weight.
  • Tiredness.
  • Weakness.
  • Diarrhea.
  • Purulent or bloody stools.
  • Abdominal pain.
  • High fever.

Ulcerative colitis is usually not serious, but there are several complications that, in some cases, can have fatal consequences:

  • Osteoporosis.
  • Skin and joint inflammation.
  • High risk of developing colon cancer.
  • Possible clot formation.
  • Heavy bleeding.
  • Colon perforation.
  • Severe dehydration.

Diagnosis and treatment Ulcerative colitis

Once the doctor analyzes your symptoms and clinical history, they will perform a physical examination and request blood and stool tests, as well as endoscopic procedures such as colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy to determine the diagnosis with certainty and quantify the degree of involvement.

Likewise, to support the diagnosis, it is also necessary to perform imaging studies such as X-rays, computed tomography, and MRI.

The treatment plan in mild and moderate cases is usually based on anti-inflammatory drugs and immune system inhibitors; while for seriously ill patients, the only alternative is a proctocolectomy, which is a surgery in which the colon and rectum are removed.

At ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments

Internal medicine
High Specialty Surgery Center
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory
Cancer Center

Fuentes:

  • medlineplus.gov
  • mayoclinic.org
  • msdmanuals.com
  • topdoctors.es
  • cun.es
  • medigraphic.com
  • Nodarse-Cuní H, Más-Paez JA, Gutierrez-Pérez Y, et al. Epidermal growth factor enemas for induction of remission in left-sided ulcerative colitis. Rev Cubana Farm. 2013;47(1):.
  • de León-Rendón JL, Jiménez-Bobadilla B, López-Pérez RY, et al. Colitis ulcerosa crónica idiopática: epidemiología, características clínicas y factores asociados al tratamiento quirúrgico en un hospital de tercer nivel en México. Cir Cir. 2019;87(4):450-458.
  • Sánchez-Morales A, Pérez-Ayala MF, Cruz-Martínez M, et al. Efectividad de probióticos sobre síntomas, histología y tolerancia alimentaria en colitis ulcerativa. Rev Med Inst Mex Seguro Soc. 2019;57(1):9-14.
  • Olivares-Guzmán LO, Escobar-Ceballos LGS, Gómez-Castaños PC, et al. Frecuencia del síndrome de sobrecrecimiento bacteriano intestinal en pacientes con colitis ulcerosa mediante pruebas de aliento. Rev Med MD. 2018;9.10(2):71-75.

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