Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a form of abdominal ulcer mainly affecting the colon due to inflammation which causes subsequent sores on the lining. It belongs to a class of intestines inflammation condition termed to as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This is a chronic condition commonly beginning at teenage though it can also start at both young and old stages of life. It mojarly affects the Jewish people with rare occasions to the blacks.

(A sigmod colon that is affected by ulcerative colitis)

The actual cause of this is linked to the inflammation caused to the tissues by the immune cells produced at the abdomen. This abnormal inflammation on the tissues occurs when immune system is activated in absence of a harmful invader in the abdominal causing etching of the colon lining by these produced immune cells. However this is an inherited disease

(http://www.medicinenet.com/ulcerative_colitis/article.htm).

( The human colon affected by ulcerative colitis)

Symptoms of this disease include mainly diarrhea, abdominal pain and bleeding of the rectum. There is however other widely varied symptoms form one victim to the other. These include weight loss, dehydration, abdominal cramps, and arthritis and even the risk colon cancer especially after the first eight years of severely living with the condition.

There is no cure for ulcerative colitis other than surgical removal of the entire colon. If the condition is only on the rectum, frequent medication using of anti-inflammatory and immunomodulator drugs may be sufficient to induce and maintain remissions after relapse. A patient who is severely ill may call for a surgery to avoid colon rupture. Another way is do blood transfusion or supplementation of iron incase of anemia (http://www.fascrs.org/patients/conditions/ulcerative_colitis/). Severe cases call for constant check-ups to detect any abnormality and take advance action hence improving the victim’s life quality.

Reference

Ulcerative Colitis. Retrieved on 22^nd July 2009 from, http://www.fascrs.org/patients/conditions/ulcerative_colitis/

Ulcerative Colitis. Retrieved on 22^nd July 2009 from, http://www.medicinenet.com/ulcerative_colitis/article.htm