Ask a doctor - What is ulcerative colitis?

Q. What is ulcerative colitis?

Doctor Answer is medically reviewed by SecondMedic medical review team.

Answered by Seconmedic Expert

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) characterized by chronic inflammation in the large intestine, also known as the colon. This type of colitis involves ulcerations, or small open sores, in the inner lining of the colon that can cause abdominal pain and discomfort, diarrhea with blood and/or pus, fatigue, weight loss and fever.

Ulcerative colitis is caused by a combination of environmental factors and genetic abnormalities that impair normal immune system function. The immune system becomes overly sensitive to bacteria present in our intestines which stimulate an overzealous response from white blood cells like T-cells and neutrophils. These cells mount an attack against your own body’s tissues instead of just fighting bacteria — leading to inflammation in the gut lining which can result in ulcers forming along parts of the digestive tract.

Treatment for this condition involves lifestyle modifications along with medications such as sulfasalazine or corticosteroids to reduce inflammation as well as antibiotics if infection is suspected. In severe cases where these treatments fail to provide relief, surgery may be recommended to surgically remove part or all of your large intestine depending on how much tissue has been damaged by ulcerative colitis over time. Additionally certain diet changes may help manage symptoms including reducing intake of dairy products high fat foods since those tend to worsen symptoms for many people suffering from this condition due its effect on stool consistency often causing more frequent bouts with urgency when consuming them. Exercise can also be beneficial since it helps boost your natural immunity thus helping keep flare-ups under control while improving overall health at the same time!