Digestive System

Living with a chronic disease has often been called the equivalent of having another full-time job. For some, it may be a constant struggle of management: managing medication, appointments with health-care providers, and one’s own physical and mental energy. People with ulcerative colitis must carry out their daily lives in ways that help to maintain […]

On a daily basis, scientists are gaining a better understanding the genetic aspects of ulcerative colitis, as well how the immune system malfunctions and the relationships between infections and long-term inflammatory diseases such as ulcerative colitis. New medications are in human trials and promise to provide greater relief with fewer side effects. And surgical techniques

Here are some frequently asked questions related to ulcerative colitis. Q: Is ulcerative colitis an autoimmune disease? A: There is certainly a malfunction in the immune system that takes place in ulcerative colitis. However, immunosuppressive medications used to keep individuals from rejecting transplanted organs have shown less effectiveness in treating ulcerative colitis than in treating Crohn’s

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a condition that affects the large intestine – the rectum and colon. It may affect only a part of the large intestine, or the entire colon and rectum. Rarely, it may affect the last part of the small intestine, called the ileum. The affected part of the large intestine becomes inflamed

To date, there is no known cause for ulcerative colitis. Therefore, ulcerative colitis is said to be an idiopathic disease, meaning that it develops without an apparent or known cause. Ulcerative colitis appears to be a disease primarily of those living in Western, industrialized societies. Whether this is because of some kind of condition of

The immediate symptoms of ulcerative colitis may be the same as those found in a number of other conditions that affect the bowel, such as viral, bacterial, or parasitic infection. A complete medical history and a thorough physical examination, along with laboratory and diagnostic tests, are necessary to diagnose ulcerative colitis. Symptoms vary. They may

Diagnosing ulcerative colitis may involve laboratory tests and one or more procedures that allow the doctor to visualize the intestine. It is important that if inflammatory bowel disease is suspected, a correct diagnosis of either ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease be made. While the two diseases have many similarities, they are distinct, and many of the