Ulcerative Colitis

Both Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis cause similar symptoms which include:

• Diarrhea
• Rectal bleeding
• Urgent need to move bowels
• Abdominal cramps and pain
• Sensation of incomplete evacuation
• Constipation
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Weight Loss
• Fatigue
• Night sweats
• Loss of normal menstrual cycle

Both illnesses are marked by an abnormal response by the body’s immune system. The immune system is composed of various cells and proteins which protect the body from infection. In people with inflammatory bowel disease, however, the immune system reacts inappropriately – mistaking benign or beneficial cells and bacteria for harmful foreign substances. When this happens, your immune system can do harm to your gastrointestinal tract and produce the symptoms of IBD.

Prescribed medications are often used to treat ulcerative colitis that strive to control the inflammation that is a main cause of ulcerative colitis symptoms and induce remission. The medication your doctor prescribes may depend on whether you have mild, moderate, or severe ulcerative colitis.

Depending on your ulcerative colitis symptoms, your doctor may recommend over-the-counter medications for you, such as:

• Antidiarrheals
• Pain relievers
• Nutritional supplements
• Over-the-counter medications are often suggested to be taken as a supplement to your prescription—not instead of it.

Surgery may be a consideration if the disease doesn’t respond to medication.

At the Surgery Group of LA, we know how trying and painful Crohn’s and Ulcerative Colitis can be. Combining state-of-the-art medical facilities with compassionate, patient-centered care, we work hard to determine effective treatment for every patient so that they find relief. Call us today to schedule an appointment with a colorectal surgeon in Los Angeles.

Ulcerative colitis can develop at any age but is most often diagnosed between the ages of 15 and 30. Risk factors include a family history of inflammatory bowel disease, and it is more common in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. Importantly, longstanding ulcerative colitis also increases the risk of colon cancer over time, which is why regular surveillance colonoscopies are an essential part of long-term UC care.

There is no proven way to prevent ulcerative colitis. You can reduce complications by taking prescribed medications consistently, keeping regular follow-up appointments, and staying current with recommended surveillance colonoscopies, since longstanding colitis raises colon cancer risk. Working closely with your gastroenterologist and colorectal surgeon during flares also helps protect your long-term colon health.