Ulcerative colitis is an inflammation that occurs in the innermost lining (mucosa) of the colon and/or rectum, affecting between 500,000 and 2,000,000 individuals in the United States, predominantly under age 30.⁸

Tiny open sores, or ulcers, form on the surface of the lining of the colon and/or rectum, where they bleed and produce pus and mucus. The inflammation usually begins in the rectum and lower colon, but may also involve the entire colon.

When ulcerative colitis affects only the lowest part of the colon—the rectum—it is called ulcerative proctitis. If the disease affects only the left side of the colon, it is called limited or distal colitis. If it involves the entire colon, it is termed pancolitis.

Symptoms of ulcerative colitis may include rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation or diarrhea, weight loss, fatigue, or fever. In cases of severe bleeding, anemia also may occur. Children with ulcerative colitis may fail to develop or grow properly

The symptoms of ulcerative colitis tend to come and go, with fairly long periods between flare-ups, during which patients may experience no distress at all. These periods of remission can span months or even years, although symptoms do eventually return.

Studies indicate that ulcerative colitis involves a complex interaction of factors: the genes the patient has inherited, the immune system, and something in the environment. Foreign substances (antigens) in the environment may be the direct cause of the inflammation, or they may stimulate the body’s defenses to produce an inflammation that continues without control. Researchers believe that once the immune system of the patient with ulcerative colitis is “turned on,” it does not know how to properly “turn off” at the right time. As a result, inflammation damages the intestine and causes the symptoms of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis can be difficult to detect because symptoms may resemble those of Crohn’s disease. Find out how diagnosis of ulcerative colitis is typically made using flexible sigmoidoscopy or colonoscopy.

Look into the treatment options for ulcerative colitis, so you can discuss them more thoroughly with your physician.

Download, print out, and read a brochure on ulcerative colitis to help you and those you love understand your diagnosis and options for therapy.

Read the success story of a patient who chose minimally invasive colon surgery to treat her ulcerative colitis.