Colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that happens when the lining of the rectum or colon gets inflamed. This condition leads to ulcers or tiny sores on affected areas, which eventually cause mucus discharge or bleeding. It often starts in the rectum and moves upwards. Sometimes, it would involve the whole colon. Though colitis affects everyone, people from 15 to 35 years old are often at the highest risk. Here are 10 common symptoms in people with colitis.
Abdominal Pain
The most common signs of colitis in many people are abdominal pain and cramps. You might feel it in any area of the abdomen, depending on your affected parts of the colon. Keep in mind that it will vary at various times for the same individual. Unlike Crohn’s disease, pain in colitis tends to occur in the central or lower abdomen. In most cases, the pain might present suddenly and severely.
If left untreated, it would lead to some possible complications such as toxic megacolon, which causes dilated and thin-walled colon, or perforated colon, which leads to a hole in the affected area. [1]
