What Is Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease. It affects the innermost lining of the rectum and large intestine, which subsequently causes sores and inflammation in the digestive tract. Symptoms typically occur suddenly rather than gradually. These include abdominal cramping and pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, rectal pain, fever, fatigue, weight loss, failure to grow in children, urgency and inability to defecate. They can vary from person to person, depending on the affected parts and severity of inflammation. If left untreated, ulcerative colitis would be debilitating and may result in fatal complications. Although there is currently no cure, many treatment options are available to help manage symptoms and bring about remission in the long term. [1]