What is ulcerative colitis? Know about its causes, symptoms, treatment etc!!
Have you heard about a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the large intestine or colon and rectum?
We are now talking about Ulcerative Colitis or UC issue here. When a person has ulcerative colitis issue then he or she would have inflammation and ulcers in the colon. This would create severe pain in them. There are various signs of UC issue such as diarrhoea with pus and blood, abdominal pain, weight loss, fatigue, urgency to pass stools etc.
Reasons for UC are
Ulcerative colitis issue could be due to genetics. The trends might be present in the family itself. Another reason is immune system dysfunction where the colon would get inflamed due to abnormal immune response that might mistakenly attack the colon. Various environmental triggers like diet and stress etc would lead to or worsen the issue. Lastly, any disruption in the gut bacteria could result in inflammation of the colon etc also.
Ways to avoid UC:
One important way by which we could avoid ulcerative colitis issue is by eating a well balanced diet. By avoiding trigger foods like spicy or fatty foods etc. It is possible to avoid UC by controlling stress, doing relaxation techniques etc. By drinking water and staying hydrated, we could avoid this issue in us. Lastly, by quitting smoking etc we could avoid getting UC issues.
Various treatments for UC issue are
By Medications:
Inflammation in the colon lining would be reduced by means of certain medications. Normally, these medications are prescribed for short term only and not for long term as they could lead to some side effects also.
By dietary changes:
Consuming a low fibre diet during flare up could lower bowel movement frequency. By this, the symptoms of UC would be reduced. It is good to eat fibre based foods and probiotics etc.
By opting for surgical procedure:
Sometimes, surgery would be done to remove the colon and this is called colectomy. Here, an internal pouch would be created to allow waste etc to exit the body.
By making changes in lifestyle:
Flaring up of UC symptoms would be lowered and overall health would be maintained by doing exercises regularly. It is also very important to sleep well at night.
By regular monitoring:
It is necessary to monitor the progress of UC issues by doing routine checkups and colonoscopies etc. The treatment can be adjusted as per the requirements.
