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Ulcerative colitis is a long-term, chronic condition that usually occurs in the lower part of the colon and rectum, but it may affect the entire colon.
The bowel becomes inflamed and, if this inflammation becomes severe, the lining of the bowel is breached and ulcers may form.
The amount of inflammation in ulcerative colitis is very variable, and many people never develop ulcers, because their degree of inflammation is not that advanced.
In mild cases, the colon can look almost normal, but when the inflammation is widespread, the bowel can look very diseased and can contain ulcers.
Ulcerative colitis is an uncommon condition. It can develop at any age, but usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30.
Ulcerative colitis affects men and women equally.
The exact cause is unknown. Most researchers think that it is caused by a combination of factors.
Inherited genes may increase the risk of developing ulcerative colitis.
Ulcerative colitis is called an autoimmune condition. This means the immune system – the body’s natural defence against infection and illness – goes wrong in some way and attacks healthy tissue. One theory is that the immune system mistakes the harmless bacteria – the ‘friendly bacteria’ inside the colon that help to digest food – as a threat and attacks the tissues of the colon, causing it to become inflamed.
Ulcerative colitis is most common in countries with a modern western lifestyle, such as Australia. This suggests that the environment has a part to play, and various factors have been suggested. These include air pollution; diet; and hygiene (the result of children being brought up in increasingly germ-free environments).
A Bowel Cancer Australia resource outlining non-modifiable risk factors for bowel cancer, including a family medical history chart.
The symptoms vary, and range from mild to severe. It depends on how much of your bowel is affected and the level of inflammation.
Symptoms are often worse first thing in the morning. Symptoms can flare up and then disappear, known as remission, for months or even years. This may be followed by periods when the symptoms are particularly troublesome, known as flare-ups.
The starting point during an initial assessment is for your GP to ask about the pattern of symptoms, your general health and medical history, and whether there is a family history of ulcerative colitis.
An examination will look for signs of inflammation, such as tenderness in the abdomen, and paleness that might be caused by anaemia.
If your GP suspects that the symptoms might point to ulcerative colitis, a referral will be made to a specialist for diagnostic tests.
Tests to diagnose ulcerative colitis may include one or more of the following:
Once the diagnosis is confirmed, you may be referred to a gastroenterologist so that a treatment plan can be drawn up.
The specialist will judge the severity of your condition by the following factors:
People with ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of developing bowel cancer and should be monitored regularly, especially if the condition is severe or extensive.
The longer you have ulcerative colitis, the greater the risk is:
While ulcerative colitis and bowel cancer are two very different conditions, it is important to note that many of the symptoms are the same for both.
People with ulcerative colitis are often unaware that they have bowel cancer as the initial symptoms are similar to ulcerative colitis, such as blood in your poo, diarrhoea and abdominal pain. Because of this, you will probably be advised to have a colonoscopy every few years to check that no cancer has developed.
There is currently no cure for ulcerative colitis. However, medication can improve symptoms and surgery can also help in many cases.