Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms
What are the most common ulcerative colitis symptoms?
There are a variety of symptoms you may experience with ulcerative colitis (UC). Generally, the symptoms of UC first appear between the ages of 15 and 30. UC can also begin later in life, between the ages of 60 and 70. While people with ulcerative colitis share the same condition, they don't necessarily experience the exact same symptoms. Your experience with UC is unique, including what symptoms you have, how bad they are, and how they affect your daily life. That's why it's important to know the symptoms and some of the common terms when discussing your experience with your doctor. The more common symptoms of ulcerative colitis include:
How do the symptoms of ulcerative colitis come on? The symptoms of UC tend to come and go. Often they will develop gradually, first appearing as blood or mucus in your stool. There may also be an increased urgency to have a bowel movement, and your bathroom trips may include painful cramps and diarrhea. Other times, UC symptoms will develop suddenly and without warning, making you very ill. You may feel weak and feverish in addition to experiencing cramping and diarrhea.
What is a flare-up? Whether your ulcerative colitis symptoms showed up gradually or came on suddenly, the episode is commonly called a "flare" or a "flare-up." This is when the colon becomes inflamed. During a flare-up, you may experience periods of increased symptoms. Your flare-ups may vary in how long they last and how intense the symptoms are. You may also hear your doctor say that your ulcerative colitis is "active" when you are having symptoms. These are common terms when discussing UC, so you should feel comfortable about using them with your doctor, pharmacist, or anyone else who knows about your UC.
What is ulcerative colitis remission? Remission is typically thought of as the time when you are not experiencing symptoms. But UC remission is more than the absence of any symptoms. Remission also includes evidence of healing in the colon lining. According to the American Gastroenterological Association Guidelines, symptom relief and reduction of inflammation in the colon are both goals of UC treatment. This is important, because if just the symptoms of UC are controlled, but the inflammation in the colon continues on, those symptoms may come back. At your next doctor's visit, ask your doctor about achieving remission and find out about treatment options that are proven to do both.
Are you really in remission? It's more than just not having symptoms. Click here to learn if you're in remission or not.
Are there other, less common ulcerative colitis symptoms?
Some people with UC have symptoms that go beyond the colon. While it is not known exactly why symptoms occur outside the colon, UC is an inflammatory disease and can trigger responses in other areas of the body, such as:
- Bumps on the skin
- Itchy, watery eyes
- Swollen, painful joints
These symptoms alone are not enough to prompt a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. A person would also need to describe abdominal pain or a change in bowel habits for a doctor to suspect UC.
How severe is my UC?
The severity of a person's UC is described as either "mild," "moderate," "severe," or "fulminant." UC is categorized depending upon specific symptoms and test results, as well as on direct observation of the colon lining. This observation takes place during a specialized procedure such as a colonoscopy or a sigmoidoscopy.
How do doctors define the levels of severity? Typical signs of each level of severity are listed below:
- Mild disease—fewer than 4 stools daily, with or without blood
- Moderate disease—more than 4 stools daily, low-grade fever, and some anemia (a condition that can cause weakness, pale skin, and general tiredness)
- Severe disease—more than 6 bloody stools daily, fever, rapid heart rate, and anemia
- Fulminant disease—more than 10 bowel movements daily, continuous rectal bleeding, fever, rapid heart rate, anemia, abdominal tenderness, and bloating
Want to learn more about how UC is diagnosed, its common symptoms, and other facts? Click here to download Understanding Ulcerative Colitis.
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