Top 5 Symptoms Of Ulcerative Colitis

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Ulcerative colitis is a medical condition which affects the colon or the large intestine. The colon starts developing ulcers or painful sores on its surface. This disease usually does not cause problems all the time.

The patient experiences discomfort for a few days and then is perfectly comfortable for a few days again. But to get rid of the problem permanently, a registered medical practitioner must be consulted. There are various efficient treatments to alleviate the symptoms of this disease.

It is considered to be a primarily hereditary disease which may also be caused due to unsuitable surrounding factors (e.g. pollution, chemicals etc.). What foods or drinks a person consumes does not cause the onset of ulcerative colitis. The polyps or ulcers are actually inflamed patches of skin which are sensitive to any or all substances.

This makes the act of passing of bodily waste very uncomfortable. The stages of ulcerative colitis are classified as mild, moderate, severe and fulminant. The treatment is administered according to what stage the suffering patient is in.

Top 5 Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis

Abnormal Stool

This is one of the first symptoms of ulcerative colitis that appears. The patient starts having diarrhea or loose, watery stools. The need to visit the bathroom may be felt as frequently as every one hour. The stool also has traces of blood and mucus in it. This is a sign that the colon is not healthy.

Rectal Bleeding

The area around the rectum becomes red and inflamed. This causes pain and discomfort while passing stool. In such a situation, the blood vessels in the rectum are injured and start bleeding. The blood may be noticed in the stool or in a more extreme case, the patient’s clothing may also get stained.

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Tenesmus

This is a condition where a person feels that he/she needs to pass stool immediately but is unable to do so once in the bathroom. He/she feels pain and discomfort in the rectal area. There may also be a feeling of abdominal bloating. The patient might experience severe intestinal gas and have pain while passing it.

Weight Loss

Due to the constant diarrhea and bleeding, the patient starts to lose weight. The body becomes unable to absorb any vitamins and minerals from the food that is consumed. This lack of nutrition eventually results in weakness and a drastic reduction in weight. This also makes the suffering person tired and fatigued. The daily activity also gets restricted due to this.

External Abnormalities

In more advanced stages of the disease, there are very visible changes on the surface of the skin. There may be appearance of ulcers on the legs and feet. Some people also experience diminished vision because the eye muscles get inflamed. Gangrene-like lesions also start appearing on the body. Some patients may also see their fingers and toes getting deformed.

It is essential to remember that this disease is completely curable. The patient must seek advice from a doctor the moment all or any of these common symptoms appear. The earlier this disease is treated, the higher the chances of a full recovery.

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