Ulcerative Colitis Can Have Dangerous Complications

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD for short. It usually affects the lining of the large intestine, or colon. The inflammation generally occurs in the rectum and sigmoid colon, the lower part of the colon, but it can affect the entire colon. Different kinds of IBDs may cause inflammation in either the small or large intestine.

Your colon recognizes inflammation as a warning sign of trouble, so it frantically tries to get rid of whatever is causing problems. Unfortunately, that can trigger symptoms like bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. This inflammation also causes sores called ulcers. These can make your colon wall look ulcerated — cratered and battered like the moon. That’s why it’s called ulcerative colitis.

Causes and Complications of Ulcerative Colitis

No one is certain what causes ulcerative colitis, but scientists suspect a faulty immune system could be involved. That’s one of the reasons UC is tough to diagnose. Health professionals do know the disease tends to run in families and usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30 or, less frequently, between ages 50 and 70. Research suggests that people who have ulcerative colitis have a higher risk of several other illnesses. These include dehydration, bone loss, anal fissures and colon cancer.

• Dehydration - If you have a digestive disorder, you could be losing fluid through a damaged or inflamed intestinal tract. This means dehydration — a serious problem. To fight dehydration, you need at least four 8 ounce glasses of water each day. Active people need more, about six to eight glasses a day.
• Bone loss - Scientists have discovered something for people with IBD to watch for — osteoporosis. Studies show IBD sufferers are 40 percent more likely to break their spine, hip, wrist, forearm, or a rib. Experts aren’t sure why this is, but it might be due to prescribed drugs, or perhaps an inability to absorb enough nutrients.
• Anal fissures - An anal fissure is a small tear or cut in the lining of your anal canal, and it makes bowel movements painful. Constipation is often the villain behind an anal fissure, but it may also be triggered by ulcerative colitis, diarrhea, surgery, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, childbirth, too much pressure in the anus.
• Colon Cancer - About 5 percent of people with ulcerative colitis develop colon cancer. The longer you have UC and the more of your colon affected, the more your cancer risk multiplies. If you’ve had UC for at least eight years, some experts recommend having a colonoscopy with biopsies every one to two years to screen for colon cancer.

Frequently Asked Questions

There’s obviously a lot of information to process about ulcerative colitis. Read on for some common questions related to UC and how to manage symptoms.

Q:  Should I eat more fiber to tame UC?

A: No. Your colon is already narrowed and inflamed and doesn’t need any more roughage tearing through it. High-fiber foods will only give you cramps, diarrhea, and grumpy intestines.

Q: Any advice on meal frequency to avoid UC attacks?

A: Eat less more often. Try eating five, or even six, small meals each day, instead of three large ones. Many IBD sufferers find that eating small meals more often reduces their symptoms.

Q: Should I be on a special diet for UC?

A: While there's no evidence that either certain foods or stress cause colitis, learning to love low fat foods can help. Foods high in fat can cause miserable cramping and diarrhea in UC sufferers.

Q: Is dairy a problem for people with UC?

A: Many folks with UC are lactose intolerant. If you absolutely must have a bowl of ice cream, try taking an enzyme caplet first. It will break down the dairy sugar for you.