Myths And Facts About Ulcerative Colitis
True or false: Ulcerative colitis is one of several inflammatory bowel diseases.
True
False
True or false: Ulcerative colitis is one of several inflammatory bowel diseases.
Inflammatory bowel diseases cause irritation and inflammation in your intestines. Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are the most common types, but there are others, such as microscopic colitis.
Ulcerative colitis inflammation happens in your:
Large intestine
Small intestine
Entire GI tract
Ulcerative colitis inflammation happens in your:
One of the ways ulcerative colitis is different from Crohn’s disease is that it only affects your rectum and colon. Crohn’s disease can affect any part of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract.
You're at higher risk of getting ulcerative colitis if:
You're male
You're female
It runs in your family
You're at higher risk of getting ulcerative colitis if:
You’re more likely to get ulcerative colitis if you have a close relative, such as a parent or sibling, who has it. You’re also at higher risk if you’re white or have an Ashkenazi Jewish background.
You’re most likely to get ulcerative colitis between the ages of:
15-30
30-45
45-60
You’re most likely to get ulcerative colitis between the ages of:
You can get ulcerative colitis at any age, but it’s usually diagnosed when you’re a teenager or young adult.
Ulcerative colitis raises your risk of:
Breast cancer
Colon cancer
Lymphoma
Thyroid cancer
Ulcerative colitis raises your risk of:
An inflamed colon means high turnover of cells in your intestinal lining. This ups your odds of forming abnormal cells that lead to cancer. Early detection is key. It’s a good idea to get a colonoscopy every 1–2 years if you’ve had UC symptoms for eight or more years.
True or false: Stress and a poor diet can cause ulcerative colitis.
True
False
True or false: Stress and a poor diet can cause ulcerative colitis.
Doctors haven’t pinpointed the exact reason, but they think it’s a combo of environmental factors (outside surroundings), your genes, abnormal immune system reactions, and the type of bacteria in your gut. Diet and stress may make your symptoms flare once you have ulcerative colitis, but they aren’t the cause.
The symptoms of ulcerative colitis:
Are constant
Come and go
Are usually severe
The symptoms of ulcerative colitis:
The diarrhea, blood in your stool, cramping, and pain can range from mild to severe. Symptoms flare but may go away for weeks or even years. That’s called remission.
Which medication can cure ulcerative colitis?
Immunosuppresants
Corticosteroids
Biologics
None of the above
Which medication can cure ulcerative colitis?
Drugs can’t cure ulcerative colitis. But the right mix of medications, good nutrition, and surgery (in some cases) can help you manage symptoms. They may even go into remission.
True or false: Ulcerative colitis can affect your eyes.
True
False
True or false: Ulcerative colitis can affect your eyes.
About 10% of people with IBD get eye complications such as dry eye, inflammation of the middle layer of your eye wall (uveitis), or inflammation of the outer coating of the white of your eye (episcleritis).
A common complication of ulcerative colitis is:
Farsightedness
Bone loss
Chronic stutter
A common complication of ulcerative colitis is:
As many as 30–60% of people with IBD have low bone density, or osteoporosis. This can happen because of corticosteroid treatments, inflammation, or a vitamin D deficiency. Other common complications include anemia (low red blood cell count) and delayed development.
Sources
IMAGE PROVIDED BY:
- SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Science Source
SOURCES:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases: “Ulcerative Colitis.”
CDC: “What is inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)?”
Mayo Clinic: “Ulcerative Colitis.”
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation: “The Risk of Colorectal Cancer in Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Patients,” “Eye Complications Fact Sheet,” “Bone Loss Fact Sheet.”
Cleveland Clinic: “Ulcerative Colitis.”
