Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis
Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis: Introduction
The severity and types of symptoms of ulcerative colitis vary from person to person. Typical symptoms include bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain and cramping. People with ulcerative colitis may also experience anemia due to loss of blood and dehydration and malnourishment resulting from the loss of fluids and nutrients that occurs in diarrhea. Other more vague symptoms may include nausea, fever, skin ulcers, loss of appetite, weight loss, joint pain, and fatigue. Serious complications of ulcerative colitis include massive bleeding, colon rupture, and the possible development of colon cancer. Complications may also include the development of arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease, and osteoporosis. Despite these serious complications, about half of people with ulcerative colitis experience only mild symptoms.
Not all of the above symptoms are always related to ulcerative colitis. Although abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea are typical of ulcerative colitis, they and other symptoms can be related to many other potentially serious conditions, including food poisoning, appendicitis, and pancreatitis. Any episodes of rectal bleeding, vomiting of blood, persistent diarrhea, or moderate to severe abdominal pain should be reported immediately to your health care provider. Only a thorough evaluation by a qualified health care professional can determine what is causing your particular symptoms and make a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis.
Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis
The list of signs and symptoms mentioned in various sources
for Ulcerative colitis includes the 40
symptoms listed below:
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Ulcerative colitis: Complications
Review medical complications possibly associated with Ulcerative colitis:
Ulcerative colitis Symptoms: Book Excerpts
Diagnostic Testing
Diagnostic testing of medical conditions related to Ulcerative colitis:
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Do I have Ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis: Medical Mistakes
Ulcerative colitis: Undiagnosed Conditions
Diseases that may be commonly undiagnosed in related medical areas:
Home Diagnostic Testing
Home medical tests related to Ulcerative colitis:
- Food Allergies & Intolerances: Home Testing:
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Wrongly Diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis?
The list of other diseases or medical conditions
that may be on the differential diagnosis list of alternative diagnoses
for Ulcerative colitis includes:
See the full list of 85
alternative diagnoses for Ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis: Research Doctors & Specialists
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Other Possible Causes of these Symptoms
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of other causes including diseases, medical conditions, toxins, drug interactions,
or drug side effect causes of that symptom.
Medical Books Online about Ulcerative colitis
Medical Books Excerpts
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Copyright notice for book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.
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Patient Surveys for Ulcerative colitis
Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis: Online Medical Books
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Intestinal obstruction:
Signs and Symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
Depending on location of obstruction: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, drowsiness, thirst, rebound tenderness, abdominal distention, dehydration, constipation
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Ulcerative colitis:
Signs and symptoms
(Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition))
The hallmark of ulcerative colitis is recurrent attacks of bloody diarrhea, in many cases containing pus and mucus, interspersed with asymptomatic remissions. The intensity of these attacks varies with the extent of inflammation. It isn’t uncommon for a patient with ulcerative colitis to have as many as 15 to 20 liquid, bloody stools daily. Other symptoms include spastic rectum and anus, abdominal pain, irritability, weight loss, weakness, anorexia, nausea, and vomiting.
Ulcerative colitis may lead to complications, such as hemorrhage, stricture, or perforation of the colon. Other complications include joint inflammation, ankylosing spondylitis, eye lesions, mouth ulcers, liver disease, and pyoderma gangrenosum. Scientists think that these complications occur when the immune system triggers inflammation in other parts of the body. These disorders are usually mild and disappear when the colitis is treated.
Patients with ulcerative colitis have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer; children with ulcerative colitis may experience impaired growth and sexual development.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Professional Guide to Diseases (Eighth Edition), 2005
Intestinal obstruction:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
Signs and symptoms depend on the location and extent of the obstruction.
Partial small-bowel obstruction
Colicky pain, nausea, vomiting, constipation, abdominal distention, and signs and symptoms of dehydration characterize small-bowel obstruction.
Auscultation reveals bowel sounds, borborygmi, and rushes; occasionally, they’re loud enough to be heard without a stethoscope. Palpation elicits abdominal tenderness with moderate distention; rebound tenderness occurs when the obstruction has caused strangulation with ischemia. In late stages, signs of hypovolemic shock result from progressive dehydration and plasma loss.
Complete small-bowel obstruction
In a complete small-intestinal (small-bowel) obstruction, vigorous peristaltic waves propel bowel contents toward the mouth instead of the rectum. Spasms may occur every 3 to 5 minutes and last about 1 minute each, with persistent epigastric or periumbilical pain. Small amounts of mucus and blood may be passed. The higher the obstruction, the earlier and more severe the vomiting. Vomitus initially contains gastric juice, then bile, and finally fecal contents of the ileum. Constipation develops with complete obstruction. There’s minimal or no fever. Abdominal distention is pronounced. Mild tenderness is present. Peristaltic rushes and high-pitched tinkles occur during paroxysms of pain. Visible peristalsis may be noted.
Partial large-bowel obstruction
Symptoms of large-bowel obstruction develop more slowly because the colon can absorb fluid from its contents and distend well beyond its normal size. Constipation may be the only symptoms for days. Colicky abdominal pain may appear suddenly, producing spasms that last less than 1 minute each and recur every few minutes. Continuous hypogastric pain and nausea may develop, but vomiting is initially absent.
Large-bowel obstruction can cause dramatic abdominal distention: Loops of large bowel may become visible on the abdomen.
Complete large-bowel obstruction
Eventually, a complete large-bowel obstruction may cause fecal vomiting, continuous pain, or localized peritonitis.
Patients with a partial obstruction may display any of the above signs and symptoms in a milder form. Leakage of liquid stools around the obstruction is common with partial obstruction.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Ulcerative colitis:
Signs and symptoms
(Handbook of Diseases)
The hallmark of ulcerative colitis is bloody diarrhea. The intensity of these attacks varies with the extent of inflammation. Patients with mild to moderate disease may experience five or fewer bowel movements per day with intermittent bleeding and mucus production. Individuals may experience left lower quadrant pain relieved by defecation, along with fecal urgency and tenesmus. Patients with more severe disease will have more than five bowel movements per day, which may result in anemia, hypovolemia, and impaired nutrition. Extracolonic manifestations also may be present, including erythema nodosum, pyoderma gangrenosum, episcleritis, thromboembolic events, and arthritis.
Ulcerative colitis may lead to complications affecting the following organs and systems:
❑ Blood: anemia from iron deficiency, coagulation defects due to vitamin K deficiency
❑ Skin: erythema nodosum on the face and arms; pyoderma gangrenosum on the legs and ankles
❑ Eye: uveitis
❑ Liver: pericholangitis, sclerosing cholangitis, cirrhosis, possible cholangiocarcinoma
❑ Musculoskeletal: arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, loss of muscle mass
❑ GI: strictures, pseudopolyps, stenosis, and perforated colon, leading to peritonitis and toxemia.
CLINICAL TIP: The risk of colorectal cancer in patients who have had ulcerative colitis for more than 10 years increases by approximately 1% per year. Also, patients with disease proximal to the sigmoid colon have an increased risk of developing colon carcinomas.
» READ BOOK EXCERPT ONLINE »
Source: Handbook of Diseases, 2003
Article Excerpts About Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis:
The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis
are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Patients also may experience
- Fatigue.
- Weight loss.
- Loss of appetite.
- Rectal bleeding.
- Loss of body fluids and nutrients.
About half of patients
have mild symptoms. Others suffer frequent fever, bloody diarrhea, nausea,
and severe abdominal cramps. Ulcerative colitis may also cause problems
such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease (fatty liver,
hepatitis, cirrhosis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis), osteoporosis,
skin rashes, anemia, and kidney stones. No one knows for sure why problems
occur outside the colon. Scientists think these complications may occur
when the immune system triggers inflammation in other parts of the body.
These problems are usually mild and go away when the colitis is treated.
(Source: excerpt from
Ulcerative Colitis: NIDDK)
Ulcerative colitis as a Cause of Symptoms or Medical Conditions
When considering symptoms of Ulcerative colitis, it is also important to consider Ulcerative colitis as a possible cause of other medical conditions.
The Disease Database lists the following medical conditions that Ulcerative colitis may cause:
- (Source - Diseases Database)
Ulcerative colitis: Onset and Incubation
Onset of Ulcerative colitis: Ulcerative colitis can occur in people of any age, but it usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and less frequently between 50 and 70 years of age. It affects men and women equally and appears to run in families, with reports of up to 20 percent of people with ulcerative colitis having a family member or relative with ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. A higher incidence of ulcerative colitis is seen in Whites and people of Jewish descent.
Medical articles and books on symptoms:
These general reference articles may be of interest
in relation to medical signs and symptoms of disease in general:
Full list of premium articles on symptoms and diagnosis
About signs and symptoms of Ulcerative colitis:
The symptom information on this page
attempts to provide a list of some possible signs and symptoms of Ulcerative colitis.
This signs and symptoms information for Ulcerative colitis has been gathered from various sources,
may not be fully accurate,
and may not be the full list of Ulcerative colitis signs or Ulcerative colitis symptoms.
Furthermore, signs and symptoms of Ulcerative colitis may vary on an individual basis for each patient.
Only your doctor can provide adequate diagnosis of any signs or symptoms and whether they
are indeed Ulcerative colitis symptoms.
Not too long ago doctors thought stomach ulcers were caused by stress and spicy foods. In 1982 researchers discovered a bacteria that changed our...
This program discusses medical issues affecting children diagnosed with Crohn's disease and ulcerative coltitis, types of inflammatory bowel...
Yogurt, probiotics and nutritional therapy can be a comfort to people living with inflammatory bowel disease. Listen to experts discuss this approach...
People with Crohn's and colitis can become malnourished because they can't absorb certain nutrients. Listen to experts discuss the complex...
See full list of 28 related videos
» Next page: Diagnostic Tests for Ulcerative colitis
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