Colitis simply means 'inflammation of the colon' and is an Inflammatory Bowel Disease (see IBD for more information). As a result, there can be pain and swelling around the lower abdomen and the bowel movements become irritable and loose resulting in persistent diarrhoea.
It affects the rectum and sometimes the colon (large intestine). Inflammation and many tiny ulcers develop on the inside lining of the colon resulting in urgent and bloody diarrhoea, pain and continual tiredness. The condition varies as to how much of the colon is affected
In addition, UC can cause inflammation in the eyes, skin and joints
If the inflammation is only in the rectum it is known as proctitis
Affects up to 120,000 people in the UK, that's about 1 in 500
Between 6,000 and 12,000 new cases are diagnosed each year
The main symptom of ulcerative colitis is frequent, watery diarrhoea, which may be accompanied by cramping abdominal pain and the passage of blood and/or mucus. When the disease affects only the rectum - the final portion of the bowel, it is known as proctitis. When ulcerative colitis affects more of the colon than the rectum alone, symptoms are more severe. The symptoms vary according to the degree of inflammation in the bowel and whether or not the lining of the bowel has become ulcerated. In addition to the symptoms already mentioned, there may also be:
pain on opening the bowels
urgent and frequent need to open the bowels
the sensation of incomplete emptying of the bowels
diarrhoea, even during the night
nausea
loss of appetite
weight loss
extreme tiredness
A number of other problems may be associated with ulcerative colitis. These are more likely when the disease is active and include skin rashes, mouth ulcers, joint pains and anaemia.
Ulcerative colitis is defined as mild, moderate or severe, according to the frequency of diarrhoea, the presence of blood and how generally unwell the person is.
Causes
There can be a number of possible causes for this including poor diet, food poisoning, viral infection in the intestines, stress, back problems, medications (especially antibiotics), crohn's disease, stomach upset and allergies.
In some cases, the inflammation is accompanied by ulceration of parts of the membraneous tissue in the colon as well (known as 'ulcerative colitis'). In this instance, there is often blood found in the stools.
It is vitally important to isolate and identify the possible causes in each individual case before selecting the most appropriate remedy.
The cause of ulcerative colitis is not fully understood. Inflammatory bowel disease tends to run in families and 10 to 20% of people with either ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease are likely to have at least one other person in their family affected. Researchers are also looking at the links between environmental factors such as nutrition and exposure to various infections
Through our experience there are a few areas which we can look in to when conducting a health screening in order to find the root of the problem. Each of us is biochemically unique and therefore our needs for specific nutrients vary greatly. Diet should be the prime focus of any changes made, plus vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements to clear, restore and maintain the body's natural balance. Our screenings will address food sensitivities, overall nutrient deficiencies & toxicity levels within the body.