Live Life Team
There are a number of common symptoms which may suggest an individual is suffering from Ulcerative Colitis and for anyone suffering from these, it is well worth a visit to a doctor. A diagnosis does need to be made by a medical professional as many of the common symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis are also symptoms of a number of other bowel conditions.
One of the most common symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis is reoccurring diarrhoea. This is a symptom of many other common illnesses and moist people suffer from it occasionally in their life time. Usually it goes away on its own after a few days. However if it does not quickly clear up, it may be an indication of Ulcerative Colitis. Even without diarrhoea, if there is an increase of daily bowel movements this may also be a symptom of the condition. Inside the colon, small ulcers may be developing which can bleed and produce pus and mucous. This may be seen in the stool and is a strong indication to seek medical treatment.
Sufferers of Ulcerative Colitis commonly experience abdominal pain and cramping, the severity of which will vary from patient to patient. The patient is also likely to be feeling generally unwell with extreme tiredness (fatigue), a fever and a loss of appetite among the symptoms. The loss of appetite combined with the inability of the gut to absorb nutrients may cause a sudden weight loss. If the sufferer is not eating much and the bleeding from the ulcers is heavy, they may suffer from anaemia. Anaemia is a condition where there is not sufficient red blood cells (haemoglobin) in the blood, leading the patient to become pale and increasing the fatigue. If this is suspected, a blood test will be performed to confirm it.
The severity of the common symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis will depend on how much of the rectum and colon are affected. Sometimes the condition can affect other parts of the body with mouth ulcers being another indication of the disease. Sometimes there may be inflammation of the joints, due to fluid collecting in the joint space which results in painful swelling particularly in the elbows, wrists, knees and ankles. The other part of the body commonly affected is the eye. The most common eye condition for sufferers of Ulcerative Colitis is episcleritis, which causes the eye to become sore and inflamed.
In severe cases of Ulcerative Colitis the bowels may need to be emptied six or more times a day. Additionally sufferers may also experience a shortness of breath, an irregular or fast heartbeat and a high fever.
Ulcerative Colitis is a long term condition but sufferers are not permanently unwell. There can be long periods of time – weeks or even months – when the symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis ease or even vanish altogether. At this time the patient is said to be in remission. However when the patient starts to experience some or all of the symptoms described above, it is likely the condition is flaring up again.
