Ulcerative colitis (UC), often referred to as ulcerative nodes, is a chronic, nonspecific inflammatory disease of the rectum and colon of unknown etiology. The lesions are mainly limited to the mucosa and submucosa of the large intestine. The main clinical manifestations are diarrhea, mucopurulent stools, and abdominal pain, which tend to be recurrent and persistent. What are the causes of ulcerative colitis? The cause of ulcerative colitis is still unclear, and it is thought that it may be related to environmental factors, genetic factors, infectious factors, psychological factors and autoimmune factors. What kind of people are prone to ulcerative colitis? People who have an immediate family member with ulcerative colitis are more likely to develop ulcerative nodes. In addition, frequent stress, anxiety, or depression, and intestinal infections may increase the risk of ulcerative nodes. Can ulcerative colitis be prevented? Because the cause and pathogenesis of ulcerative nodes are not known, there is no specific method to prevent ulcerative nodes. However, there are effective ways to prevent the recurrence of ulcerative nodes in patients who are in remission. Avoiding mental stimulation such as anxiety and depression, avoiding spicy and cold food to stimulate the intestinal tract, reducing the chance of intestinal infection, and strengthening physical exercise to improve their immunity can effectively prevent recurrence of ulcerative nodes. What are the clinical manifestations of ulcerative colitis? The mucus-purulent blood is an important manifestation of the active phase of ulcerative colitis, and patients with mild symptoms can have 2-4 bowel movements per day, while those with severe symptoms can have more than 10 bowel movements per day. Other symptoms are not typical, but may include abdominal pain, bloating or loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and in severe cases, extra-intestinal manifestations such as recurrent oral ulcers, peripheral arthritis, and systemic manifestations such as weakness, anemia, and emaciation. What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis? If you have frequent diarrhea, blood in the stool, or mucopurulent stools, and the symptoms last for a long time and do not heal repeatedly, you may have ulcerative colitis, so you should seek medical attention and have a colonoscopy and related blood tests to confirm the diagnosis in a timely manner. How long should I suspect ulcerative colitis if I have mucus and blood in my stool? Different guidelines have different views on the duration, but it is generally considered that a duration of 6 weeks should be taken seriously by the patient. In patients with atypical clinical presentation and colonoscopic changes, the diagnosis can be made after 3-6 months of follow-up. Do I necessarily have ulcerative colitis with painful diarrhea and mucus and blood in my stool? There are no specific changes in ulcerative colitis, and a variety of etiologies may cause similar inflammatory changes in the intestine. Therefore, even recurrent or persistent episodes of painful diarrhea or even mucus and bloody stools do not necessarily indicate ulcerative colitis, and should be combined with laboratory tests and colonoscopy to confirm the diagnosis.