1.What is ulcerative colitis?
Ulcerative colitis is the abbreviation of chronic non-specific ulcerative colitis, a chronic inflammatory disease of the rectum and colon of unknown origin. The main clinical manifestations are diarrhea, mucopurulent stools, abdominal pain and urgency. The disease varies in severity and is recurrent or prolonged with a chronic course. The disease can occur at any age, with 20-50 years old being the most common. There is no significant difference in the incidence between men and women. Yang Dong, Department of Anorectal Medicine, Lianyungang First People’s Hospital
2.How do I know I have ulcerative colitis?
★ Digestive system manifestations.
l Diarrhea The degree of diarrhea varies from 3-4 times a day in mild cases to more than 30 times a day in severe cases. The feces are mostly pasty and watery, mixed with mucus and pus and blood.
The abdominal pain may be absent in mild cases and in remission, or may be mild to moderate, with a few cases of colic.
l Other symptoms Severe cases may have loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting
★ Systemic manifestations.
l Low or moderate fever is often present during the acute phase or acute exacerbation; in severe cases, high fever and tachycardia may be present; wasting, weakness, anemia, imbalance of water and electrolyte balance and malnutrition may appear during the development of the disease.
★ Extra-intestinal manifestations.
l There are often nodular erythema, arthritis, uveitis, oral mucosal ulcers, chronic active hepatitis, hemolytic anemia and other changes of abnormal immune status.
★ Clinical types: There are three types of the disease according to the urgency of its onset and the severity of the disease. The mild type is the most common clinical condition. The onset of the disease is slow, the symptoms are mild, except for diarrhea and constipation alternately, mucus and blood stools, no systemic symptoms, and the lesions are limited to the rectum and sigmoid colon.
Severe type Rarely seen. Acute onset, severe symptoms, systemic symptoms and extraintestinal manifestations, progressive aggravation of colonic lesions, involvement of the whole colon, and more common complications. Fulminant form is the least common.
3.What should I do if I have the disease?
If you develop the above symptoms, please consult a specialist immediately
1) General treatment During the acute attack, especially in heavy and fulminant cases, hospitalization should be provided to correct the disturbance of water and electrolyte balance in a timely manner.
2) Salicylic acid azo sulfonamides Generally, salicylic acid azo sulfonamide pyridine (referred to as SASP) is the drug of choice for light or heavy patients who have been remitted by adrenal glucocorticosteroid treatment, and the efficacy is good.
3) Adrenal glucocorticosteroids are suitable for patients with fulminant or heavy cases, which can control inflammation, suppress autoimmune process and reduce toxic symptoms. Hydrocortisone, or dexamethasone, is commonly used as a daily intravenous drip for 7-10 days. After the symptoms are relieved, prednisolone is used orally instead, and after the disease is controlled, the dosage is gradually reduced.
4) Enema treatment Suitable for patients with mild lesions limited to rectum and left colon.
5) Surgery Complicated carcinoma, intestinal perforation, abscess and fistula, toxic megacolon who have not been treated by internal medicine are indications for surgery
4. Why do I have ulcerative colitis?
The cause of ulcerative colitis has not been fully understood. The onset of the disease may be related to the following factors.
1) Autoimmunity The disease is an autoimmune disease, as it is often complicated by extra-intestinal autoimmune manifestations such as erythema nodosum, arthritis, uveitis, and iritis.
2) Allergic reaction.
3) Heredity The incidence of this disease is high in blood families.
4) Infection It is now generally believed that infection is a secondary or predisposing factor for the disease.
5) Don’t be afraid of having ulcerative colitis, prevention methods.
Reduce the intake of allergic foods and drugs that damage the intestinal tract.
Reduce mental burden and trauma.
Avoid the occurrence of infectious diseases.
Maintain a longer maintenance treatment, which can reduce recurrence.