Ulcerative Colitis is a stomach disorder that affects colon - the large intestine, causing swelling and irritation.  

It is a type of inflammatory bowel disease and will lead to sores called ulcers as the condition progresses.

Ulcerative Colitis is an auto immune condition in which the immune system perceives food, gut bacteria and cells lining the colon as intruders, making white blood cells function against the lining of colon.

Doctors believe that genetic issues play a major role in causing this condition, besides environment. The researchers have so far failed to pin point the exact cause behind ulcerative colitis. In few cases, eating spicy food and high levels of stress can flare up the symptoms.

Symptoms of ulcerative colitis include bloody stools with the presence of pus, stomach cramps, loss of appetite and weight, fever, dehydration, joint pains, canker sores, sudden urge to empty the colon.

These signs can suddenly flare up, go away and can come back. In few cases, they may disappear completely for weeks to years, but can still make an appearance.

Diagnosis and Treatment:

Doctors may recommend few blood and stool tests to diagnose ulcerative colitis.

Flexible sigmoidoscopy, in which a specialist can use a small tool to collect a piece of lining from lower colon for a biopsy testing or a colonoscopy to understand the affected parts, are other types of testing.

Treatment focusses on changing diet plans to ease the symptoms. Doctors recommend eating soft and bland, high protein, high calorie, low on fibre eating plan till signs subside.

Medicines may include antibiotics, drugs to reduce inflammation, to stop the attack of immune system on colon.

In extreme cases, doctors may recommend colectomy, the removal of large intestine.