Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms and Diagnosis

It is essential for individuals with symptoms of ulcerative colitis to seek medical attention and to get diagnosed early. If this digestive disease is not treated, it may lead to serious complications some of which are lethal. Additionally, the inflammation and ulcers of the lining of the large intestine can cause major discomfort and disrupt the daily life of sufferers. With adequate treatment in place, the condition can be managed effectively.

The main symptoms of ulcerative colitis are abdominal discomfort and diarrhea. The discomfort can be characterized by cramps, pain and bloating. The diarrhea occurs because the lining of the colon cannot sufficiently absorb the fluid from stools. Blood and pus can often been found in the liquid stools. In general, rectal bleeding is also common.

It is worth noting that these major symptoms are usually cyclical. They appear unexpectedly and last for different periods of time before they go away on their own. Only in about 5 to 10 per cent of the patients are these symptoms permanent.

Fever is another one of the major symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Nausea is also common. Typically, it is not accompanied by vomiting. Loss of appetite often occurs in patients with this digestive disease.

More serious symptoms of ulcerative colitis can occur if treatment is not started early. These include dehydration, anemia, weight loss, fatigue and skin lesions. Patients may experience joint pain. Eye problems may also occur. There are also sufferers that develop kidney stones and liver disease. Some patients develop osteoporosis.

In order to diagnose ulcerative colitis, the doctor will ask for a detailed description of the symptoms. They will perform a general medical exam as well. Since the symptoms of this digestive disease are common for other disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the doctor will run specific tests to diagnose it.

Blood tests are done so that the doctor can confirm that there is inflammation in part of the body. Stool tests are used to confirm inflammation and to rule out bacterial, viral and parasite infections. A colonoscopy is also done to diagnose this digestive disease. The doctor inserts a flexible thin tube with a camera at the end into the anus so that they can look at the lining of the colon from the inside and discover the presence of ulcers.

In some cases, a biopsy, a small tissue sample of the lining of the colon, may be taken for analysis. CT scan or barium enema x-ray may also be done. These will show precise images of the lining of the colon which will allow the doctor to detect any abnormalities typical for ulcerative colitis.