Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease together constitute inflammatory bowel disease. It causes inflammation on the entire region of digestive system. The symptoms of IBD can range from mild to severe and sometimes it can be life threatening. Symptoms of IBD will develop gradually and not overnight. Ulcerative colitis causes inflammation of the innermost lining of the rectum and colon but Crohn’s disease can cause inflammation on the entire digestive tract and spreads easily to neighboring tissues. Lymphocytic colitis and collagenous colitis also form part of IBD.
Symptoms :
The symptoms of inflammatory bowel disease vary with respect to the area of the digestive tract that has been affected. Ulcerative colitis is categorized into many types based on the portion of digestive tract it affects. When the area of the anus or rectum gets inflamed it can cause bleeding of rectum and bloody stool. This is an indication of ulcerative proctitis. The individual with this condition may get rectal pain and frequent bowel movements.
If the entire portion of the rectum and colon gets affected it is known as sigmoid colon. It will produce symptoms of bloody stool, cramps in the abdomen, inability to discharge bowel and this condition is called proctosigmoiditis. Left side colitis is the condition in which there is swelling from the rectum till the descending colon found in the left part of the stomach. It will cause symptoms like bloody diarrhea, cramps in the abdomen with pain on the left side of the stomach.
When the entire colon gets inflamed it is called pancolitis which may cause severe cramps in the abdomen, weight loss, and fatigue. The symptoms of ulcerative colitis are not the same all the time. It alternates between severe symptoms and remission periods.