Ulcerative Colitis Treatment (Cont.)

Other Lifestyle Changes

Besides diet, there are some other lifestyle changes that can help relieve ulcerative colitis symptoms in some people. A few of these lifestyle changes include:
 
  • Learning more ways to manage stress
  • Seeking support through support groups or counseling.
     
(Click Living With Ulcerative Colitis for more information.)
 

When Is Surgery Needed for Treating Ulcerative Colitis?

About 25 percent to 40 percent of people with ulcerative colitis must eventually have their colon and rectum removed because of:
 
Sometimes the doctor will recommend removing the colon if medical treatment fails or if the side effects of corticosteroids or other drugs threaten the patient's health.
 
There are several types of surgery for ulcerative colitis that may be recommended. These surgeries can include:
 
  • Proctocolectomy with standard ileostomy
  • Ileoanal anastomosis (or ileoanal pouch surgery or restorative proctocolectomy)
  • Proctocolectomy with continent ileostomy.
     
Proctocolectomy is the medical term that means removing the colon and rectum.
 
(Click Ulcerative Colitis Surgery to learn more about these different types of surgeries for ulcerative colitis.)
 
(Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Continued: Page 4)

Pages:

Previous 1 2 3 4 Next

Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Arthur Schoenstadt, MD