Ulcerative Colitus

Were you looking for information about Ulcerative Colitis? Ulcerative colitus is a common misspelling of ulcerative colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that can cause rectal bleeding, urgency to have a bowel movement, diarrhea, and other problems. Factors that can influence the symptoms a person will develop include the person's age, how much of the digestive tract is affected, and whether complications occur. Among the tests that a healthcare provider may use to diagnose the condition are blood tests, a stool sample, and a colonoscopy.

Treatment options include medications, lifestyle changes, surgery, or a combination of these treatments. However, removing the colon and rectum is the only cure for the disease. About 5 percent of people with this condition go on to develop colon cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the length of time a person has had ulcerative colitis and how much of the colon is affected by the disease.

(Click Ulcerative Colitis for more information about the disease, including possible causes, symptoms, treatment options, and more. You can also click on any of the links in the box to the right for more specific information.)