Ulcerative Colitis

Excerpts from the entry on Ulcerative Colitis in Relieving Pain Naturally by Dr. Sylvia Goldfarb and Roberta W. Waddell. For full entries on all 37 conditions and 27 treatments, order the book.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are disorders in which the bowel becomes inflamed, resulting in cramps and diarrhea. The IBD known as ulcerative colitis affects the mucous membranes lining the large intestine, causing it to become inflamed and ulcerated, and leading to bloody diarrhea, cramps, and fever. The bleeding can, in turn, lead to iron-deficient anemia. This inflammatory bowel disorder usually begins in the lower end of the large intestine (the rectum or sigmoid colon) and can, in time, spread throughout the entire large intestine (the condition does not affect the small intestine). It can come on at any age, but, as with another IBD, Crohn's disease, it usually starts between ages fifteen and thirty. And, as with Crohn's, flare-ups may be associated with inflammation of the joints, whites of the eyes, and skin problems.

Also in this entry:

• Symptoms
• Common Causes
• Diagnosing the Problem
• Conventional Treatments
• Problems with Some Conventional Treatments
• Self-Help Alternative Treatments
• Assisted Alternative Treatments
• Practical Suggestions

See below for full list of all conditions and treatments in the book. Or, download a complete Condition entry or Treatment entry for free.