What is the difference between colitis and ulcerative colitis?
Colitis means your colon is inflamed or irritated. This can be caused by many things, such as infections from viruses or bacteria. Ulcerative colitis is more severe because it is not caused by an infection and is lifelong.
Ulcerative colitis happens when your body's immune system doesn't work properly. It causes inflammation in the inner lining of your colon. The irritation and swelling, in turn, lead to ulcers and open sores in the lining.
Your immune system defends you from infections, illnesses, and things that don't belong in your body. But an autoimmune disease like ulcerative colitis mistakenly attacks your own body.
It sends in your white blood cells, which attack your intestinal lining, leading to ongoing inflammation.
No one knows exactly what causes ulcerative colitis. But experts think that one of three things may trigger it.
Genes
You might have inherited a gene that causes ulcerative colitis, which could run in your family. Experts have found certain abnormal genes in some people who have them.
Immune System
An infection might have triggered your immune system, but then for some reason, it doesn't turn off. That leads to the colon inflammation that causes symptoms of ulcerative colitis.
Environment
A germ, like a virus in your environment, might increase your chances of getting ulcerative colitis.
If you use nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics, or birth control pills, your chances of having it may increase slightly. A high-fat diet may be related to it, too.
A few other things could be related to the cause or might trigger a flare-up:
- Stress
- Emotional distress
- Some kinds of food
Who's at Risk?
Anyone can get ulcerative colitis. But if you're an older man, you're more likely to get it than an older woman. And even though it can strike at any age, it usually begins before you're 30 or after 60.
If someone in your family has ulcerative colitis, you're more likely to get it. But only 20% of people with the disease also have a close relative.
If you're white, of European descent, or Jewish, you're also more likely to get the condition.
Both hard-to-digest foods and stressful situations can trigger or worsen a flare-up of UC symptoms if you already have the disease. You can often improve your symptoms if you avoid certain high-fiber foods like uncooked veggies, nuts, and seeds, as well as fatty or greasy foods like burgers and fries. Use common sense. If you find that certain foods upset your stomach, try to stay away from them.
It can also help maintain balanced mental health and avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety. Proper sleep, quitting smoking, and regular exercise could also keep flare-ups at bay.
Your best shot at managing ulcerative colitis is to follow your treatment plan and talk to your healthcare provider regularly.
Visit G. Rajasekhar Reddy, Best Gastroenterologist & Renowned Laparoscopic Surgeon in Hyderabad, to learn more about digestive conditions and treatment options.
