Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month: Ulcerative Colitis.
Ulcerative Colitis is a common type of inflammatory bowel disease that affects the rectum and colon. The disease produces ulcers and causes inflammation in the lining of the large intestine. While the disease may only affect the lower part of the colon, it can affect the entire colon. Basically, the more of the colon that is affected by Ulcerative Colitis , the worse the symptoms are for the sufferer. This disease does not discriminate against age, however, most individuals are diagnosed with UC before age 30. It is unclear what causes Ulcerative Colitis, but specialists theorize that the immune system has something to do with it. They believe that the immune system overreacts to normal bacteria in the GI tract, which causes the symptoms. Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis -Bleeding from the rectum -Stomach cramping -Abdominal pain -Diarrhea (up to 20 times a day) -Fever -Loss of appetite -Joint pain These symptoms can come and go whenever they want. When symptoms are n...