Ulcerative Colitis Ulcerative colitis is a potentially serious progressive disease of the large bowel. It is an inflammation of the colon and rectum that causes sores or ulcers in the lining of the bowel. The condition is always present, with intermittant severe attacks.
Ulcers form when the inflamed areas die and slough off, forming a sore in the lining of the bowel.
When the disease persists over a long period of time, the ulcers progress to scarring throughout the bowel. Due to the inflammation and ulcers, the main symptoms are diarrhea, bloody stool, weight loss and fever. Lower abdominal cramps in the left side, which can be severe, are common. Patients with ulcerative colitis may develop complications in other parts of the body, including arthritis of the spine and joints, skin ulcers, inflammation of the inner eyelids and whites of the eye, and liver disease. Diagnosis of this complex disease entails a full medical investigation including stool samples, colon biopsies and X-rays.