Ulcerative colitis is an inflammation of the lining of the large intestine, or colon.
It can cause severe bouts of bloody diarrhea, loss of appetite, constipation, abdominal pain, and sometimes fever. Crohn's disease usually occurs in the ileum, the lower portion of the small intestine, but may occur anywhere in the digestive tract. Symptoms are similar to those of ulcerative colitis. The materials in this section have been chosen to provide a solid introduction to your health condition. They explain anatomy and physiology, give descriptive overviews of the disease, and include a glossary of the medical terms you will come across in the rest of your report.