Symptoms and treatment
Many people think of diarrhea or irritable bowel symptoms when they hear the word ‘colon disease’. It’s good if you can rest comfortably at home or take medicine and get better. Surprisingly, there are many serious bowel diseases.
The Korean Institute of Bowel Research announced that the number of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis doubled in 2019 and 10 years from 2010. The number of ulcerative colitis patients increased 1.7 times over 10 years from 28,162 in 2010 to 46,681 in 2019, and Crohn’s disease nearly doubled from 12,234 to 24,133 during the same period.
Awareness of bowel disease has increased since celebrity Yoon Jong-shin recently confessed that he had Crohn’s disease, but according to the results of a survey conducted by the Korean Society for the Study of Bowel Research of 741 general people in 2020, regarding 66% of the respondents did not know regarding this disease. Of these, 26% said they had never heard of it.
The American health and medical media ‘Healthline’ recently introduced the symptoms, causes, and treatment methods of ulcerative colitis, especially left-sided ulcerative colitis.
left side ulcerative colitis
Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation of the large intestine or parts of the large intestine. Left-sided ulcerative colitis is inflammation of only the left side of the large intestine, which extends from the rectum to the flexion of the spleen. The splenic flexion is the flexion of the colon near the spleen, on the left side of the abdomen. Ulcerative colitis is divided into proctitis, in which the inflammation is limited to the rectum, and pancreatitis, in which the entire large intestine becomes inflamed.
Symptom
Diarrhea is the most common symptom of ulcerative colitis. Occasionally, there may be bloodstains in the stool. If your rectum is damaged or irritated, you may feel like you need to go to the bathroom frequently. However, the actual amount of feces is small. If you have ulcerative colitis, you may experience abdominal or rectal pain and a fever. Constipation, rectal cramps, and weight loss. Blood in the stool is a sign that the colon is seriously damaged. If you have blood in your stool, be sure to see your doctor.
Causes and risk factors
We don’t know exactly what causes ulcerative colitis. One theory is that autoimmunity is impaired and the large intestine becomes inflamed. Ulcerative colitis is believed to be caused by several factors. Genetic causes, environmental factors, abnormal immune responses, and the microbiome are cited as factors.
Diagnosis
Endoscopy confirms the type of colitis. A camera that shines a light is used to view the lining of the colon. Doctors determine the extent of inflammation by looking at redness, swelling, and irregularities in the lining of the colon.
cure
Treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on the condition. 5-ASA (5-aminosalicylic acid) is a commonly used drug for ulcerative colitis, can be taken orally or used as a suppository, and can reduce inflammation. If you do not respond to 5-ASA, your doctor may prescribe oral corticosteroids. Oral corticosteroids can reduce inflammation. It is often successful when taken with 5-ASA medications.
If your symptoms are severe, you may be prescribed biologics. Antibodies that target an inactive immune system protein known to cause ulcerative colitis are added. This requires long-term treatment. Immunomodulators may also be helpful.
Januskinase inhibitors (JAK Inhibiters) are small compounds that are broken down in the digestive system and absorbed into the bloodstream. It blocks the pathway of inflammation. They act faster than other drugs like thiopurine.
In severe cases, hospitalization may be required. The hospital will give you intravenous steroids or other Ringer’s drugs to help stabilize the condition. Occasionally, your doctor may recommend removing part of your colon. It is usually only recommended if there is heavy bleeding or if there is a small hole in the large intestine due to inflammation.
There are also natural remedies that can help manage symptoms. Natural remedies may help manage the condition, although more research is needed. These include probiotics, turmeric, wheatgrass supplements, and acupuncture. It is safe to consult with your doctor before starting treatment.
