Ulcerative colitis (UC) refers to a disease in which the lining of the colon (the large intestine) becomes inflamed. It occurs at any age. The disease may involve the entire colon (pancolitis), only the rectum (ulcerative proctitis) or, more commonly, somewhere between the two. The amount of the colon affected usually predicts the severity of the disease. The disease usually begins in the rectum or the rectum and the sigmoid colon (the lower end of the large intestine) but may eventually spread along part or all of the large intestine. In patients with ulcerative colitis, ulcers and inflammation of the inner lining of the colon lead to symptoms of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and rectal bleeding. Like Crohn's disease, another common IBD, ulcerative colitis can be painful and debilitating and sometimes can lead to life-threatening complications. Ulcerative colitis is a rare disease, with an incidence of about one person per 10,000 in North America. The disease tends to be more common in northern areas.
Ulcerative colitis is defined as mild, moderate or severe, according to the frequency of diarrhoea, the presence of blood and how generally unwell the person is. Ulcerative proctitis, which is confined to the rectum, is a very common and relatively benign form of ulcerative colitis. Ulcerative colitis is more common than Crohn's disease. The disease may involve the entire colon (pancolitis), only the rectum (ulcerative proctitis) or, more commonly, somewhere between the two. It can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders and to another type of IBD called Crohn's disease. Blood tests and stool samples help diagnosis, but the key test is internal examination of the bowel, and biopsy. It most commonly begin during adolescence and early adulthood, but they also can begin during childhood and later in life. Ulcerative colitis is an intermittent disease, with periods of exacerbated symptoms, and periods that are relatively symptom-free.
Causes of Ulcerative colitis
The common causes and risk factor's of Ulcerative colitis include the following:
The exect cause of ulcerative colitis is unknown.
Abnormal activation of the immune system in the intestines.
A family history of Ulcerative colitis.
Smoking.
Generalized enhanced reactivity against intestinal bacterial antigens.
Environmental factors such as nutrition and exposure to various infections.
Symptoms of Ulcerative colitis
Some sign and symptoms related to Ulcerative colitis are as follows:
Loss of body fluids and nutrients.
Weight loss.
Nausea.
Abdominal cramps and pain.
Night sweats.
Fatigue.
Loss of appetite.
Fever.
Extreme tiredness.
Treatment of Ulcerative colitis
Here is list of the methods for treating Ulcerative colitis:
Aminosalicylates, drugs that contain 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA), help control inflammation.
Drugs such as azathioprine and mercaptopurine have been used to maintain remissions in people with ulcerative colitis who would otherwise need long-term corticosteroid therapy.
Taking nutritional supplements to restore normal growth and development in children and teens.
Steroids can help reduce inflammation, but they have numerous side effects, including a puffy face, excessive facial hair, night sweats, insomnia and hyperactivity. Long-term use of these drugs in children can lead to stunted growth.
Laxatives and antidiarrhoeals medicines.
Surgery is used in people who have severe symptoms that are not controlled by medicines, who have unacceptable side effects from medicines, or who have a very high risk of colon cancer because of extensive inflammation in the whole colon.
Ulcerative Colitis Natural Treatment
Certain natural remedies are listed here which can be used by you when you have acid reflux or heartburn. Try not using antacids as they have proven to have serious side effects and they have also seems to contain aluminium, which with prolonged usage can lead to senility and Alzheimer's disease. Prepare a tea with Anise, peppermint, and lavender as ingredients which can really help in solving with your acid reflux or heartburn problem. This goes a long way in reducing the amount of acid that is developed in your stomach. Take equal amounts of aniseed, peppermint and lavender and mix them together. Prepare infusion of this tea:
* 2 ½ cup distilled water is to be boiled
* Take a teaspoon of this herbal mixture and pour this boiled water over it
* 3- 5 minutes is the time this tea is to be kept idle
* then filter the tea and mix few drops of honey to make it sweet.
* Keep this in a hot thermos and drink 8 oz of the same in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before dinner to get natural relief from heartburn or acid reflux.
Aniseed or anise – has lot of nutritional values for your body as well as helps in keeping your digestive system perfect. Green anise is the herb that we are talking about here otherwise called European anise or sweet anise. Star anise and caraway are also other types of anise, but they are not the ones to be used here.
Peppermint – is a great healer in heartburn or acid reflux condition. It helps in digestion, stomach distension, cramps, ulcers, and gas.
Lavender – which is famous for it fragrance has great healing purpose for your body. It is another excellent stomach aid. It reduces acids in the stomach to give relief from heartburn.
Betain, Pepsin, and Papaya have digestive properties. When you grow older, the stomach looses its capability to generate hydrochloric acid for digesting protein. This protein which remains undigested leads to heartburn or acid reflux. Try using digestive enzymes which has Betain, pepsin, or HCl along with each meal so as to ensure you digest all of your protein.
Papaya digestive enzymes containing papain, can be great in aiding protein digestion try using them in every meal. Take atleast 500 mg of papaya enzymes with each meal.
Pineapples are considered to be a store house of enzymes and has bromelain, an enzymes that reduces protein. Pineapples also aids digestion, thereby reducing inflammation, and helps in healing wounds. Acid reflux can also be reduced with the help of fresh juices which has high concentration of enzymes. Bromelain can also be taken as tablet but keep it to the limit of 200 – 500mg per meal.
Chicory is part of a family of bitter herbs which contains endive and escarole. Boil 1 ½ cup of chicory root for 5 - 10 minutes. The cool is to room temperature but dont freeze it and drink this tea get rid of acid reflux or heartburn.
Add all of these herbs in the daily salad routine thereby giving different benefits in stopping acid reflux or heartburn. Eat foods with lot of alkaline so as to avoid acid reflux and heartburn. The natural treatment remeides with the help of herbs that we have listed in this article can go a long way in treating your heartburn or acid reflux condition. One of the most important factors is adding lot of green salad in your meals and reducing food with lot of cream and oil, this can be one of the important factor in reducing your pain from heartburn or acid reflux.
Both Juliet Cohen & Chaand Sristy are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
