Ulcerative Colitis: Symptoms, Treatment, and Clinical Trials

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a long-term condition in which the immune system causes inflammation and sores in the lining of the large intestine (colon). It is one of the two main types of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), along with Crohn's disease. UC often starts between ages 15 and 30, but it can begin at any age.

Symptoms

• Diarrhea, often with blood or mucus
• Urgent need to have a bowel movement, including at night
• Cramping belly pain
• Tiredness, weight loss, or anemia

Symptoms often come and go, with flares and periods of remission.

Diagnosis

A colonoscopy with biopsies confirms the diagnosis and shows how much of the colon is involved. Blood and stool tests check for infection and inflammation.

Treatment

The goal is to control inflammation, heal the colon lining, and keep you in remission. Options depend on how severe and widespread the disease is:

• Mesalamine (5-ASA) pills, suppositories, or enemas for mild to moderate disease
• Steroids for short-term control of flares, not for long-term use
• Biologic medicines given by infusion or injection, which block specific parts of the immune response
• Small-molecule pills that calm the immune system
• Surgery to remove the colon, when medicines don't work

There are now many effective medicines, and new ones continue to be approved. We help you choose based on your disease, your preferences, and your insurance.

Living with UC

• Keep taking your medicine even when you feel well
• Get recommended vaccines, especially if you take immune-suppressing medicine
• Have regular colonoscopies to screen for colon cancer if you have had UC for 8 years or more

Clinical trials now enrolling

Our practice is enrolling adults with ulcerative colitis in clinical trials of new treatments. See our Clinical Trials page or call 626-898-4560.

Make an appointment

Our gastroenterologists in Temple City care for patients from Arcadia, San Gabriel, Pasadena, Monrovia, Monterey Park, and across the San Gabriel Valley. We accept most PPO plans (see accepted insurances), and our doctors speak English, Vietnamese, and Mandarin. Schedule an appointment or call 626-898-4560.

This article is for general education and is not a substitute for medical advice. Talk with your doctor about your own health.