1. Ulcerative Colitis Slideshow Pictures
2. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Slideshow
3. Take the Ulcerative Colitis Quiz

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD

Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

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In this Article

• What is colitis?
• What are the causes (types) of colitis?
• Infectious colitis
• Ischemic colitis
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• Microscopic colitis
• What are the symptoms of colitis?
• When should I contact my doctor about colitis?
• How is colitis diagnosed?
• How is colitis treated?
• What is the prognosis for a patient with colitis?
• Colitis At A Glance
• Patient Comments: Colitis - Symtoms
• Patient Comments: Colitis - Treatments
• Patient Comments: Colitis - Describe Your Experience
• Find a local Gastroenterologist in your town
• Colitis Index

Inflammation of the colon causes the muscle layers to go into intermittent spasm and cause cramp-like pain, which is pain that comes and goes. The pain usually is in the lower abdomen. Since the muscles fail to contract in a normal pattern and the colonic contents move through the colon rapidly, there is little opportunity for water to be reabsorbed. This leads to watery diarrhea. If the lining of the colon is inflamed and breaks down, bleeding may occur.

With colitis, particularly colitis involving the distal colon (rectum and sigmoid colon), the pain often crescendos and precedes a diarrheal bowel movement. After the bowel movement, the pain may relent but then returns with the next episode of pain.

Depending upon the cause of the colitis, fever, and possibly malaise may or may not be present.

Diarrhea is a common symptom, is usually self limited, and usually requires only supportive care, rest, and clear fluids until it resolves. If the diarrhea persists, diagnosis of the cause and further care may be needed.

• Blood in the stool is never normal and should always be evaluated. The blood may be from a hemorrhoid bleed, however, other serious causes of bleeding need to be investigated. Colitis is not the only cause of rectal bleeding, other cause include diverticulitis, colon polyps, anal fissures, or cancer.
  
  
• Chronic diarrhea can lead to dehydration, and if severe enough, dehydration may require treatment with fluids. The symptoms of dehydration may include:
  
  
  • lightheadedness (dizziness) especially when going from the sitting or lying positions to the upright position,
    
    
  • weakness,
    
    
  • dry mouth, and
    
    
  • decreased output of urine.
    
    
• High fever associated with diarrhea may be a warning sign that an significant infection is present that may need evaluation by a health care practitioner and treatment.
  
  
• Abdominal pain is not normal, and while diarrhea may be associated with mild cramps, if a person has moderate or severe abdominal pain he or she should seek medical care.