If you’ve never heard of ulcerative colitis, you’re not alone. It’s a health problem affecting millions, but it’s not one people discuss as often as other health problems. Ulcerative colitis is often debilitating, affecting the lining of the colon, which is also the large intestine. This issue affects the inner lining of the colon, causing some sufferers to face life-threatening health complications. Unfortunately, this is one of the many health problems without a cure, which means you must learn to live with it, treat it, and manage it when it occurs.
Treatment for ulcerative colitis is easier if the problem is found early on, and it’s capable of bringing long-term good health when it’s treated effectively right away. It’s called remission when the symptoms subside and eventually go away, and it’s entirely possible. When discussing ulcerative colitis, it’s imperative you know what signs and symptoms to look for so you can call your doctor right away if you notice these signs and suspect you might suffer from ulcerative colitis. The sooner you have this problem diagnosed and begin treatment the better chance you have of being able to overcome the problem and go into a satisfactory remission. These signs are what you should look for, though the presence of one isolated symptom or even a few could indicate a bevy of other health problems.
1. Rectum Pain
The concept of rectum pain is difficult to pinpoint into one single feeling, but it’s defined well by many of the other most common symptoms of this disease. Rectum pain can mean a number of different things are occurring in your body. It might be a pain you can feel but cannot pinpoint, it might stem from constipation, and it might be a feeling you assume has something to do with your ability to use the bathroom because of constipation. One of the most common problems to look for with rectum pain is weight loss.
When ulcerative colitis is the problem, most people will begin to lose weight in addition to feeling pain in and around the rectum. Many people are willing to ignore this at first because of the weight loss benefits, but weight loss in conjunction with rectal pain is anything but good news for you and your body. Rectal pain that’s combined with any of the following symptoms is even more worrisome, though there could be additional health issues to look out for. Call your doctor to schedule an appointment to have a checkup and ask about the pain. You and your doctor can work together to diagnose your health problem whether right away or by process of elimination.
2. Joint Pain
Aching joints aren’t uncommon in many people. You might have a previous surgery causing your problem, an injury that leads to joint pain, or simple aging might cause your health problems. However, joint pain is a common sign of ulcerative colitis. In addition to joint pain in the hips, knees, and lower back, you might also notice your fingers being clubbing. Your nails might begin to curve down, redness and warmth might begin to affect the tips of your fingers, and you might notice your fingertips begin to bulge. Combined with joint pain, this is an obvious symptom of UC.
3. Bloating
Bloating can happen to anyone at any time. It’s a common symptom of more health problems than anyone can count, and it’s something that happens almost monthly to most women who are preparing for their menstrual cycle to begin. The problem with associating bloating with UC is you can’t define it as a symptom of this health problem by itself. You must notice bloating in addition to numerous other health issues affecting your body. Bloating alone is not a good enough reason to assume you’re suffering from any health issues aside from simply consuming too much salt during your last meal.
4. Blood in Stool
When using the bathroom, do you notice there is blood in your stool? It’s not a good sign, but it’s also not a sign isolated to only ulcerative colitis. It might mean you have a small tear in the rectum following a long bout of hard pushing, you might have hemorrhoids, or you might have another health problem. Rectal bleeding is most commonly associated with UC when it’s accompanied by pain in your rectal area as well as the constant feeling you need to have a bowel movement. If you have hemorrhoids and are aware of them, you might not feel as worried about rectal bleeding since they can commonly bleed when using the bathroom.
5. Constipation
Another sign of UC that’s not overly worrisome by itself, constipation is common in many people. A poor diet, the days leading up to a woman’s menstrual cycle, not drinking enough water, and even experiencing excess stress at any moment can cause this problem to occur. It is uncomfortable, but it’s common for many people. If you suffer from constipation along with rectal bleeding, pain in the rectum, and any of the other symptoms discussed here, it might cause you to worry. Calling your doctor is the best course of action when something like this occurs to eliminate other health issues and lead to a diagnosis.
6. Diarrhea
You might hope it’s just a stomach virus or something you ate but if you find yourself using the bathroom because of diarrhea as many as 10 times in a day, you might have bigger problems. If this happens for a day or two and subsides, it’s probably a stomach bug or something you ate. If the problem persists or occurs regularly, it’s a more serious health problem. Add blood to the stool and it becomes an even bigger problem. One way to notice if you might have a bigger problem than a simple upset stomach is when you begin making plans and scheduling your outings around your need to use the bathroom. Normal diarrhea doesn’t cause this kind of problem, but diarrhea associated with ulcerative colitis might cause this problem.
7. Leaking of Stool
Leaking of stool is a problem many people find concerning. As you grow out of the need to use diapers as a child and grow up, you no longer have problems controlling your need to use the bathroom. When you start noticing your stool is leaking despite your ability to control your bowel movements, it’s a problem. Even if it has nothing to do with ulcerative colitis, there is no reason you should suffer from leaking stool as a healthy adult. Call the doctor to begin running tests right away. If this problem is ongoing and you’ve noticed some of the other symptoms of ulcerative colitis in addition to leaking stool, mention the other symptoms to your doctor if he or she doesn’t ask.
8. Anemia
Anemia occurs when you don’t have enough iron in your blood. It is sometimes caused by bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract, and it can cause an iron deficiency in your body. Being anemic causes additional symptoms of exhaustion. Anemia causes fatigue in almost everyone it affects, and that’s just another common symptom of ulcerative colitis. Iron deficiency is not only related to UC, however. Some people need to take iron supplements regularly to maintain good health, and other people suffer from an iron deficiency in certain periods of life. Even a pregnant woman might not have enough iron during a portion of her pregnancy, which is alarming but certainly not a sign of a more serious health problem.
9. Fatigue
Fatigue, as discussed above, is a very common symptom of ulcerative colitis. It occurs most often in cases of UC due to the lack of iron in the blood. Fatigue because of anemia is a serious problem, and it is more than just a feeling of being tired. You can experience this when you travel through different time zones, when you’re sick and not resting well, when you have a new baby or suffer from the flu. Fatigue by itself is not necessarily a problem, but it’s easily noticeable because you cannot find relief from excessive exhaustion no matter how much you rest or sleep. It’s sometimes debilitating, and this type of exhaustion has a negative effect on your way of life.
10. Fever
Fever tends to occur mostly in people with UC who suffer from anemia and its symptoms. Being tired all the time can cause your body temperature to rise, your breathing patterns to change, and it can even cause you to become dizzy for no real reason. Your skin might also change, and you might become excessively pale even if you’re spending ample time outdoors. Your fever might not subside or might return regularly no matter how many times you take over-the-counter medications. You might assume you’re suffering from a cold or flu because your fever won’t go away, or you might notice you have a fever more often than most people without a medical reason behind its presence.
