CD - What Is Ulcerative Colitis | United Ostomy Associations of America

Crohn’s Disease 101:
A Complete Overview

Let’s add a bit about what is page is about here. A quick overview of what this section is for.

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative Colitis is chronic inflammation that generally affects the large intestine (colon) and rectum. Compared to Crohn’s disease, in ulcerative colitis (UC), the inflammation may be more on the surface of the colon or rectum and does not penetrate the bowel walls.

**need a good diagram for UC here showing where the inflammation is located.**

Complications of Ulcerative Colitis

Toxic Megacolon: The colon may expand, dilate or distend, which prevents it from eliminating waste from the body. This may eventually result in the colon rupturing and the development of sepsis; toxic megacolon is very serious and it usually requires immediate surgical attention.

Crohn’s Disease vs. Ulcerative Colitis

There can often be confusion around the distinction between Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. This may be referred to as indeterminate colitis, especially if the inflammation and ulcerations are present in the colon and rectum, though without the typical penetrating features and skip lesions that patients with Crohn’s disease may have. When Crohn’s disease is present in the colon, this is referred to as Crohn’s colitis, NOT as someone having both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease.

As such, in recent years, Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (and the specific locations the disease presents in) are being referred to as a spectrum, or continuum, of inflammatory bowel diseases, rather than two separate diseases. Doctors are focusing more on the location of the disease and how it is presenting rather than categorizing the disease as specifically Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis

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Crohn’s Disease 101:
A Complete Overview

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Complications of Ulcerative Colitis

Crohn’s Disease vs. Ulcerative Colitis

Contact Us

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Crohn’s Disease 101: A Complete Overview

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Contact Us

Get Involved

Latest News:

Crohn’s Disease 101:
A Complete Overview