Ulcerative Colitis - Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are usually addressed together as irritable bowel syndrome because of the similarity of their symptoms and treatment.

A chronic pain in the abdomen, diarrhea and rectal bleeding are clear symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Another disease with similar symptoms is the Crohn's disease. Most medical journals together classify these diseases as the irritable bowel syndrome. These diseases can lead to weight loss and anemia as well. The Crohn's disease and the ulcerative colitis cause inflammation in the digestive tract and their symptoms are so similar that sometimes doctor's are unable to directly diagnose both at an early stage.

These two diseases are positively not caused due to any external infection and there is evidence that they are autoimmune disorders. This means that the body's own defense or immune mechanism starts acting against the digestive process and ulcers or small pus cells get formed and in acute ulcerative colitis perceptible rectal bleeding is noticed. The process of diagnosis normally involves a stool examination and also a colonoscopy which will establish the ulcerations. The cause of the disease is not known till date and the only alleviation from the symptoms is possible through medication. Usually anti-inflammatory drugs are administered to restore good health in the patients.

The aim of the medical practitioners is to limit the inflammatory response. As there is rectal bleeding in ulcerative colitis, oral iron therapy and even blood transfusion in rare cases may be needed. When the colon is affected there is discomfort. Normally pan colitis or universal colitis is a condition that involves the inflammation of the entire colon. This is an unhealthy condition to deal with and caregivers of the patients as well as the patients themselves get easily depressed and disillusioned by their state. Crohn's disease can also affect the liver, the joints, the lungs and even the kidneys at some time.

At this time it is known that both crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are rampant in Canada and many Canadians are known to be affected by the disease. They are often treated with Cannabis or medical marijuana. The irritable bowel syndrome caused by either crown's disease or ulcerative colitis can cause fever and vomiting as well as pain in the abdomen and rectum. The simplistic symptoms of these two ailments are easy to ignore, however an early diagnosis can save the pain and the disillusionment that comes from a chronic lifetime ailment.