What You Should Know About Colon Ulcers

A colon ulcer is a sore that appears inside the lining of a person's colon. Often people who have a colon ulcer will suffer from bleeding and infection and as a result of this inflammation the cells within the colon begin to deteriorate. Unfortunately a colon ulcer may be the first signs of a much more serious condition known as Ulcerative Colitis or Colon Cancer or even Crohn's Disease (an inflammatory bowel disease).

So if you have at some time suffered from at least one colon ulcer and are now starting to experience unusually severe abdominal pain, constant fevers, loss of weight, loss of appetite and fatigue then it would be wise to make an appointment to see your doctor. Although these are common symptoms of a colon ulcer they could also lead to the diagnosis of Ulcerative Colitis. As yet it can not be proven what actually causes this condition, but doctors have certainly found that the immune system is affected. For many people suffering from colon ulcers they can be treated with drugs which puts the condition into remission or for the more severe cases then surgery may be the best course of action.

A very small percentage of people who are diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis are at risk of developing colon cancer in the future even if pre-cancerous cell are not found that the time of them being tested for a possible colon ulcer. Also it will depend on how severe the damage is to your colon and the more severe the damage then the chances of developing colon cancer is increased. However, a doctor can carry out a colonoscopy which can determine at any time if you have any pre-cancerous cells present in your colon. So the earlier that this cancer can be diagnosed then it will make it easier for it to be treated effectively.

Now we are going to look at Crohn's Disease which is an inflammation of the bowel and is very much like Ulcerative Colitis but can cause a lifetime of discomfort and complications to the person affected. As yet there has been no definitive evidence as to what causes this disease, but in most cases where people have been diagnosed with this disease it has been found that someone in the family also suffers from an inflammatory bowel disease as well. Yet again this form of disease can be treated with either drug therapy, surgery or them having a more restrictive diet.

So for anyone who is diagnosed with a colon ulcer it is advisable that they get a thorough examination carried out by their doctor in order to check to make sure that there aren't any more serious conditions involved. Also by diagnosing the condition of a colon ulcer earlier on then you will find that recovery from such an ulcer will be much easier.