About Colitis & Skin Problems
Ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, causes inflammation and sores (ulcers) in the rectum and colon. The inflammation can lead to diarrhea, abdominal pain, anemia, skin lesions, rectal bleeding, and loss of appetite. Due to similarity in symptoms to other intestinal disorders such as Crohn's disease, colitis can be difficult to diagnose.
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Causes
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Ulcerative colitis is an autoimmune disease, which is caused by the body acting abnormally to bacteria in the digestive tract. While theories exist about possible causes, there are as yet no conclusive reports to indicate exactly what the primary cause is. While emotional stress and poor diet can influence symptoms in someone who has colitis, these are not root causes. In addition, it is believed that there is a genetic link, but one that is indirect. Often you will find similar digestive disorders in cousins in the same family.
Diagnosis
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Typical symptoms of colitis include diarrhea, rectal bleeding, and abdominal pain. Due to the inflammation of the bowel, a false sense of urgency to use the washroom is produced, often resulting in multiple painful trips to the bathroom yielding no results. Someone who suspects that they have colitis will need to undergo a procedure called a colonoscopy. This is where a doctor inserts a long tube like camera into the anus in order to see inside the colon. The images produced from a colonoscopy are the most accurate way to diagnose colitis.
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Skin Lesions
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There is in interesting correlation between ulcerative colitis and skin lesions. Skin lesions that can present as either open soars or red pustules are usually found on the soft tissue areas of someone with colitis within a few days of or during a colitis outbreak. Since there is still fierce debate over what exactly causes colitis, there are also many theories about the resulting skin lesions. It is believed that the skin lesions caused by colitis are either a result of severe dehydration, stress, or infection. While the cause of the lesions is still up for debate, it is widely accepted that they can be a symptom of ulcerative Colitis.
Risk for Colon Cancer
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The risk of colon cancer can increase if you are diagnosed with ulcerative colitis. The severity of the colitis has a direct impact on increased risk. Meaning that depending on how severe and how much of the colon was damaged by the colitis, your risk of cancer could be as much as 32 times the normal rate. Around 5 percent of people with ulcerative colitis are also diagnosed with colon cancer.
Treatment
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While colitis is initially serious and debilitating, once in remission it can be managed easily with regular medication. In normal cases, taking daily medicine throughout a patient's lifetime can result in a better quality of life. In some severe cases, surgery is an option in which a portion of the colon is removed.
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