Summary
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the rectum and colon. It is one of a group of diseases called inflammatory bowel disease.
UC can happen at any age, but it usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30. It tends to run in families. The most common symptoms are pain in the abdomen and blood or pus in diarrhea. Other symptoms may include:
- Anemia
- Severe tiredness
- Weight loss
- Loss of appetite
- Bleeding from the rectum
- Sores on the skin
- Joint pain
- Growth failure in children
About half of people with UC have mild symptoms.
Doctors use blood tests, stool tests, colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy, and imaging tests to diagnose UC. Several types of drugs can help control it. Some people have long periods of remission, when they are free of symptoms. In severe cases, doctors must remove the colon.
NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Start Here
- Ulcerative Colitis (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
- Ulcerative Colitis
(National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
Diagnosis and Tests
- Bacteria Culture Test (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- C-Reactive Protein (CRP) Test (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Calprotectin Stool Test (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Colonoscopy: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Gastrointestinal (GI) Bleeding (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
- Lower GI Series (Barium Enema) (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
- White Blood Cell (WBC) in Stool (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
Treatments and Therapies
- Colostomy – series (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Large bowel resection – Series (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Probiotics: Usefulness and Safety (National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health)
- Surgery for Ulcerative Colitis
(Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) - Ulcerative Colitis Treatment Options (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
- Understanding IBD Medications and Side Effects (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- What is Complementary Medicine? (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
Living With
- Arthritis and Joint Pain (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Bone Loss (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Eye Complications (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- General Health Maintenance (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
- IBD and Fatigue (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
- IBD General Nutrition Information (North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition)
- Intestinal Complications (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Kidney Disorders (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Liver Complications (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Managing Flares and IBD Symptoms (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Mental and Emotional Well-being (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
- Sex, Intimacy, and IBD (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
- Skin Complications (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
Related Issues
- Anal Abscess and Fistula (American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons)Also in Spanish
- Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)Also in Spanish
- Gut Troubles: Pain, Gassiness, Bloating, and More (National Institutes of Health)
- Overview of Enteropathic Arthritis / Arthritis Associated with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Spondylitis Association of America)
- Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)Also in Spanish
- Traveling with IBD (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
Specifics
- Proctitis (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)
- Types of Ulcerative Colitis (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
Genetics
- Ulcerative colitis: MedlinePlus Genetics (National Library of Medicine)
Statistics and Research
- Current Research Initiatives (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
- Inflammation (National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences)
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) Facts and Stats (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Colitis (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Colitis, Ulcerative (National Institutes of Health)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
Journal ArticlesReferences and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
- Article: Clinical Trial: Association Between Early Disease Clearance and Long-Term Outcomes-4-Year Results…
- Article: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of…
- Article: Bowel urgency in ulcerative colitis: effect of baseline urgency and change…
- Ulcerative Colitis — see more articles
Find an Expert
- American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons
- Find a Gastroenterologist (GI Doctor) (American College of Gastroenterology)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Children
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (For Children) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
Teenagers
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (For Teens) (Nemours Foundation)Also in Spanish
- Mental and Emotional Well-Being (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
Women
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease (Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health)Also in Spanish
- Pregnancy and IBD (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America)
Adults
- Managing IBD as a Young Adult (Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America) – PDF
Patient Handouts
- Colonoscopy (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Large bowel resection (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Low-fiber diet (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Ulcerative colitis (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Ulcerative Colitis – children – discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
- Ulcerative colitis – discharge (Medical Encyclopedia)Also in Spanish
Topic Image
MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA
- Barium enema
- Black or tarry stools
- Colonoscopy
- Colostomy – series
- ESR
- Inflammatory bowel disease – series
- Large bowel resection
- Large bowel resection – discharge
- Large bowel resection – Series
- Low-fiber diet
Show More
Related Health Topics
National Institutes of Health
The primary NIH organization for research on Ulcerative Colitis is the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases
Other Languages
Find health information in languages other than English on Ulcerative Colitis
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