 |
print the page |  |
email the page |  |
|
- What is ulcerative colitis?
- Symptoms of ulcerative colitis
- Causes of ulcerative colitis
- Prevention of ulcerative colitis
- Risk factors for ulcerative colitis
- Complications of ulcerative colitis
- When to see a doctor about ulcerative colitis
- Diagnosis of ulcerative colitis
- Conventional treatment of ulcerative colitis
- Alternative/complementary treatment of ulcerative colitis
- Living with ulcerative colitis
- Caring for someone with ulcerative colitis
Risk factors for ulcerative colitis
While the cause of ulcerative colitis is not yet known, there are a number of known factors which can improve or worsen symptoms of ulcerative colitis:
- Antibiotics - some studies show that use of antibiotics (especially long-term) can trigger worsening of ulcerative colitis symptoms
- Bacterial or viral gut infection - some medical experts believe that a trigger for ulcerative colitis is a bacterial or viral infection that somehow causes the immune system to function inappropriately. It is believed that this malfunction of the immune system could be one of the reasons why ulcerative colitis is triggered in some people
- Contraceptive pill - studies show that women who have ulcerative colitis and who also take the contraceptive pill often suffer from more flare-ups of symptoms, than women who do not take the contraceptive pill
- Diet - while diet is not a known cause of ulcerative colitis, it is known that following a diet that includes mostly fresh, unprocessed and low fat foods, high in soluble fibre seems to help improve symptoms
Advertisement
- Food sensitivity - people with any type of food sensitivity may experience a triggering of worse symptoms, due to the intestines not being able to properly digest and absorb the food, which aggravates inflammation and bloating symptoms
- Lactose intolerance - people who have lactose intolerance can cause ulcerative colitis symptoms to be triggered in the bowel when the lactose is not able to be digested and this causes gas, inflammation and bloating. In addition to this, when symptoms of Crohn's disease are at their worst, it can cause a temporary (few weeks) lactose intolerance to occur
- Stress - while not directly causing ulcerative colitis, stress can aggravate it and make the symptoms worse, so reducing stress is encouraged
Advertisement
Sections: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12
< 4: prevention 6: complications > Last reviewed: 30 September 2008 || Last updated: 14 February 2009
Related Articles
NOTE: Mega doses of any type of vitamin, mineral, amino acid or herbal supplement cannot cure illnesses and in fact can be very dangerous and produce toxic side effects and interfere with medicine you are taking. Always ensure you consult your doctor before taking any type of complementary supplements.
Disclaimer: This guide is not intended to be used for diagnostic or prescriptive purposes. For any treatment or diagnosis of illness, please see your doctor.
