Ulcerative Colitis
by David Cantu at St. Phillips College
The “American Family Physician” reported
Ulcerative Colitis is a fairly common disease that
affects 250000 to 500000 people in the United
States. Ulcerative Colitis is a long term disease that
causes inflammation and in severe cases, causes
ulcers to form. The ulcers are painful sores that form
on the lining of the colon, that can sometimes bleed
and produce pus and mucus. Sufferers of the disease
may experience abdominal cramping with a severe,
uncontrollable urge to have a bowel movement.
Depending on how badly the colon is affected and
the degree to which it is inflamed, symptoms will
vary from person to person. Abdominal pains and
bloody diarrhea with mucus is the most consistent
symptom, although there are many others that
include: fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite,
anemia, elevated temperature, dehydration, and
Tenesmus, which is the constant urge to empty the
bowels.
As for the causes of Ulcerative Colitis, experts still
haven’t been able to figure that puzzle out. The
experts do have a few ideas they have come up with
after a lot of research and hard work which consist
of genetics, environment, immune system, and high
intake of linoleic acid.
Researchers found that about one fifth of all
sufferers had family that has or had Ulcerative
Colitis. In this study, it was found that a faulty gene
may be the root of the cause. Other studies have
been lead to blame the environment of an individual.
After checking the location each case had lived or is
living in, it was clear that the disease was more
common in urban areas of Western Europe and
North America. The common factors in these areas
that may attribute to the cause of the onset of the
disease were believed to be dirt, air pollution,
cigarette smoke, and general hygiene. The immune
system was brought to mind with the idea that the
inflammation was some sort of defense against viral
or bacterial infection gone wrong.
off infection, does the inflammation continued to
come back. They have not figured out that answer as
of yet. Last, is the high intake of linoleic acid. In the
journal “Gut” researchers had found linoleic acid,
which is a dietary fatty acid found in red meat,
several cooking oils, and some types of margarine’s,
to be the link in one third of the diseased patients.
Through the research there are still no definitive
answers.
Ulcerative colitis is specific to the colon but also
often affects the entire large intestine. The large
intestine is connected to the small intestine by the
ileocecal sphincter. By the time material is passed on
to the large intestine, most digestion and absorption
of nutrients has already occurred in the small
intestine. The large intestine’s job is to complete
absorption and form feces that are ready for
expulsion from the body.
The large intestine is approximately 5 feet
long and includes the major regions the cecum,
colon, rectum, and anal canal. Waste passes through
the ileocecal sphincter into a pouch-like structure
called the cecum. Attached to the cecum is the
appendix or vermiform appendix which also has a
connection to the ileum of the small intestine via the
mesoappendix. From the cecum, waste travels to the
colon, which is split into four portions based on
directionality.
First peristalsis pushes waste up the ascending colon
on the right side until the ascending colon reaches
the liver and t \