Severe Ulcerative Colitis Flare Up – Ulcerative colitis is a form of inflammatory bowel disease that leads to a range of symptoms that include changes in bowel patterns, abdominal pain and blood in the stool.
Blood in the stool with ulcerative colitis can be one of the common symptoms of this intestinal condition and also one of the most worrisome. There are some important signs that indicate when there is a lot of blood.
Severe Ulcerative Colitis Flare Up
Ulcerative colitis can affect the intestines of individuals of almost any age, but the most common range is between the ages of 30 and 40.
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The symptoms of ulcerative colitis are characterized by relapses and remissions. This is where symptoms improve or disappear over a period of time, described as remissions. This may be followed by flare-ups in ulcerative colitis symptoms, referred to as relapses. [Source: PubMed]
The amount of blood in the stool of those with ulcerative colitis can vary. This depends on the main factor how much of the large intestine (also known as the colon) is affected, but also the level of inflammation in the intestine.
In pancolitis, where the entire large intestine is inflamed, blood in the stool, particularly in bloody diarrhea, is likely to be more prominent as compared to when only a smaller part of the intestine is affected by the inflammation. [Source: PubMed]
It is also possible that blood tests will start to show low levels of iron, which is called anemia. This can also be seen in over 50% of people with ulcerative colitis who are currently in clinical remission. [Source: Pubmed].
Ulcerative Colitis: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment |
Blood loss is common in ulcerative colitis. Because blood contains a lot of iron, chronic blood loss in the stool can lead to low iron levels.
Iron levels can be tested in the blood to monitor levels which may lead to prescription iron in supplement form or through an iron infusion. [Source: PubMed]
Low iron levels are associated with fatigue, which is considered a symptom of ulcerative colitis. Other symptoms of low iron levels include:
Iron deficiency anemia is a common complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as ulcerative colitis and can be helpful in understanding the severity of blood loss. Having regular blood tests can be important to assess iron levels. [Source: PubMed]
Ulcerative Colitis Flare Ups: Symptoms And Treatment
While working to bring the disease into remission is the central approach, restoring iron levels can be helpful in improving quality of life. [Source: Healthline]
Blood in the stool is reported in most people with ulcerative colitis, while only a third of people with Crohn’s disease (another form of IBD) report bleeding.
The amount of blood that appears in the stool can vary depending on the stage of the disease. This can range from small amounts of blood that appear on the surface of the stool to large amounts of blood that turn the toilet water red. [Source: PubMed]
It is possible to lose a lot of blood in ulcerative colitis. Although the amount of blood can rise and fall depending on the state of the disease, during an attack the amount can increase even more.
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If you have ulcerative colitis, you may notice a sudden increase in the amount of blood in your stool. This in itself may not be a concern, however if other symptoms also appear and the blood in the stool becomes heavy and continuous then this may require more urgent medical attention.
A less common complication of ulcerative colitis is bleeding in the bowel. This is where inflammation in the large intestine reaches a point where a blood vessel ruptures, leading to large amounts of blood appearing in the toilet. This is more common in Crohn’s disease than in ulcerative colitis. [Source: PubMed]
Changes in certain symptoms are often described as warning signs. These are the symptoms that, if they appear or increase in severity, may require more urgent medical attention.
These include pale, cold or clammy skin, nausea, blurry vision, severe abdominal cramps, heavy and continuous rectal bleeding, as well as infrequent urination. [Source: My Crohns and Colitis Team]
Ulcerative Colitis (uc): Natural Remedies
There are many ways that blood in the stool in ulcerative colitis can stop. For some, this can settle down by itself. Although other interventions may be necessary. In severe cases this may require surgery which may involve removing part or all of the colon. [Source: PubMed]
There are also natural ways to address the underlying factors involved in ulcerative colitis that leads to bleeding.
While certain foods can be very well tolerated during good periods of illness, they can become a problem during an ulcerative colitis flare-up.
Once the lining of the intestine becomes inflamed and irritated, it can make anything that passes through it feel very painful. This irritation along the lining of the intestines not only leads to abdominal pain, but it can also lead to more blood loss. Removing certain foods for a period of time can help reduce pressure on the intestines and decrease levels of blood loss.
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Dairy has also been indicated as a problem for many people with ulcerative colitis and could potentially contribute to an outbreak. If a specific food is triggering an immune reaction, it could contribute to the inflammatory response that damages the intestines and causes bloody stools in people with ulcerative colitis.
Removing dairy can calm the immune response and the flare-up. A 2014 study concluded that dairy intake may increase the severity of ulcerative colitis. [Source: PubMed]
Aloe vera has been shown to help reduce inflammation and improve gastric ulcers. This also has antioxidant properties that support the health of the gut lining and reduce tissue damage in the gut. [Source: PubMed]
However, aloe vera is also used as a natural laxative and therefore may need to be approached slowly in some ulcerative colitis patients.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (ibd)
While there are a variety of probiotics on the market, not all have been researched for inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis. This means that probiotics need to be selected carefully for ulcerative colitis.
A specific probiotic called VSL#3 has been researched in ulcerative colitis, leading to a 77% remission/response rate. This study also reported zero negative reactions (side effects) when taking this probiotic for ulcerative colitis. [Source: PubMed]
Turmeric is an herb that is used in a variety of culinary practices and traditional medicines. The active component of this herb is called curcumin.
This concentrated form of curcumin has been studied to help reduce inflammation. One study using this form of saffron along with the drug mesalamine saw a 300% improvement in response when compared to a placebo. [Source: PubMed]
Healing Ulcerative Colitis Flare Ups
There are several ways to calm an outbreak that has led to more blood in the stool. This can be helpful for calming symptoms in the short term.
The long-term approach that The IBS & Gut Health Clinic can provide is to help achieve a state of remission and reduce the risk of another flare-up happening in the future. Ulcerative colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that affects the colon and rectum and can cause severe abdominal pain, cramps, diarrhea and bleeding.
There are two main types of inflammatory bowel disease – ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease. Ulcerative colitis is more common worldwide than Crohn’s disease.
It causes inflammation (swelling) and sores (called ulcers) in the large intestine (colon and rectum) and can affect part or all of the large intestine.
What Are The Factors That Contribute To Ulcerative Colitis?
Ulcerative colitis can occur at any age, but it is more likely to develop in people between the ages of 15 and 30 or those over the age of 60.
Ulcerative colitis needs to be diagnosed by a healthcare professional. While there is no cure, there are treatments.
Ulcerative colitis can start out slowly and get worse over many weeks. You may have periods of remission (time when symptoms improve) or mild, moderate, or severe activity. It can be described as fulminating, meaning it is severely active and unresponsive to therapy.
More than 10 bloody bowel movements a day and may have other symptoms, including abdominal swelling or needing blood transfusions.
How To Ease Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms During A Flare
The symptoms of ulcerative colitis can vary from person to person, based on where the disease is located in the body and how severe the inflammation is.
You may experience weight loss or other symptoms that affect your entire body. The inflammation from ulcerative colitis can also affect the joints or the skin, leading to joint pain and a rash. During an outbreak, symptoms can go beyond those that affect the digestive system, including:
Keep track of any symptoms, how often you have them, and how bad they are to talk to your doctor.
There are many tests your gastroenterologist can do to find out if you have ulcerative colitis. First, he or she will collect information about your past health and your family’s health, listen to your symptoms, and do an exam to feel and listen to your belly. No test makes the diagnosis, but the test is used to confirm the gastroenterologist’s clinical suspicion that ulcerative colitis is causing the symptoms.
Medication Options For Ulcerative Colitis
Ulcerative colitis is diagnosed by the presence of the common symptoms and endoscopic and biopsy (small tissue sample) findings of long-term inflammation in the large intestine.
Talk to your doctor about which test
