Health A-Z

Different risk factors are associated with each type of colitis.

You’re more at risk for UC if you:

• are between the ages of 15 and 30 (most common) or 60 and 80
• are white or of Ashkenazi Jewish descent
• have a family member with UC

You’re more at risk for PC if you:

• are taking long-term antibiotics
• are hospitalized
• are receiving chemotherapy
• are taking immunosuppressant drugs
• are older
• have had PC before

You’re more at risk for IC if you:

• are over age 50
• have or are at risk of heart disease
• have heart failure
• have low blood pressure
• have had an abdominal operation

Symptoms

Depending on your condition, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms:

• abdominal pain or cramping
• bloating in your abdomen
• unexpected weight loss
• diarrhea with or without blood
• blood in your stool
• urgent need to move your bowels
• chills or fever
• vomiting

Treatments aim to reduce symptoms and can vary by factors such as:

• type of colitis
• age
• overall physical condition

Bowel rest

Limiting what you consume by mouth can be useful, especially if you have IC. Taking fluids and other nutrition intravenously may be necessary during this time.

Medication

Your doctor may prescribe various medications to help manage colitis symptoms. These may medications include:

• anti-inflammatory medication such as 5-aminosalicylates or corticosteroids to treat swelling and pain
• immune system suppressors such as tofacitinib (Xeljanz), azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), or cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)
• biologics such as infliximab (Remicade), adalimumab (Humira), and ustekinumab (Stelara)
• antibiotics to treat infection
• pain medications
• antidiarrheal medications
• antispasmodic drugs
• supplements for nutritional deficiencies

Surgery

Surgery for colitis could include removing part or all of your colon or rectum. This may be necessary if other treatments don’t work. These surgeries could include:

• ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA), in which the ileum (the end of the small intestine) is turned into a pouch that then connects to the anal canal
• proctocolectomy, in which the colon (and sometimes the rectum) are removed
• ileostomy, in which the ileum is connected to the abdominal wall, and a stoma (an opening in the abdomen) is created to allow waste to leave the body
• continent ileostomy, in which the end of the ileum is secured inside the interior of the abdomen. This is a possible but uncommon surgical procedure for colitis.

A doctor may ask about the frequency of your symptoms and when they first started. The doctor will perform a thorough physical exam and use diagnostic tests such as:

• colonoscopy, which involves threading a camera on a flexible tube through the anus to view the rectum and colon
• sigmoidoscopy, which is similar to a colonoscopy but shows only the rectum and lower colon
• stool samples
• abdominal imaging such as MRI or CT scans
• ultrasound, which can be useful depending on the area being scanned
• barium enema, an X-ray of the colon after it’s injected with barium, which helps make images more visible