Digestive problems can affect your entire body. One of the most painful digestive conditions is ulcerative colitis, also known as inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. Your gastroenterologist is an expert at diagnosis and treatment of ulcerative colitis and other digestive complications.
How Your Gastroenterologist Can Help With Ulcerative Colitis and Other Digestive Complications
Ulcerative colitis results from your immune system identifying healthy bacteria, foods, and other substances in your colon and attacking them as if they were foreign materials. White blood cells travel to your colon, causing inflammation, ulcerations, and severe pain.
You might have ulcerative colitis if you are experiencing:
- Chronic diarrhea, which can include blood or pus
- Chronic abdominal pain and severe cramping
- Rectal pain, rectal bleeding, and blood in your stool
- Frequent and urgent bowel movements
- Difficulty defecating
- Unintended weight loss
- Fatigue and fever
If you are experiencing any of the signs and symptoms listed above, you should visit your gastroenterologist as soon as you can. Your gastroenterologist will perform a comprehensive examination. To aid in diagnosis, your gastroenterologist may recommend lab and imaging studies, including a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy.
To treat ulcerative colitis, your gastroenterologist may recommend medication to suppress your immune system. A common medication is Remicade, which works by keeping your immune system from producing excess inflammation-causing protein known as TNF-alpha.
Remicade treatment is an outpatient procedure involving an initial series of 3 doses. It is administered intravenously, directly into the bloodstream. Maintenance doses are required every 8 weeks to manage symptoms. Dietary and lifestyle modifications are also an important part of ulcerative colitis treatment.
A gastroenterologist treats a wide range of digestive complications in addition to ulcerative colitis. Digestive complications and conditions treated by a GI doctor include acid reflux, Crohn’s disease, diverticulitis, diverticulosis, ulcers, stomach, colon, and intestinal cancer.
Want To Know More About Ulcerative Colitis and Other Digestive Complications?
To find out more about ulcerative colitis and other digestive complications, and how your gastroenterologist can help, talk with an expert. Call your gastroenterologist today.