What is ulcerative colitis (UC)?
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a disease of the large intestine (the colon and rectum).
Colitis means 'inflammation of the colon'.
Ulcerative means that ulcers tend to develop. An ulcer is a raw area on the lining of the intestine which may bleed.
The inflammation and ulcers in the large intestine cause the common symptoms of diarrhoea, and passing blood and mucus.
Understanding the gut
The gut (gastrointestinal tract) is the long tube that starts at the mouth and ends at the anus. Food passes down the oesophagus (gullet), into the stomach, then into the small intestine.
The small intestine has three sections - the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The small intestine is where food is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream. The structure of the gut then changes to become the large intestine (colon and rectum, sometimes called the large bowel).
The colon absorbs water, and contains food that has not been digested, such as fibre. This is passed into the last part of the large intestine where it is stored as faeces. Faeces (motions or stools) are then passed out of the anus into the toilet.
Who gets ulcerative colitis?
About 1 in 1000 people in the UK develop UC. It can develop at any age but most commonly first develops between the ages of 15 and 40. About 1 in 7 cases first develop in people over the age of 60.
What causes ulcerative colitis?
The cause is not known. UC can affect anyone. It sometimes 'runs in the family'. About 1 in 5 people with UC have a close relative who also has UC. So, there may be some genetic factor. However, other factors such as a bacterium or virus (germ) may trigger UC to develop. One theory is that a germ triggers the immune system to cause inflammation in the large intestine in people who are genetically prone to develop the disease.
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