UC is short for Ulcerative Colitis. It is a similar disease to Crohn's Disease but it only attacks the Large Intestine. There are many types of UC though:
Proctitis, which is limited to the rectum.
Proctosigmoiditis, which affects the rectosigmoid colon.
Left-sided colitis, which affects the descending colon on the left side.
Pancolitis, which affects the entire colon.
This gives a better description.
Doctor's haven't actually figured out why UC happens. Some think that there is a genetic factor in it. Parents that have a form of IBS (Irritable bowel syndrome) or IBD (Irritable bowel disease) can pass on genetics that would cause UC or Crohn's in their children.
Others think that it happens because of an imbalance between good bacteria and bad bacteria. The body reacts to this and fights off the bad bacteria. Certain doctors may prescribe some type of antibiotic or a probiotic like VSL#3 to overcome the bad bacteria.
No matter what UC and Crohn's are caused by, it is considered an Autoimmune disease. Basically the body attacks itself thinking that it is attacking the problem.
In the next post, I will talk about the types of medicine and what happens when you have UC.
