Ulcerative Colitis Specialists in Howrah, Kolkata, West Bengal

What is Ulcerative Colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that causes persistent inflammation and ulceration of the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum. It is an autoimmune-related condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the healthy tissue of the colon, leading to periods of active symptoms, called flares, alternating with periods of remission. The inflammation typically begins in the rectum and can extend continuously to involve part or all of the colon, distinguishing its pattern from Crohn's disease which can affect any part of the digestive tract in a patchy distribution. Ulcerative colitis is a lifelong condition with no permanent cure through medication alone, though many patients achieve long periods of symptom control with appropriate treatment. Severe or poorly controlled disease increases the long-term risk of colon cancer and may eventually require surgical removal of the colon.