Early warning signs of ulcerative colitis
Early symptoms of ulcerative colitis can be confused for other gastrointestinal disorders, says UCI Health gastroenterologist
IN THE NEWS: UCI Health gastroenterologist Dr. Robert Fearn spoke with Everyday Health about the early warning signs of ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation and ulcers in the large intestine.
Diagnosis of the condition can be difficult, he says, because early symptoms such as blood in the stool, diarrhea, abdominal pain or cramping, bloating and bowel habit changes can be similar to other gastrointestinal conditions.
“My ulcerative colitis patients have often had symptoms for several months. They often tell me their symptoms were initially dismissed as a passing bug or irritable bowel syndrome.”
Fearn says it’s important to recognize early signs of ulcerative colitis to get diagnosed, start treatment and prevent complications.
“One of the signs we look for is bloody diarrhea — where the blood is mixed in with the unformed stool, indicating a larger section of bowel is significantly inflamed.” .
Fearn treats the full range of gastrointestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel disease and intestinal failure. He is also an assistant professor at the UC Irvine School of Medicine with a special interest in digestive disorders.
Learn more about the UCI Health Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program by calling 714-456-7005.
About UCI Health
UCI Health is one of California’s largest academic health systems and the clinical enterprise of the University of California, Irvine. Established on July 1, 1976, UCI Health has grown into a 1,461-bed health system that includes UCI Health — Orange, UCI Health — Irvine, four Community Network hospitals and a growing network of ambulatory care centers across Orange and Los Angeles counties. As Orange County’s only academic health systems, UCI Health is home to the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center based in the county, the region’s only American College of Surgeons-verified Level I adult and Level II pediatric trauma center, American College of Emergency Physicians Gold Level 1 Geriatric Emergency Department and a nationally recognized regional burn center verified by the American Burn Association. Powered by UC Irvine, UCI Health serves 5.6 million people across Orange County, western Riverside County and southeast Los Angeles County through excellence in patient care, research and medical education. Follow UCI Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and X.