Stress and irregular meal patterns might cause ulcerative colitis, a doctor said on Friday, urging people not to confuse the condition with hemorrhoids.
The symptoms of ulcerative colitis — inflammation and sores in the large intestine and rectum — are on-and-off diarrhea, bloody stool and abdominal pain, said Chen Chou-cheng (陳周誠), a colorectal surgeon at Taichung Veterans General Hospital.
As the symptoms of ulcerative colitis, which is linked to intestinal cancer, are similar to hemorrhoids, people often mistake the condition for the latter, resulting in delayed diagnosis and treatment, which could have grave consequences, he said.
Photo: Tsai Shu-yuan, Taipei Times
Left untreated, the sores could become severe, necessitating the removal of the large intestine and rectum, Chen said, adding that about 8 percent of the hospital’s patients who had the condition for at least 10 years developed colon cancer.
The prevalence rate of ulcerative colitis in Taiwan is 17 in 100,000 people and medication can help most patients manage the condition, he said.
The National Health Insurance fund covers the use of biopharmaceuticals for severe ulcerative colitis, Chen added.
People who pass bloody stool should not assume they have hemorrhoids and should consult a doctor, he said.
A woman who works at a wedding photographer delayed seeking medical attention for 10 years until she lost 10kg in two months, developed a fever, and started passing stool eight or nine times a day, Chen said.
She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, Chen said, adding that she made a full recovery after taking biopharmaceuticals and steroids for two years.
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