Nonspecific ulcerative colitis treatment. Effective folk remedies for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Extraintestinal manifestations of UC

With competent and timely medical care, UC can be cured. Nonspecific ulcerative colitis - which poses a significant threat to the human body. The disease progresses with, the patient’s body weight decreases significantly, pain appears in the abdominal cavity, and fever may be present.

1 Treatments

If you begin to treat the disease in the later stages of its onset, the patient’s disease may become chronic. At the same time, it will be very difficult to cope with the disease. Severe forms often provoke complications. For example, there may be a malignant tumor in the colon, etc.

Modern medicine makes it possible to treat ulcerative colitis in various ways. Therapy can be carried out through medications or through surgery.

Indications include: blood transfusion, fluid injection into the body, since dehydration is observed.

The patient's nutrition should be parenteral, which makes it possible to reduce the degree of negative impact on the intestinal mucosa.

As part of therapy, medications are selected for each patient individually. Their action varies:

1. Ability to stop internal bleeding.
2. Normalization of the balance of water and salt (infusions and medications that effectively fight diarrhea are taken).
3. Reducing the negative impact on the surface of the intestinal walls, which allows the regeneration of the epithelial layer.

When the right medications are selected, it is possible to reduce the duration of the treatment course. The body is practically not affected by toxins. If antibiotics are prescribed, lacto products are used in combination.

For 1st line drug therapy, corticosteroids and aminosalicylates are used, and immunosuppressants are suitable for 2nd line treatment. The active component of aminosapicitis is 5-ASA; the most popular drug is Mesalazine. With its help, it is possible to effectively cope with inflammation in the intestines and ensure the absence of signs and symptoms of the disease. Among corticosteroids, preference is given to Budesonide. It is safe, can be used for a long time, and allows maintaining stable remission in the patient.

If a long course of treatment is necessary with 2 lines, it is better to use Methotrexate. It is suitable for those patients who have been diagnosed as intolerant to azathioprine. This drug will significantly speed up treatment, and the result will be noticeable much faster. The drug is used by intramuscular injection or taken orally. Typically, the course of treatment with this drug is 2-4 weeks. Disadvantage of the product: there is no lasting result, there is a high probability of exacerbation even after 6 months.

The drug Cyclosporine will provide a quick effect (after 6 days), but its effect is too short. That is why it is not the main drug of therapy, but only serves as an intermediate link that interrupts the attack and ensures the transition to long-term immunosuppressants.

Infliximab gives good results. The drug is not only highly effective, but also safe. It is prescribed to combat the active form of UC. Infliximab helps avoid colectomy when severe, acute, steroid-refractory disease develops. This drug can control the course of the disease due to its selective actions that neutralize tumor necrosis factor. After numerical studies, the drug was assigned the highest level of evidence A. According to studies, therapy with the drug not only leads to the relief of severe attacks of UC (steroid-dependent and steroid-resistant forms), it induces long-term remission.

Various types of dysfunction of the colon in this disease cause the development of other complications, for example, toxemia syndrome. To get rid of such problems, doctors use a complex of drugs and methods:

1. Antibacterial agents.
2. UV irradiation of autologous blood.
3. Restoration of eubiosis.
4. Hemosorption.

Protein medications are also administered parenterally to normalize metabolic disorders and the action of steroid hormones. These may be essential amino acids, serum albumin and plasma protein.

2 Surgical intervention

In some cases, due to properly selected medications, it is possible to cope with the problem completely and cure UC. However, if the symptoms do not disappear, then specialists perform surgical operations.

When UC is diagnosed after examination, 3 types of operations can be performed. During palliative surgery, the mucous membrane and the area with the inflammatory process are not completely removed. This type is indicated if localization of inflammation is observed in different areas, the intestines are affected by no more than 55-60%.

Reconstructive surgery involves removing the entire intestine from the body and replacing it with a prosthesis. This event is carried out when the disease is too advanced.

A radical operation can be performed when the organ is significantly damaged and it is difficult or impossible to restore it. During the process of intervention in the body, the integrity of the organ is completely restored over time.

It is impossible to bring the condition to irreversible consequences. It is better to do without surgical interventions in the body. But if there is no other way out, then you need to seek help from a qualified specialist. It is important to take into account that an incorrect or poorly performed operation can make a person disabled, and even death is likely (extremely rare).

3 Full recovery process

To completely cure ulcerative colitis after surgery and drug treatment, the patient must undergo a rehabilitation course. Such an undertaking may take a long period, it varies in each specific case.

In the process of restoring the body, it is necessary to follow a diet. At the same time, certain foods are excluded from the daily diet. Portions should not be reduced, because the body needs to replenish energy and strength. Proper nutrition means no harm to the digestive organs. You can eat low-fat broths, light soups, fish first courses. The meat eaten should be lean. Allowed food must contain proteins that are well and quickly absorbed. It is better to exclude fiber from the diet (fruits, vegetables, especially fresh). You should not eat carbohydrates, baked goods, or dishes that contain any dough.

When eating properly, it is important to consider the temperature of the dishes and food consumed. Before eating, the temperature should be warm. Food that is too hot or too cold is harmful. Cold foods are digested more slowly, which provokes fermentation processes and upset the digestive system. Very high temperatures cause additional irritation to the gastrointestinal tract.

During the recovery of the body, antibiotics are prescribed. Infusion treatment involves introducing fluid into the body. This way it is possible to completely relieve the patient of dehydration, replenish carbohydrate reserves, and normalize the water-salt balance.

To prevent dehydration after intensive care and to consolidate loose stools, you need to use medications with an astringent effect. Most often, options of synthetic origin or products made from herbal ingredients are chosen. For maintenance treatment, in many cases special hormones (corticosteroid drugs) are taken.

If symptoms of UC are detected, you must immediately contact a medical facility and undergo examination. If you do not consult a specialist, there is a high probability of getting total colitis.

The development of pharmaceuticals and medicine makes it possible to cope with even the most dangerous diseases. However, everyone is responsible for their own health; there is no need to neglect the disease. Each course of therapy should begin with a trip to a medical facility.

Nonspecific ulcerative colitis is one of the most mysterious gastroenterological diseases. The exact reasons for its development have not yet been determined, but effective treatment methods that can maximize the quality of life of a chronic patient have already been developed.

With nonspecific ulcerative colitis, the mucous membrane of the large intestine suffers. It becomes inflamed, causing the patient severe pain. Unlike viral or infectious diseases, when the pathogen enters the body from the outside, UC is an autoimmune pathology. It originates inside the body, with a certain failure of the immune system, the exact nature of which has not yet been determined. Accordingly, it is not possible to develop preventive measures that 100% guarantee protection against UC. There are only theories that allow us to talk about risk factors:

1. Genetic. Statistics have revealed that the disease has a family predisposition.
2. Infectious. Some experts suggest that UC occurs as a result of the body's reaction to the action of certain bacteria, which under normal conditions are non-pathogenic (safe). What exactly contributes to the modification of bacteria into pathogenic ones is not yet clear.
3. Immune. According to this theory, with UC there is an allergic reaction to certain components in food products. During this reaction, the mucous membrane produces a special antigen that comes into “confrontation” with the natural intestinal microflora.
4. Emotional. A less common theory is that UC develops against the background of prolonged deep stress.

The diagnosis of “nonspecific ulcerative colitis” is rapidly becoming younger. More than 70% of cases, according to statistics from the last twenty years, are teenagers and people under 30 years of age. Pensioners suffer from ulcerative colitis much less frequently. According to the latest statistics, the incidence is 1 case in approximately 14 thousand people.

Is it possible to be cured for good?

This question worries many who hear their diagnosis for the first time. Unfortunately, no doctor who calls himself a professional can guarantee a cure. The fact is that UC is a chronic disease, which means that the disease can only be “healed”, but not completely eliminated. Colitis has a cyclical course, that is, relapses (periods of exacerbation) alternate with months of stagnation, when the disease hardly manifests itself. The goal of therapy for UC is to delay the onset of relapse as much as possible, and when it occurs, to reduce the severity of symptoms.

Some patients, upon learning their diagnosis, panic, believing that they will have to spend the rest of their lives on a strict diet. Meanwhile, the emotional state of the patient is an important factor determining the success of therapy. Therefore, under no circumstances should you give up. Strict dietary restrictions are necessary only during the acute phase of the disease; during periods of remission, the diet is much gentler.

Treatment options

The search for effective methods of treating UC has been going on since the 80s of the last century. Currently, the best results have been achieved with an integrated approach to therapy, combining different treatment methods:

• taking medications;
• diet;
• psycho-emotional correction.

Surgical treatment of UC is also practiced, but in recent years there has been a tendency to replace surgical therapy with conservative therapy.

The treatment plan is developed based on the individual characteristics of the body (gender, age, presence of other chronic ailments, etc.). General treatment for ulcerative colitis has long proven ineffective. Therefore, before prescribing certain medications or surgery, the patient must undergo a long examination.

If a complete cure is not possible, therapy for ulcerative colitis sets itself the following tasks:

• reduction of disease symptoms;
• relapse prevention;
• improving quality of life.

Video - Nonspecific ulcerative colitis: symptoms and treatment

Drug therapy for UC

The main group of drugs prescribed for the treatment of ulcerative colitis are anti-inflammatory drugs. Their goal is to stop the inflammatory process in the mucous membranes of the large intestine.

Analysis of the effectiveness of a particular anti-inflammatory drug is carried out within a week from the moment of administration. If stabilization of the patient's condition is not observed, the drug is replaced with another.

Reducing mucosal inflammation is the main, but not the only task that a UC treatment plan should solve. In addition to anti-inflammatory drugs, your doctor may prescribe medications from the following groups:

Depending on the form of the disease and individual sensitivity to individual drugs, the gastroenterologist can prescribe all of the above-described drugs, as well as drugs from groups 1-2.

When is surgery needed?

Currently, surgical intervention is prescribed in 10-15% of all cases of UC. At the beginning of the 2000s, this figure was at least twice as high. Surgery is recommended in extreme cases when conservative treatment has failed and the patient's condition is deteriorating. Against the background of UC, a malignant intestinal tumor (colorectal cancer) can develop. Then the operation is necessary to save the patient’s life, and not to improve its quality.

The following types of surgical intervention are currently practiced:

The choice of one or another surgical intervention technique, as in the case of conservative treatment, depends on the patient’s condition and the presence of concomitant diseases.

Features of the diet for UC

Nutrition for ulcerative colitis requires strict control of the balance of nutrients in the foods consumed. Exceeding the norm of carbohydrates or fats during remission can lead to relapse. Therefore, visits to a nutritionist, who will adjust the menu during different cycles of the disease, are mandatory.

In case of UC, it is recommended to completely remove foods containing coarse fiber or milk protein from the diet. Flour increases intestinal peristalsis, which in case of inflammation of the mucous membranes is fraught with sharp, paroxysmal pain. As for the ban on dairy products, it is due to the body’s increased sensitivity to the protein contained in them. If in healthy people the allergy to this protein is suppressed by the immune system, then in UC the body cannot cope with this task. Also prohibited are sweets with a high lactose content (chocolate, candies, various syrups, etc.). Consumption of vegetables and fruits during an exacerbation should be kept to a minimum. Baked apples and pears are allowed only in stable remission; it is better to exclude citrus fruits altogether.

The basis of the diet of a patient with nonspecific colitis during the acute phase should be porridge and broth. Meat and fish are allowed only boiled or steamed, without crust. As a side dish, in addition to porridge, soft-consistency mashed potatoes are recommended. Eggs are also allowed, but only in the form of a steam omelet.

The main principle of forming a menu during the period of remission is to assess the body’s reaction to the addition of a particular product. Diet correction is carried out only under the supervision of a gastroenterologist.

A properly selected treatment regimen for ulcerative colitis and adherence to a diet ensure stable, long-term remission, in which dietary restrictions are kept to a minimum. The example of thousands of patients has shown that with nonspecific ulcerative colitis you can lead a bright, fulfilling life, the quality of which depends primarily on the desire to comply with the treatment plan.

Ulcerative nonspecific colitis is a severe pathology. It affects only the mucous membrane of the large intestine in the form of destructive inflammatory and ulcerative processes of varying intensity. The pathology affects the rectum and gradually spreads to all parts of the large intestine. It begins slowly and the first sign of its development may be bleeding from the rectum. The difficulty of treating this disease is that it is poorly understood and, as a rule, it lasts quite a long time.

This disease most often occurs in residents of megacities. It usually manifests itself in the elderly (after 60 years) or at a young age up to 30 years and is not contagious.

Causes of ulcerative colitis

Scientists have not established the exact cause of ulcerative colitis, but they have identified a number of causative factors. These include:

• hereditary predisposition;
• infection of unknown origin;
• genetic mutations;
• poor nutrition;
• disturbance of intestinal microflora;
• taking certain medications (contraceptives, some anti-inflammatory drugs);
• frequent

In a patient with ulcerative nonspecific colitis, it begins to work not against pathogenic microbes, but against the cells of the mucous membrane of his own intestines, which ultimately leads to ulceration. The immune mechanism of this pathology gradually spreads to other organs and systems. This is manifested by lesions and inflammation of the eyes, skin, joints, and mucous membranes.

Taking into account the clinical picture, the following forms of this pathology are distinguished:

• chronic ulcerative colitis;
• spicy;
• chronic relapsing type.

Chronic ulcerative colitis has a constant course, without periods of remission. At the same time, it can have both a compensated and severe course. The severity of this disease directly depends on the extent of damage to the healthy intestinal mucosa. This form proceeds sluggishly and continuously, the duration depends on the patient’s state of health. The disease itself greatly depletes the patient’s body. If the patient's condition reaches critical level, then mandatory surgery is indicated. When such colitis has a compensated form, it can last for many years. In this case, conservative therapy can improve the patient’s condition and gives a good effect.

Acute form Nonspecific ulcerative colitis has a rather abrupt and violent onset. Inflammatory and ulcerative processes in the large intestine develop from the very beginning of the disease, so it is quite severe, but is very rare in practice. Pathological processes develop at lightning speed and spread to the entire intestine, which is called total colitis. It is very important to start treatment immediately.

Recurrent form Nonspecific ulcerative colitis occurs with phases of remission and exacerbation. In some cases, attacks stop spontaneously and do not appear for a long time.

Symptoms of nonspecific ulcerative colitis

There are many signs of ulcerative colitis and they can have varying degrees of severity depending on the severity of the disease and its form. In this regard, some patients remain in normal health throughout their lives, and among the symptoms only blood appears in the stool (which is often incorrectly associated with hemorrhoids). Another part of the patients has a more severe condition with bloody diarrhea, fever, abdominal pain, etc.

Specific symptoms of ulcerative colitis include the following complaints:

• bleeding from the rectum, accompanied by pain, diarrhea;
• (up to 20 times per day);
• cramping pain in the abdomen;
• (happens very rarely, diarrhea is usually observed);
• lack of appetite;
• increased body temperature;
• weight loss due to persistent diarrhea;
• decreased hemoglobin levels in the blood (due to constant bleeding);
• blood in the stool (this symptom occurs in 9 out of 10 patients and can take the form of either a bloody stain on toilet paper or massive bloody stool);
• an admixture of mucus in the stool;
• frequent false urge to defecate - “rectal spitting” (when instead of feces, pus and mucus come out of the rectum);
• defecation at night (the patient wakes up at night due to an uncontrollable desire to defecate);
• flatulence (bloating);
• intoxication of the body (tachycardia, dehydration, fever).

There are a number of extraintestinal symptoms of ulcerative colitis that are not related to the gastrointestinal tract:

• joint pain;
• eye pathologies;
• liver diseases;
• the appearance of a rash on the body and mucous membranes;
• blood clots

These signs may appear even before the symptoms of colitis itself, depending on its severity.

Complications

As a result of nonspecific ulcerative colitis, patients may develop the following complications:

• intestinal perforation;
• intestinal profuse bleeding;
• toxic megacolon (a fatal complication, as a result of which the large intestine in a certain place increases in diameter up to 6 cm);
• rupture of the intestinal wall;
• anal passage;
• fistula or abscess;
• narrowing of the lumen of the colon;
• colon (the risk of developing it in a patient with colitis increases every year after 10 years of illness).

Confirmation of the diagnosis requires a very thorough examination of the patient. First of all, this makes it possible to distinguish ulcerative colitis from other intestinal pathologies that have similar symptoms.

Inspection

During an objective examination, the doctor can both note the presence of typical signs of the disease and their absence. Digital rectal examination allows the doctor to determine the presence of pathologies such as thickening of the rectal mucosa, anal fissures, rectal fistulas, abscess, sphincter spasm, etc. The doctor must order all the necessary tests in order to ultimately carry out a differential diagnosis with pathologies such as irritable bowel syndrome, diverticulitis, colon cancer, and Crohn's disease.

When examining the material taken, damage to the intestinal mucosa is detected in the form of ulcers penetrating deep into the submucosal layer, sometimes even to the muscular layer. The ulcers have undermined, smooth edges. In those areas of the intestine where the mucous membrane has been preserved, excessive regeneration of the glandular epithelium can be detected, resulting in pseudopolyps. A characteristic sign in the form of “crypt abscesses” is also often detected.

Treatment of ulcerative colitis

The type of therapy for nonspecific ulcerative colitis depends entirely on its severity and the patient’s condition. In most cases, it involves taking special medications to correct diarrhea and the digestive process. In more severe cases, they resort to taking additional medications and surgical treatment.

Hospitalization is extremely necessary when diagnosed for the first time, this allows doctors to determine the amount of necessary treatment for concomitant hematological and metabolic disorders. Among them, the most common are hypovolemia, acidosis, and prerenal azotemia, which develop as a result of large losses of electrolytes and fluid through the rectum. Because of this, infusion therapy and blood transfusions are simply mandatory for such patients.

The goal of treating nonspecific ulcerative colitis:

• Elimination of complications (anemia, infectious inflammation).
• Prescribing special nutritional supplements (they make it possible to ensure normal sexual development and growth of children).
• Relieving and eliminating the symptoms of the disease.
• Controlling and preventing seizures.

Conservative treatment includes, in addition to medications, diet. It should be mechanically gentle and contain an increased amount of easily digestible proteins in the form of cottage cheese, meat and fish (low-fat). But the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables is prohibited. You should eat in small portions. Food should be at normal temperature, neither cold nor hot. Parenteral nutrition is indicated in cases of severe disease.

Drug therapy includes:

• Intravenous infusions to relieve intoxication of the body, normalize water, electrolyte and protein balances.
• . The drugs are prescribed taking into account the sensitivity of the microflora of the large intestine.
• Tranquilizers. For the purpose of sedation, Seduxen and Elenium are prescribed.
• Antidiarrheals. The regimen includes anticholinergic drugs (Platifillin, Belladonna tincture, Solutan), herbal astringents (decoction of pomegranate, blueberry, alder peels).
• Sulfosalazine (Saloftalk) is a drug that is absorbed in the terminal colon. It is administered locally or systemically (suppositories, enemas).
• Corticosteroid hormones. They are administered systemically or as an enema in severe cases.

Surgery

It is used when complications arise in the form of severe bleeding, colon cancer, lack of therapeutic effect from conservative methods, intestinal obstruction, fulminant forms of ulcerative colitis with tolerance to treatment, perforation.

2. Massive bleeding from the colon. Given the complication leads to anemia (decreased number of red blood cells and hemoglobin), as well as hypovolemic (reduced blood volume) shock.

3. Malignization (malignancy)– the appearance of a malignant tumor at the site of inflammation.

4. Secondary intestinal infections. Inflamed mucosa is a good environment for the development of intestinal infection. This complication significantly worsens the course of the disease. Diarrhea gets worse, stools 10-14 times a day, high fever, dehydration.

5. Purulent complications. For example, paraproctitis is an acute inflammation of the fatty tissue near the rectum. This purulent complication is treated surgically.

Treatment of UC

Effective treatment is only possible with a specialist doctor. Exacerbation of the disease can only be treated in a hospital.

Diet for UC

Prohibited Products
The products described below cause chemical and mechanical irritation of the colon mucosa. Irritation intensifies the inflammatory process. Also, some foods increase peristalsis (movement) of the large intestine, which worsens diarrhea.
- alcohol
- carbonated drinks
- dairy
- mushrooms
- fatty meats (duck, goose, pork)
- kiwi, plum, dried apricots
- any type of spice
- coffee, cocoa, strong tea, chocolate
- ketchup, mustard
- any peppered and highly salted dishes
- chips, popcorn, crackers
- raw vegetables
- nuts
- seeds
- legumes
- corn

Products to be consumed:
- fruits
- berries
- various slimy cereals
- boiled eggs
- low-fat meats (beef, chicken, rabbit)
- juice from tomatoes and oranges
- non-fatty fish
- liver
- cheese
- seafood

Drug treatment

Mesalazine – 0.5-1 gram 3-4 times a day during exacerbation. In remission, 0.5 grams 2 times a day.

To treat ulcerative colitis in the area of ​​the rectum and sigmoid colon, suppositories or enemas with salofalk or mesalazole are used.

Corticosteroids are used for severe forms of the disease. Prednisolone is prescribed orally at 40-60 milligrams per day, the duration of treatment is 2-4 weeks. After which the dose of the drug is reduced by 5 mg per week.

Recently, local corticosteroids have been used. Budesonide - 3 mg 3 times a day for 12 months, then 2 mg 3 times a day for another 6 weeks and then 1 mg 3 times a day for 6 weeks.

Immunosuppressants are also sometimes used. Cyclosporine A is used for acute and fulminant forms of the disease at a dose of 4 mg per kilogram of body weight intravenously. Or azathioprine orally at a dose of 2-3 mg per kilogram of body weight.

Symptomatic treatment. Various types of anti-inflammatory drugs that provide pain relief, such as ibuprofen or paracetamol.
Vitamin therapy (vitamins B and C)

Prevention of UC

What traditional methods of treating UC exist?

• Bananas

• Return

• Apples

• Congee

There is another effective recipe for treating UC using rice:
you need to cook five tablespoons of rice in a small amount of water until it has the consistency of a slurry porridge. Mix the resulting rice porridge with a glass of skim milk and mashed ripe banana. In case of exacerbation of the disease, you should consume this dish twice a day on an empty stomach.

• Wheat decoction

To prepare the decoction you will need:

• 1 tablespoon of whole wheat grains;
• 200 ml water.

Wheat decoction can also be used for enemas.

• Turnip decoction

To prepare this remedy you will need:

• a few turnip leaves;
• vegetable juice (from the same turnip, or from carrots, zucchini, cabbage, etc.).

This decoction contains ingredients that prevent constipation, improve digestion, and soften stool.

• Decoction of watermelon rinds

What is the prognosis for patients with UC?

In the absence of adequate treatment, patients suffering from ulcerative colitis very quickly develop secondary diseases (complications), such as:

• Severe intestinal bleeding;
• Perforation (perforation) of the colon with subsequent development of peritonitis;
• Formation of abscesses (ulcers) and fistulas;
• Severe dehydration;
• Sepsis (“blood poisoning”);
• Liver dystrophy;
• The formation of kidney stones due to impaired absorption of fluid from the intestine;
• Increased risk of developing colon cancer.

However, with mild to moderate, uncomplicated course of the disease, with timely treatment started using all modern methods, with the patient following a diet and preventive measures, the prognosis of the disease is quite favorable. Relapses after proper treatment occur every few years and are quickly stopped by the use of medications.

How to treat UC with herbs?

• Oak bark infusion

To prepare the infusion, a teaspoon of crushed dry oak bark is poured with half a liter of cold boiled water and infused at room temperature for 8-9 hours. Drink the resulting infusion throughout the day in equal portions.

• Aloe vera juice

• Goldenrod infusion

The infusion is prepared as follows: 20 g of dry goldenrod herb, poured with a glass of boiling water, is kept in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Then the fire is turned off, but the infusion is not removed from the water bath for another 45 minutes. After this, the infusion is filtered and boiled water is added to 200 ml. Take 2 tablets three times a day. spoons before meals.

• Horsetail infusion

• Chinese bitter gourd infusion

• 1 tablespoon dry crushed bitter gourd leaves;
• 200 ml of boiling water.

• Herbal infusion