It is possible that one disease may affect other organs that might cause another health condition to occur. Ulcerative colitis is one condition that could affect other functions such as joint pain, swollen joints, etc. This condition can be could caused because of inflammatory bowel syndrome and is linked with the risk of arthritis. Many people do not know that ulcerative colitis is the reason behind their pain in joints and diseases related to them. It could be problematic condition and hence it is important to treat them. Today we will know the link between these two conditions and how to tackle them.
What happens when you have joint pain because of Ulcerative Colitis?
There is a serious link between these two conditions. Dr. Ishwar Arya, Senior Orthopedic Surgeon from Ivory Hospital, Greater Noida explains about the link between ulcerative colitis and joint pain. Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease that creates issues with digestive tract. In this condition, people usually have problem in guessing about the pain they have after this. It affects the innermost lining of large intestine which develops over time. Because of this, you may have cramps and pain in the abdomen and joints which further leads to arthritis in some cases.
In most conditions, the gastrointestinal diseases causes bloating, diarrhea, bloody stools etc. Because of this there is weakness in the body, inflammation which in turn causes arthritis and arthralgia. Arthralgia is a term used for joint pain that may also lead to arthritis later on. People having ulcerative colitis should be aware of the symptoms to prevent joint pain and other types of pain.
Symptoms of Ulcerative Colitis
- Rectal pain
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Weight loss
- Joint pains
- Defecation problems
- Rectal bleeding
- Fatigue
- Fever
Types of Arthritis in people suffering from Ulcerative Colitis
1. Peripheral Arthritis
In this type of arthritis it affects your arms, legs, knees, ankles, elbows and wrists. There is always a risk of inflammation in the process. Inflammation in these parts results to pain in joints following ulcerative colitis.
The level of inflammation determines the extent of colon in the joints. Symptoms of UC remain for a long time even after peripheral arthritis is healed and cured. The damage remains for a long while and hence it could cause severe damage to your health system.
2. Axial Arthritis
This is a form of arthritis is quite common among other types of arthritis. This is because it causes spondylitis, this means having pain in the lower spine and sacroiliac joints. Joint pain because of axial arthritis affects several points and it could be experienced months before having ulcerative colitis. In this condition, the person leads to spine fusing which could decrease the range of the person to move. This is a serious condition which occurs because of ulcerative colitis.
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3. Ankylosing spondylitis
This is another type of condition which occurs because of ulcerative colitis. In this, the person is more likely get inflammatory bowel disease. This causes in the complicated stages of IBD and hence it may even affect Crohn’s Disease. Ankylosing spondylitis causes inflammation in the spine and sacroiliac joints. This may also affect other parts of the body such as-
- Lungs
- Eyes
- Heart valves
- Bowel movements
It usually develops in people that have genetic predisposition or with urinary tract infections. It affects people before the age of 30 years. Symptoms of this disease can lead to long term damage and surgical removal of colon from the body.
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How can you reduce Arthritis risk?
People with ulcerative colitis need to find ways to reduce the risk of arthritis and joint pain. Here are some conditions that may help you in this condition.
1. Eating a healthful diet can help you with anti-inflammatory problems which are one of the causes for arthritis.
2. Avoiding certain foods that may cause inflammation in the digestive system. This can worsen with ulcerative colitis and cause complications. Dairy products mostly contain high fiber and high fats which should be avoided.
3. Lowering stress levels because stress can actually increase the risk of inflammation which leads to joint pain and arthritis.
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