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Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease with a relapsing nature, which causes inflammation and ulceration of inner lining of the colon and rectum. The inflammation usually begins in the rectum and spreads upward to the entire colon. It is a very challenging disease, can occur at any age but its onset is most common among people between ages of 20 to 40 years of age. Now a days its seen in kids as well.

Bleeding in stool with increased bowel frequency are the main features of this disease. Weakness is more common due to loss of water and blood in stool.

According to Ayurveda, Ulcerative colitis is a disease of Purishavaha srotas. It can corelate with “Pittaja Grahani“ in Ayurveda.

Causes of Pittaja Grahani (UC)

1. Mandagni - poor appetite and poor digestion, Ama (toxin) accumulation in the body
2. irregular, improper and irrelevant diet habits
3. heavy to digest or indigestible foods, junk food
4. Pitta aggravating diets like oily,spicy, pungent, acidic, sour, food items which produces burning sensation in the body, frozen food
5. exposure to excess hot climate, alcohol, smoking, excess anger etc.
6. Stress, lack of exercise.
7. Weak Immune system
8. Genetic factors

Samprapti (pathogenesis) -

Pitta dosha gets aggravated due to above causes that leads to mandagni (Low digestive fire).Mandagni leads to accumulation of undigested food (Ama) that further damages Rakta dhatu ( Blood tissue) and Mansa dhatu ( muscle tissue). Vata dosha in large intestine also aggravates and affects the pitta and kapha dosha that causes inflammation, mucous accumulation and edema .

Aggravated Pitta, when reaches extreme it leads to severe inflammation, ulceration and rectal bleeding . This is the active phase or flare-up of UC - This can compare to Pittaja Grahani with raktatisara.

Sign and Symtoms-

1. Abdominal pain & cramp
2. Diarrrhoe with bleeding
3. Loss of appetite
4. Weight loss
5. Mucous in the stool
6. Sensation of fullnes in lower abdomen
7. Sharp rectal pain
8. Fever
9. Malnutrition

Ayurvedic Treatment-

Ayurvedic herbs & medicines with Pittaghna ( Pitta balancing), Shothagnha ( Anti- inflammatory), Aampachak ( removes toxins from the body) , Stambhak ( anti dysentric) and raktstambhak ( Hemostatic) properties helps to treat UC.

Herbs-

Arjuna, Bael, Yashtimadhu, Lodhra, Kutaja , Arjuna

Medicines-

Indukant grhitam, Guluchyadi kahsyam, Kutajarishatm, Vilwadi gulika, Vilwadi lehyam, Kutajghan vati, Dadimashtak churna.

Medicines should be taken strictly under Ayurvedic Physician’s guidance.

Panchkarma-

• Abhyanga – Warm oil massage helps to balance the Doshas, take out toxins from the body, reduces stress and support the immune system.
• Shirodhara – Helps to reduce stress- anxiety, promotes better sleep, balances hormones
• Basti (Medicated enema) – Herbal decoction enemas are administered for healing the inflammation, cleaning the lower intestine and improve the gut function.

Diet- Diet plays a vital role in UC treatment

Avoid-

1. coffee, tea, milk, ice cream, cheese and dairy products except curd or Yogurt (plain).
2. non-vegetarian food items.
3. Oil, spicy, fried, sour food, citrus fruits,
4. smoking and alcohol.
5. Nuts, processed food, whole refined flour
6. Carbonated drinks, canned food & drinks

Do’s-

• Consume plenty of water and coconut water, Pomegranate Juice
• Small diet with frequent meals - soft cooked rice, vegetables, Khichadi
• Include bitter taste in diet- like Pumpkin, bittergourd, ash Gourd.
• Take rest and avoid stress

Ulcerative Colitis vs. Crohn’s Disease

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are both types of inflammatory bowel syndrome (IBS). Both have similar symptoms but they affect different parts of the GI tract and not the same.

Ulcerative Colitis

• Only the colon and rectum (also known as the large intestine) are affected
• Inner most lining of the large intestine is affected

Crohn’s Disease

• Can affect any part of the GI tract from the mouth to the anus
• Can affect the entire thickness of the bowel wall.

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