4 Types of Ulcerative Colitis, According to a Gastroenterologist

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a type of inflammatory bowel disease that causes inflammation in the colon, also called the large intestine. The type of UC symptoms you experience may depend on where inflammation is occuring in the colon.

Doctors have defined four types of UC based on which of those segments of the colon are inflamed. “By definition, ulcerative colitis starts at the very end of the colon, and can extend farther towards the beginning,” says Todd B. Linden, MD, gastroenterologist.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Lauren Smith, MA

Lauren Smith, MA, has worked in health journalism since 2017. Before joining GoodRx, she was the senior health editor and writer for HealthiNation.

Reviewed by:

Sanjai Sinha, MD

Sanjai Sinha, MD, is a board-certified physician with over 20 years of experience. He specializes in internal medicine.

Our editorial standards

Meet our experts