Like many other types of autoimmune diseases, ulcerative colitis can cause serious complications if it goes untreated. Some of the complications can actually be life-threatening emergencies.
Sticking to your treatment and visiting with your doctor regularly are some of the best things you can do to reduce your risk of complications. Together, you and your doctor can find the treatment that works best for you, and monitor your condition to catch any potential complications early.
Maia Kayal, MD, MS, is an assistant professor in the Division of Gastroenterology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and The Susan and Leonard Feinstein Inflammatory Bowel Disease Center.
References
Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation. (2015). Fact sheet: News from the IBD help center.
Skomorochow, E., et al. (2023). Toxic megacolon.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2020). Symptoms & causes of ulcerative colitis.
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