What is Proctitis?
Proctitis, otherwise know as ulcerative proctitis is a form of ulcerative colitis, which is an inflammatory disease of the colon (the large intestine). It is characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the colon's inner-most lining. Symptoms typically include diarrhea (sometimes bloody) and, often, abdominal pain.

Ulcerative proctitis occurs when ulcerative colitis affects only the lowest part of the colon, the rectum, called the rectal mucosa. If the disease affects only the left side of the colon, it is called limited or distal colitis. If it involved the entire colon, it is termed pancolitis.

Ulcerative proctitis and ulcerative colitis differ from another inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn's disease. Crohn's can affect any area of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including the small intestine. Ulcerative proctitis or ulcerative colitis affect only the colon. The inflammation caused by ulcerative proctitis usually involves the entire rectum. Ulcerative proctitis affects only the innermost lining of the colon, whereas Crohn's disease can affect the entire thickness of the bowel wall. Ulcerative proctitis and Crohn's disease are different from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a disorder that affects the motility (muscle contractions) of the colon. Sometimes called "spastic colon," IBS is not characterized by intestinal inflammation. It is, therefore, a much less serious disease than ulcerative proctitis or colitis. IBS bears no direct relationship to either ulcerative proctitis, ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.

What are the symptoms of Ulcerative Proctitis?
The symptoms associated with ulcerative proctitis include: diarrhea, rectal pain, bleeding, tenesmus (a persistent urge to empty the bowel whether or not stool is present and constipation. One suffering from ulcerative proctitis may notice the passage of blood or mucus with or without stool. The amount of bleeding from ulcerative proctitis is usually small, but it can appear to be a lot and can be frightening. All of these symptoms can occur without warning at any time during the day or night.

How is Ulcerative Proctitis diagnosed?
Physicians diagnose ulcerative proctitis based on patients' clinical history, as described above. The first goal of medical tests is to differentiate ulcerative protitis from infection causes of diarrhea. Accordingly, stool tests are performed to eliminate the possibility of bacterial, viral, and parasitic causes of diarrhea. Following this, the patient generally undergoes an evaluation of the colon, using one of two tests. To perform a sigmoidoscopy, the doctor passes a flexible instrument into the rectum and lower colon. This test allows the doctor to visualize the extent and degree of inflammation in these areas. A total colonoscopy is a similar exam, which visualizes the entire colon. Using these techniques, your physician can determine the category of disease to be ulcerative proctitis, limited colitis, or pancolitis. The investigation physician may take samples of the colon lining, called biopsies, and send these to a pathologist for further study. Ulcerative colitis can thus be distinguished from other diseases of the colon that cause rectal bleeding including Crohn's disease of the colon, diverticular disease, and cancer.

The Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America, Inc., has regional and local chapters. It provides free educational materials, as well as educational activities, through local chapters in most parts of the country. The foundation may be found here.

• Inflammatory Bowel Disease	• Crohn's Disease	• Ulcerative Colitis	• Colitis
• Abdominal Pain	• Rectal Bleeding	• Proctitis	• Pancolitis
• Pan-Ulcerative Colitis	• Pan-Proctitis	• Ileitis