What is the link between ulcerative colitis and joint pain?

In addition to gastrointestinal symptoms, people with this condition often have joint pain and swelling.

According to the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation, up to 30% of people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have arthritis or rheumatic symptoms.

Joint pain due to ulcerative colitis (UC) may have different symptoms than arthritis without IBD. Doctors can also treat in other ways.

Learn about the connection between ulcerative colitis and joint pain in this article, including how to manage and treat the pain.

What is the relationship?

The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are related to the digestive system, such as bloating, diarrhea and bloody stools, but the disease can also affect other parts of the body. It is one of the common symptoms of ulcerative colitis and has nothing to do with the stomach or intestines.

People with ulcerative colitis can have two types of joint pain. Joint pain, which is just joint pain, is a symptom of arthritis.

People with arthritis usually experience arthritis differently than those diagnosed with arthritis but not inflammatory bowel disease.

Often, joint pain develops during a worsening of hepatitis C and goes away when other symptoms are under control and in remission.

Types of arthritis in UC patients

Some types of arthritis can affect people with rheumatoid arthritis.

Peripheral arthritis

This type of arthritis affects specific parts of the body, e.g.

• weapon
• leg
• elbow
• the wrist
• They stop it
• the ankle

This is the most common form of joint pain in UC patients.

The level of inflammation in the joints generally corresponds to that in the colon. Peripheral arthritis symptoms often resolve without long-term damage once the arthritis symptoms are controlled.

Axial arthritis

Also known as spondylitis or spondyloarthropathy, this type of arthritis causes pain in the lower spine and sacroiliac joints.

Joint pain due to axial arthritis appears months or years before it becomes a symptom of ulcerative colitis.

In this condition, parts of the spine can fuse together, reducing a person’s range of motion and potentially causing permanent damage.

Ankylosing spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis is a more severe form of arthritis. However, IBD has rare complications. It is more common in people with Crohn’s disease than in patients with ulcerative colitis.

The symptoms can cause long-term damage and require surgical removal of the individual’s colon.

Bechtero causes inflammation of the spine and sacroiliac joints.

It usually occurs in people with a genetic predisposition to intestinal or urinary tract infections and appears before the age of 30.

Other diseases include enthesopathy, an inflammation where the tendon meets the bone. Another symptom is dactylitis, a sausage-like swelling of the fingers and toes.

Common areas of inflammation include the heel, lateral foot inflammation, and the back of the ankle causing inflammation of the Achilles tendon.

Treatment and care

It is important for people to see a rheumatologist to get the right diagnosis, get the best treatment, and learn techniques to manage symptoms.

People with peripheral arthritis, but not ulcerative colitis, can usually control pain and swelling with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or aspirin.

However, doctors don’t usually recommend these drugs for UC patients because they can further irritate the gut and cause inflammation.

Instead, you may need the following medications to control joint and gut inflammation and pain:

• Steroid
• Antibiotics
• Rheumatoid drugs modify the disease
• Biological medicine
• Biologics can also treat axial arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.

In addition to medication, people can try home remedies to relieve pain. Besides:

• Use a heating pad
• Apply a warm, moist compress
• Cold compresses on painful areas of the body
• Elevate the affected joint.
• Reduces the risk of arthritis.

People with ulcerative colitis can reduce their risk of arthritis and joint pain by:

Eat healthy: A nutritionist can help you plan a suitable anti-inflammatory diet.

Avoiding Certain Foods: It’s best to limit or avoid foods that can make UC symptoms worse, such as dairy products and foods high in fiber, fat, or spices.

Reducing stress levels: Limiting exposure to stressful situations, seeing a therapist, and learning relaxation techniques such as meditation can help.

Take medicine as prescribed by your doctor: Always take all medicines as directed to reduce the risk of complications.

Look

In addition to the gastrointestinal symptoms, the joints are painful and swollen.

The degree of joint pain in people with ulcerative colitis often correlates with the degree of intestinal inflammation. Arthritis usually does not cause long-term damage.

Your doctor can advise you on how to treat UC and the joint pain associated with it.