Ulcerative Colitis and Aloe Vera
Colitis - or ulcerative colitis, to give it its full name - is one of those mysterious, intractable conditions for which conventional medicine has few answers.
This means many sufferers seek alternative treatments - such as aloe vera.
UC and Crohn’s disease are similar illnesses and are often referred to together as Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). However, this should not be confused with the similarly-named Irritable-Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
These conditions cause inflammation, swelling and ulceration in the intestines. Their effects vary from one victim to another, but they are lifelong and may come or go unpredictably. They are not contagious.
For some, it is merely a minor inconvenience which they can easily ignore. But others find it very painful.
In some cases, tiny ulcers can form on the colon lining in the stomach.
Early symptoms can include diarrhoea, sometimes with traces of blood.
Other signs can include extreme tiredness, nausea and vomiting, lack of appetite, weight loss, painful joints, eye problems, mouth ulcers or skin rashes.
This disease sometimes known by its Latin name colitis ulcerosa, or simply by the abbreviation UC.
Other strains of the condition include ischemic colitis, pseudomembranous colitis, collagenous colitis, Crohn colitis, microscopic colitis, lymphocytic colitis and C.diff. colitis.
The disease's exact cause is unknown, but it is believed to involve certain factors:
* Genetic - it could be inherited via a natural gene passed via parents or grandparents.
* Environmental - surveys have found that built-up, densely-populated areas seem to have a higher percentage of victims.
* Immune system - our immune system can fail to recognise its own cells, which causes inflammation of the colon.
* Diet - diets high in sugar, salt or saturated fats seem to increase the risk.
But who is most at risk? Well, many possible factors are involved, which makes it impossible to identify a high-risk group for sure. However, recent research has shown people of European descent are more likely to suffer from UC than any other ethnic group.
The most popular remedy for UC is aloe vera gel. A recent study has found this is with good reason, as adverse reactions to aloe vera as an ulcerative colitis treatment were minimal.
Earlier studies discovered aloe vera could itself cause inflammation, but more recently it has been confirmed as an effective treatment for easing the pain due to UC.
Doctors ran a clinical trial using aloe vera. This was set up as a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. That means neither the prescribing doctors nor the patients were aware whether they were using real aloe vera gel or merely a test substance.
These encouraging results suggest it would be worth continuing experiments to evaluate aloe vera's therapeutic potential.
Organisations dedicated to colitis include the NACC (National Association for Colitis and
Crohn's Disease
) and the CCFA (Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America).
Ulcerative Colitis to Aloe Home
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