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Alternative Treatment of Ulcero-Hemorrhagic Rectocolitis

Ulcero-hemorrhagic rectocolitis is an extreme form of what doctors call inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD. Generally ulcerative colitis attacks a large area of the inner lining of your large intestine and your rectum. Some of the symptoms you may suffer are pain in the lower stomach area, severe diarrhea, loss of appetite or weight loss and sometimes a fever. Hemorrhagic rectocolitis means that there is active bleeding going on, which is a very serious condition and reason enough to consult a doctor.

  1. Treating IBD

    • IBD refers to both ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease and it is not always easy to tell the difference, but treatments for both are generally the same. Recommended treatments don’t specify the hemorrhagic form of the disease. The chronic inflammation can cause enough pain and other problems to interfere with living your life and sometimes even result in life-threatening complications. There are no cures except surgery for ulcerative colitis but there are treatments that can reduce the symptoms, even long-term.

      IBD is a disease mostly of the developed world and hits people with in higher economic groups and those with a sedentary lifestyle most particularly. Other environmental factors such as smoking, stress and eating certain foods can also make things worse. Pay attention to what you eat and get enough exercise. Using yoga and relaxation techniques to manage stress can help make attacks less frequent and less severe.

    Diet

    • What you eat may not cause IBD but some foods can make things worse. If you are lactose-intolerant (meaning you can’t digest milk-sugar well) that could cause a flare-up, avoiding dairy products may help. Eliminate from your diet anything that seems to make your symptoms worse. Fiber, normally a good thing because it keeps food moving through the digestive tract, can also be an added irritant for people with ulcerative colitis. The best plan is to watch what you eat and see how your body reacts to it, rather than assuming that one food or another is bad for your condition. Eat smaller meals and drink lots of water. Vitamin D deficiency has also been connected to IBD.

    Herbs

    • Several herbs are recommended for treating the symptoms of ulcerative colitis. Chamomile is known as an anti-spasmodic and anti-inflammatory, and Slippery Elm bark is widely recommended for diarrhea and reducing irritation in the lower digestive tract. According to Native Remedies Inflammatory Bowel Disease, meadowsweet can protect the digestive tract and reduce stomach acids.

    More options

    • Prebiotics, which promote the growth of naturally occurring intestinal bacteria and are found in artichokes and other plants, might help treat ulcerative colitis. Like probiotics, they seed the gut with lactobacillus (yogurt culture) and other beneficial bacteria. At least one study found a possible benefit from taking large doses of fish oil.

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