Colon Cancer Screening: One-Minute Consult
... William M. Bauer, MD Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Gastroenterology, Cleveland Clinic Bret A. Lashner, MD, MPH Director, Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Department of Gas...

 Gastrointestinal Examinations
... What are gastrointestinal examinations? X-ray examinations of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract-- which includes the esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines and rectum-- enable your phys...

The Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Procedure
... What is flexible sigmoidoscopy? Flexible sigmoidoscopy is a routine outpatient procedure in which the inside of the lower large intestine (called the sigmoid colon) is examined. Flexible sigmoidoscopi...

The Fecal Occult Blood Test
... The fecal occult blood test is one of a variety of colorectal cancer screening tests. When doctors test for fecal occult blood, they are testing for the presence of microscopic or invisible blood in t...

Signs and symptoms
... The signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis can vary widely, depending on the severity of inflammation and where it occurs. For that reason, doctors often classify ulcerative colitis according to its...

Causes
... Like Crohn''s disease, ulcerative colitis causes inflammation and ulcers in your intestine. But unlike Crohn''s, which can occur in patches anywhere along the digestive tract, ulcerative colitis usual...

Risk factors
... Ulcerative colitis affects about the same number of women and men. Risk factors may include: Age. Ulcerative colitis can strike at any age, but you''re most likely to develop the condition when you''r...

When to seek medical advice
... See your doctor if you experience a persistent change in your bowel habits or if you have any of the signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis, such as abdominal pain, blood in your stool, ongoing bout...

Screening and diagnosis
... Your doctor will likely diagnose ulcerative colitis only after ruling out other possible causes for your signs and symptoms, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diverticulitis and colorectal can...