Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. The colitis always begins in the lowest portion of the colon and can spread over the large intestine and, in rare cases, the lowermost small intestine. In addition to the intestine, other organs such as the eyes, joints or skin may be affected. Although the disease cannot be cured, it can be controlled by medication.
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. An autoimmune cause is suspected, in which the body's defence system (immune system) attacks its own healthy cells. The colitis always affects the lowest portion of the colon and can spread over the large intestine. In rare cases, it affects the lowermost small intestine. It is typical that the whole intestine is affected, without any healthy sections in between. In addition to the intestine, other organs such as the eyes, joints or skin may be affected.
Ulcerative colitis usually occurs between the age of 20 and 40, but can also appear at any other point of time. The condition runs in families and affects tobacco smokers less often than non-smokers. Typical symptoms are abdominal pain during defecation and bloody diarrhoea. Pain usually occurs in the left lower abdomen, where the final section of the abdomen is located. The loss of blood can lead to anaemia, which shows in fatigue and exhaustion. Frequent diarrhoea (up to 40 times per day) is a significant impairment of the daily life and sometimes leads to psychological issues. Joints can be swollen and painful. Usually affected are the knees, in rarer cases the spine and the pelvic joints. Eyes and skin may also be affected, which can be very painful.
Ulcerative colitis is usually diagnosed by colonoscopy, where mucous membrane samples are collected and examined. This condition is lengthy and not curable with medication. Treatment aims at suppressing the body’s defence system to alleviate the enteritis and with it the symptoms. Removing the entire colon usually cures the condition. This procedure, as any other surgery, is connected to risks and complications and therefore only performed after unsuccessful medication treatment. Because ulcerative colitis increases the risk of colon cancer, regular check-ups via colonoscopy are important.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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