Symptoms of both ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease usually include belly pain, diarrhea, rectal bleeding, extreme tiredness and weight loss. For some people, IBD is only a mild illness. But for others, it's a condition that causes disability and can lead to life-threatening complications., Diagnosis Endoscopic procedures with tissue biopsy are the only way to definitively diagnose ulcerative colitis. Other types of tests can help rule out complications or other forms of inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease. To help confirm a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis, one or more of the following tests and procedures may be recommended:, An ulcerative colitis flare-up is the return of symptoms after not having any for a period of time. This may involve diarrhea, belly pain and cramping, rectal pain and bleeding, fatigue, and urgent bowel movements. Although you may feel helpless against the return of symptoms, changes in your diet and lifestyle may help control your symptoms and lengthen the time between flare-ups., Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes long-lasting inflammation and ulcers (sores) in your digestive tract. Ulcerative colitis affects the innermost lining of your large intestine (colon) and rectum. Symptoms usually develop over time, rather than suddenly. Ulcerative colitis can be debilitating and can sometimes lead to life-threatening complications. While it , Microscopic colitis is swelling and irritation, called inflammation, of the large intestine. This large intestine is also called the colon. Microscopic colitis causes symptoms of watery diarrhea. The condition gets its name from needing to look at colon tissue under a microscope to diagnose it. The tissue appears typical on exam with a colonoscopy or flexible sigmoidoscopy., Gastroenterology & GI Surgery Blog Connect with others and follow the latest advances in treating Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis on Mayo Clinic Connect. Crohn's disease is a type of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes swelling and irritation of the tissues, called inflammation, in the digestive tract..