How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?

A clinician will ask about stool frequency, urgency, blood or mucus, abdominal pain, tiredness, appetite, medicines, recent infections, travel, and family history. They may examine your abdomen and assess how well hydrated you are. Blood tests can look for signs of inflammation or anaemia, while stool tests can help identify infection and bowel inflammation.

A specialist may recommend colonoscopy or another bowel examination to view the lining directly and take small tissue samples. The findings are considered alongside your symptoms and test results; no single symptom or test always gives the whole answer.

Book a GP Consultation for persistent diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, urgency, abdominal pain, or unexplained fatigue. Before the appointment, list your medicines and allergies, note when symptoms began, record bowel changes and fever, and mention relatives with inflammatory bowel disease or bowel cancer. Tell the clinician about pregnancy, recent antibiotics, travel, or infection exposure when relevant.

Follow preparation instructions carefully if a bowel examination is arranged. Ask what the test involves, how results will be shared, and whether someone should accompany you home after sedation. Do not delay seeking advice while waiting for a routine appointment if symptoms worsen.

Seek urgent help for heavy bleeding, severe or worsening abdominal pain, a swollen abdomen, persistent vomiting, faintness, confusion, inability to drink, or very little urine. A high temperature with a rapid change in bowel symptoms also needs prompt assessment. These features may signal dehydration or a serious complication and should not wait for planned testing.

Ask which tests are being considered and what each one can show, whether infection needs to be excluded, how to prepare for a colonoscopy, when results will be available, and what to do if symptoms change before review. Ask how future colorectal cancer screening may relate to the diagnosis.