What is the Difference Between Microscopic Colitis and Ulcerative Colitis?

Microscopic colitis and ulcerative colitis (UC) are both conditions that cause inflammation of the colon, but they have distinct differences in terms of diagnosis, symptoms, and causes.

Diagnosis

• UC: Inflammation is visible through a colonoscopy, and it often causes thickening of the colon.
• Microscopic colitis: Inflammation can only be identified by examining a sample of colon tissue under a microscope. The colon appears "normal" when viewed using a colonoscopy.

Symptoms

Both conditions share some overlapping symptoms, such as abdominal pain and diarrhea. However, UC may also present with blood or rectal bleeding, which is not typically seen in microscopic colitis.

Causes

The cause of both diseases is not entirely clear, but UC is a form of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that occurs when the immune system attacks tissue in the large intestine. Microscopic colitis, on the other hand, is not related to UC or Crohn's disease, another type of IBD.

Types of Microscopic Colitis

There are two main forms of microscopic colitis:

1. Collagenous colitis: A protein called collagen builds up in the colon.
2. Lymphocytic colitis: A layer of white blood cells (lymphocytes) cause colon inflammation.

Both conditions are manageable with the correct treatment, and the long-term outlook for sufferers of microscopic colitis is generally good.

Comparative Table: Microscopic Colitis vs Ulcerative Colitis

Here is a table comparing the differences between microscopic colitis and ulcerative colitis:

Both microscopic colitis and ulcerative colitis cause colon inflammation, but they are different conditions with separate causes. While UC is a form of IBD and its inflammation can be seen during a colonoscopy, microscopic colitis can only be detected through a microscope. Additionally, UC may present blood in the stool or rectal bleeding, which is not typically seen in microscopic colitis.