As the colon lining breaks down, the person experiences abdominal pain. The pain is usually on the left side of the abdomen. It may improve after the person has a bowel movement. Bloody diarrhea is another common symptom. The person may have 10 to 20 bowel movements a day. The person may also have pain and cramping around the rectum.
Other common symptoms of ulcerative colitis include:
Ulcerative colitis can also cause problems in other parts of the body. These effects may include: