Quiz: Do You Have Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms Under Control?

Do You Have Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms Under Control?

Find out whether the ulcerative colitis symptoms you experience are mild, moderate, or more severe.
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Updated on June 27, 2025
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Are Your Ulcerative Colitis Symptoms Under Control?

Rabia de Latour, MD, a gastroenterologist at NYU's Grossman School of Medicine, walks you through an assessment designed to help you gauge the severity of your ulcerative colitis symptoms.

When symptoms such as stomach pain and fatigue appear, it’s not always obvious whether they’re one-off occurrences or part of an oncoming flare. Plus, some people with ulcerative colitis (UC) experience symptoms differently, so what one person may consider mild abdominal pain, another may consider quite severe.

Taking stock of symptoms, though, is only one part of the equation. “Most of the time, we supplement the symptoms that patients are describing to us with some kind of objective evidence,” says Tauseef Ali, MD, head of the crohn’s and colitis program at SSM Health St. Anthony’s Hospital in Oklahoma City and an assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine. “That includes blood work or stool tests, [which can] show the markers of inflammation are elevated.”

One of the most important goals of UC treatment is reducing the underlying inflammation in your colon. “Uncontrolled, long-standing inflammation puts patients at risk for surgery and [complications, including] cancer,” says Dr. Ali, who is also the author of Crohn’s & Colitis for Dummies.

Lessening that inflammation should help reduce symptoms and lead to longer periods of remission. But keep in mind that managing it is an ongoing process, since there’s no cure for UC. “You can’t just take a medication and forget it,” says Ali. “You need regular follow-ups and continuous assessment and reassessment.”

Take this 10-question quiz to gain a better understanding of the symptoms you have and gauge whether UC is truly under control.

Question 1

How long did the most recent remission last?

  • A. Not very long — maybe a week or so
  • B. Not as long as I would’ve liked. I’ve had longer periods of remission in the past.
  • C. About as long as it usually does. It was in line with what’s normal for me.
  • D. It lasted a while, actually!
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Yuying Luo, MD

Medical Reviewer

Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care ...

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Jen Laskey

Jen Laskey

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Jen Laskey is a writer, editor, and content strategist. She has worked on EverydayHealth.com in various capacities since its inception, and her writing has appeared in many major p...

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Rabia de Latour, MD

Rabia de Latour, MD, is a therapeutic endoscopist and gastroenterologist at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, where she serves as the director of endoscopy and chief sustainability ...
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Additional Sources
  • Fact Sheet: Arthritis and Joint Pain [PDF]. Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation. January 2015.
  • Ulcerative Colitis. Cleveland Clinic. November 5, 2023.
  • What Should I Eat? Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation.
  • Miller C et al. Constipation in Ulcerative Colitis: Pathophysiology and Practical Management. Frontline Gastroenterology. November 2021.
  • Salwen-Deremer JK et al. Poor Sleep in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Is Reflective of Distinct Sleep Disorders. Digestive Diseases & Sciences. July 2022.
  • Armuzzi A et al. Characteristics, Clinical Outcomes and Patient-Reported Outcomes of Patients With Ulcerative Colitis Receiving Tofacitinib: A Real-World Survey in the United States and Five European Countries. BMC Gastroenterology. January 19, 2023.
  • Regueiro M et al. Burden of Fatigue Among Patients With Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s Disease: Results From a Global Survey of Patients and Gastroenterologists. Advances in Therapy. February 2023.
  • James SL et al. Characterization of Ulcerative Colitis-Associated Constipation Syndrome (Proximal Constipation). Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Open. October 2018.