Around 17,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with microscopic colitis every year, but this figure is believed to be much higher as the debilitating condition is often misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Microscopic colitis is an inflammation of the large bowel (colon) which can cause watery diarrhoea, stomach pain, fatigue and frequent trips to the toilet. According to the NHS, its name refers to the bowel looking normal during colonoscopy but when samples (biopsies) are taken, changes to the tissues can be seen under the microscope.
However, this step is not always completed, meaning many are left undiagnosed. Guts UK has highlighted that there is a lack of awareness around microscopic colitis, with many people suffering unnecessarily - and some even visiting the toilet '20 to 30 times per day'.
