What is this dull ache

I do. I hate to say it but that dull pain to me is usually one of the first signs i get that a flare is attempting to start, especially if it seems to linger for days. i usually also notice that my appetite falls off at the same time, its not that i don't eat it is just that a lot of stuff doesn't seem really appetizing to me, but I always eat because it feels as though if i eat something that dull annoying pain will go away, to me it is dull and aching almost like a hunger pain, it is just that it is obviously on my left side of my colon and nowhere near my stomach. I also do a lot of cycling but haven't noticed any correlation between excercise and having worse issues following, but I can see the connection if you are inflamed it probably does you no good to go out and cause a lot of pounding and vibrating from excercise on an organ that is inflamed, I find that to be like someone that wants to run on a sprained ankle, just would make it worse. Typically what i do is up my meds, take it easy, avoid stress, eat a low residual diet and focus on trying to reign in the flare before it progresses any worse, I have learned the hard way not to ignore these first signs. Of course that is me and by no means what might be happening to you, but that dull lingering left side pain only means one thing to this UCer.

I get the left side ache too and for me it is colitis related. It got pretty persistent so even though I was not symptomatic my doctor did a scope. I had active inflammation even though functionally I was fine.