what exactly are cramps?

Are UC cramps different than the occasional BM cramps one had in the before UC life?

When I was diagnosed with UC back in February of this year, I didn't have pain and cramping though I had been having daily BMs with blood and mucous for the previous 6 months.

Over the last month, I've noticed the gradual onset of pain I might describe it more like an uncomfortable sensation closer to burn than pain and I'm getting something that I wouldn't exactly label as cramps but maybe that's what it is. The closest thing I can think to describe it is that it feels like I'm throwing up but instead of coming up, it goes down. Just real violent waves or surges.

Is that what you guys get and call cramps?

The waves and surges you are feeling is called peristalsis with irregular contractions of the intestinal walls. It's similar to what people with IBS experience, however we also deal with inflammation/ulceration which can exacerbate the pain.

I'm one of the unlucky ones who gets severe pain with their Uc flares. I get the burning pain as well but the cramping I feel is as if someone has my large intestine in their hands and is squeezing extremely hard.

Lodi, are you male or female? If your female, cramping feels like menstrual cramps but in the gut instead.