Diverticular disease and diverticulitis
Diverticular disease is a condition where the small pouches (diverticula) that sometimes form in the lining of the bowel, and push out through your bowel wall get swollen and infected.
Many people have diverticula without even realising it. There may bejust one, two diverticula or hundredsand can range is size from the very tiny to over 2cm wide. The risk of developing diverticula increases with age asthe walls of thebowel become weaker.
These are 3different ways diverticula affect people:
Diverticulosisis when diverticula don’t cause any symptoms. Nearly one in 10 people aged over 45 have diverticulosis. By 85, the risk increases to around eight in 10 people.
Diverticular diseaseis when diverticula cause symptoms such as pain in thetummy. Nearlytwo or three in every 10 people with diverticulosis will developdiverticular disease.
Diverticulitisis when diverticula becomeinflamed (red and swollen),or infected. Nearly two or three in every 10 people with diverticulosis developdiverticulitis.
Symptoms of diverticular disease
Diverticular disease, may:
- Cause pain in the tummy that comes and goes. This pain may start while eating and may get better after going to the toilet or passing wind
- Cause a feeling of bloating
- Cause a change in bowel habits includingconstipationor diarrhoea
- result in blood ormucus being passed from the back passage.
Symptoms of diverticulitis
Symptoms of diverticulitis may include:
- constant bad pain in thetummy, usually low down
- High temperature
- Nausea
- Lack of appetite
- Feeling sore to urinateor needing to urinate regularly
- a faster heart rate than usual
Causes of diverticular disease
Researchersdon’t know exactly what causesdiverticula to develop in the bowel. They also don’t know why some people go on to developdiverticular disease. It is thought that diet, lifestyle and family history have a role.
On the diet category, it is thought that having a low-fibre diet can causet diverticular disease.
Other factors leading todiverticular disease include:
- eatinglots of red meat
- drinkinglots ofalcoho
- Smoking
- excessivecaffeine
- excessive caffeine
- being overweight
- sedentary lifestyle
- Take certain types of medicines, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
- high blood pressure in thearteries(arterial hypertension)
- a weak immunesystem
Prevention of diverticular disease
Lots of things may make you more likely to get diverticular disease. You can’t avoid some of these things, such as getting older or having certain other conditions. But making certain changes to your lifestyle may help to reduce your chance of getting diverticular disease.
- Eat More Fibre and drink plenty of fluids
- Do some regular exercise
- Keep to a healthy weight
- Stop Smoking
Whether you have been diagnosed with diverticular disease and diverticulitis, or have mild symptoms, Book a FREE Discovery call now;our practitioners can guide you thorough the correct course of treatment to help bring your relief and let your body heal! You deserve the best possible you!