Coping with Diverticulitis

Book excerpt: Diverticular disease (DD) is a digestive disorder caused by enflamed diverticula, or pouches, in the colon. A common cause is constipation due to lack of fibre in the diet. Diverticulitis is very common, with about 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the UK and 300,000 in the USA. Symptoms are usually persistent abdominal pain plus disturbed bowel function (constipation or diarrhoea or alternating between the two). Diverticulitis sometimes becomes very severe leading to perforation of the bowel, forming an abscess or rarely peritonitis. This best-selling book looks at the treatment and self-management of DD - while the doctor can help, particularly with antibiotics, much can be done by the individual to minimise the effects of this condition. This new edition updates this best-selling book. Topics include: The medical treatment of diverticular disease Probiotics (‘good’ or ‘friendly’ live bacteria and yeasts said to be good for digestive health The increase of diverticular disease in the population Effects of diverticular disease