What causes diverticulitis?
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Dr. Michael Roizen answered:You have three layers in the walls of your intestines. Where there's a little break between muscles, feces can squeeze into the gap and become as hard as clay. When that happens, the small out-pouches (they look a little like small thumbs poking out of the side of the colon) can get inflamed and cause diverticulitis. It usually occurs when the colon wall has to squeeze too hard to move the caca along-which is an indication of too little fiber in the diet.
There's a myth that says nuts can get stuck in little pouches in your colon and cause diverticulitis, but they're innocent. In fact, there's never been a case where nuts have been implicated as the perpetrator. The real culprit is not having enough fiber and water in your diet.
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You have three layers in the walls of your intestines. Where there's a little break between muscles, feces can squeeze into the gap and become as hard as clay. When that happens, the small out-pouches (they look a little like small thumbs poking out... More -
Diverticulitis is caused by little sacs in the intestine that are very swollen or infected, causing abdominal pain. Though the causes of diverticulitis are still being determined, these small sacs are a common presence in the digestive tract of patients over 40 and may become infected by trapped objects or feces. Diverticulitis is also more common in patients who are taking drugs to control their immune system, because they are at risk for infection. Research shows that people who eat low-fiber diets, do not exercise, and are obese are at higher risk for diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis is caused by little sacs in the intestine that are very swollen or infected, causing abdominal pain. Though the causes of diverticulitis are still being determined, these small sacs are a common presence in the digestive tract of... More -
Healthwise answered:Diverticulitis develops when feces become trapped in pouches (diverticula) that have formed along the wall of the large intestine. This allows bacteria to grow and cause an infection or inflammation and pressure that may lead to a small perforation or tear in the wall of the intestine. Peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdominal wall, may develop if infection spills into the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity.
The reason diverticula form in the wall of the large intestine (colon) is not completely understood. Doctors think diverticula form when high pressure inside the colon pushes against weak spots in the colon wall. Uncoordinated movements of the colon can also contribute to the development of diverticula.
Normally, a diet with adequate fiber (also called roughage) produces stool that is bulky and can move easily through the colon. If a diet is low in fiber, the colon must exert more pressure than usual to move small, hard stool. A low-fiber diet also can increase the time stool remains in the bowel. This adds to the high pressure. Pouches may form when the high pressure pushes against weak spots in the colon where blood vessels pass through the muscle layer of the bowel wall to supply blood to the inner wall.
It is not known why some people who have these diverticula (a condition called diverticulosis) develop diverticulitis and others do not.
Diverticulitis develops when feces become trapped in pouches (diverticula) that have formed along the wall of the large intestine. This allows bacteria to grow and cause an infection or inflammation and pressure that may lead to a small... More
