Diverticular Disease
Diverticular disease is a condition where there are swellings or out-pouchings of the mucosal layer of the colon between the circular layers of muscle. It most commonly affects the sigmoid colon in the lower left part of the abdomen. It is caused by high levels of pressure within the bowel, most probably arising from chronic constipation or irritable bowel syndrome. It is uncommon in the developing world. While it may cause no symptoms, inflammation of a diverticulum, leading to the condition diverticulitis may cause pain, and if there is abscess formation there may be the development of a fistula - an abnormal communication - between the colon and adjacent organs such as the small bowel, the bladder or vagina. Rarely it is a cause of rectal bleeding, which may be profuse. Usually diverticular disease requires no treatment other than dietary modification; if constipation is the main symptom then bulking agents may help. Diverticulitis on the other hand may need medical intervention and antibiotic treatment to stop the development of complications.
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