Medical Questions » Gut (Intestines) Questions » Question No. 428
Question:I have had terrible belly pains on and off for years. My doctor now tells me it is diverticulitis, and she has given me tablets for it. These seem to help, but can you tell me what causes diverticulitis?
Answer:Diverticulitis is the inflammation of small bubbles that develop on the large gut. They are outpocketings of the gut that form between the muscular bands that run along and around the gut. They are caused by excess pressure inside the intestine when there is inadequate bulk in the diet for the constantly contracting gut to move along towards the anus. If you squeeze a half-inflated balloon between your fingers, it will bulge out between your fingers. This is what happens in the gut, but after a while the bulges become permanent, and these are the diverticulae. When food waste becomes trapped in a diverticulum, it may become infected and painful and cause diarrhoea. A high-fibre diet will prevent formation of the problem.
       
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