Diverticulitis is a painful condition that if it is not treated in time it can cause very serious complications. In people over 40, small structures, called diverticula, often form a pouch in the digestive tract. If these diverticula become inflamed or infected, what is known as diverticulitis occurs.
Diverticula form when the soft layer of inner tissue passes through the outer, muscular layer, forms a pocket or pouch-like bulge. This condition occurs most often where in those muscles of the intestine that are weaker, particularly in the sigmoid colon.
It is also important to mention that most diverticula are harmless and they can show up in routine exams such as x-rays or conoloscopies, even if the person is not experiencing any symptoms.
It is not entirely clear how they are formed diverticula, Some studies suggest that people who eat a low fiber diet are much more likely to develop diverticula than those who eat a lot of fiber.
If a person has a low fiber diet You may experience constipation, which in turn can lead to increased pressure in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as straining of the intestinal muscles during bowel movements.
Health specialists believe that this combination of pressure and strain weakens the intestinal muscles over time, and it is this weakness in the muscles that makes diverticulitis easier to develop.