Whelehans Health Blog

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) (Part 2)   Causes (Continued) Anatomically speaking, women have a shorter urethra than men, so less distance for bacteria to travel, combined with the proximity of the urethra to the rectum, result in higher levels of infection of bladder and kidney for women. For pregnant women, their urine carries more proteins, sugars and hormones which increases UTI risk. The growing baby can also put pressure on the bladder which can prevent emptying the bladder completely, which also increases risk. For men, the risk of contracting a UTI aged under 50 is extremely low, however the risk...

Urinary Tract Infections (UTI’s) (Part 1)   The part of the body responsible for the filtering, processing, and passing of liquid waste is known as the urinary tract. For clinical purposes it is divided into the “upper” urinary tract which contains the kidneys and ureters (two thin tubes which carry processed waste liquid from the kidneys to the bladder) and the “lower” urinary tract which includes the bladder and urethra.   There are primarily three types of UTI, dependent on location: - Cystitis (infection of the bladder) – a lower UTI Urethritis (infection of the urethra) – a lower UTI...

Diverticular disease and diverticulitis Part 3   Treatment   I discussed the importance of fibre last week. Mild diverticulitis can be treated by a GP who will prescribe antibiotics for the infection and paracetamol to ease pain. Sticking to a fluid-only diet for a few days may be recommended until symptoms improve. For severe diverticulitis, hospital treatment may be needed.   Surgery In the past, surgery was recommended as a preventative measure, but this is no longer the case. However, there are exceptions to this, such as a history of serious complications arising from diverticulitis   Colectomy Surgery for diverticulitis...

Diverticular disease and diverticulitis Part 2   Causes   Diverticular disease It is not known why only 1 in 4 people with diverticula develop symptoms of diverticular disease. Several factors have been identified that appear to increase the risk of developing diverticular disease including: smoking being overweight or obese having a history of constipation physical inactivity use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) type of painkillers, such as ibuprofen or diclofenac   Diverticulitis Diverticulitis is caused by an infection of one or more of the diverticula. It is thought that an infection develops when a hard piece of stool gets trapped in one...

Diverticular disease and diverticulitis Part 1   Causes Diverticular disease and diverticulitis are two closely related digestive conditions that affect the large intestine (colon). Small bulges occur on the lining of the intestines; these pouches or bulges can become inflamed or infected which leads to symptoms. Symptoms of diverticular disease include lower abdominal pain and bloating. Diverticulitis is more serious than diverticular disease and symptoms include more severe abdominal pain and a high temperature of 38ºC or above   Diverticula Diverticula (plural is diverticula) describes the small pouches that stick out of the side of the large intestine (colon). Diverticula...