Whelehans Health Blog

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...

Difference between irritable bowel disease (IBS) and diverticular disease   As a lot of the symptoms of both conditions are similar, they can be difficult to distinguish. One distinguishing factor is that the pain associated with IBS tends to be a cramping type pain and tends to be relieved by eliminating foods that contribute to it, whereas the pain from diverticular disease is more constant, not associated to meals/foods and is more associated with the lower left side of the abdomen. Diverticular disease is more common in older people and gets worse with age while IBS is more common in younger...

Never use cotton buds to try clear earwax   A UK YouGov survey in February 2019 found almost two-thirds of people questions use cotton buds to try to “clean out” their ears. Cotton buds (or any other home instrument) should never be used try to clean out earwax as it pushes earwax further down the ear canal making the problem worse as it causes wax to become compacted which can block the ear meaning hearing may not be a sharp as it should be. Used cotton buds in the ear can bring on ear infections due to the disruption of the...

Asthma (Part 3)   Other treatment options   Leukotriene receptor antagonists (montelukast): an oral drug that acts by blocking part of the chemical reaction involved in inflammation of the airways. Montelukast is particularly beneficial for two types of asthma: asthma predominantly induced by exercise Asthma associated with allergic rhinitis.   Theophylline: helps widen the airways by relaxing the muscles around them. Theophylline is known to cause potential side effects, including headaches, nausea, insomnia, vomiting, irritability, and stomach upsets. These can usually be avoided by adjusting the dose. It has a narrow therapeutic index meaning the balance between sub-optimal dosage and...