DIVERTICULITIS Meaning and
Definition
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Diverticulitis is a medical condition characterized by the inflammation or infection of small pouches, called diverticula, that form within the lining of the colon or large intestine. These diverticula are typically formed when weak spots in the intestinal wall bulge outward, creating small pockets or sacs. While the exact cause of diverticulitis is not fully understood, it is believed to primarily arise from a combination of factors such as a low-fiber diet, poor bowel habits, and increased pressure within the colon.
When diverticula become inflamed or infected, it results in diverticulitis. Symptoms of diverticulitis may include abdominal pain, particularly on the lower left side, bloating, nausea, fever, constipation, or diarrhea. In severe cases, complications like abscesses, fistulas, or bowel obstruction may occur.
The diagnosis of diverticulitis is typically made through a combination of medical history, physical examination, and imaging tests such as a CT scan or ultrasound. Treatment for diverticulitis commonly involves a combination of antibiotics to fight infection, pain medications to alleviate symptoms, a liquid or low-fiber diet, and sometimes even hospitalization if complications occur.
Preventive measures for diverticulitis include maintaining a high-fiber diet, drinking plenty of fluids, exercising regularly, and practicing good bowel habits. Surgery may be necessary in some cases, especially for recurrent or severe diverticulitis.
Overall, diverticulitis is a condition in which the inflammation or infection of small pouches within the colon leads to various symptoms, requiring medical attention and often involving treatment with antibiotics, dietary modifications, and sometimes surgery.
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Inflammation of any diverticulum.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Top Common Misspellings for DIVERTICULITIS *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for DIVERTICULITIS
- siverticulitis
- xiverticulitis
- civerticulitis
- fiverticulitis
- riverticulitis
- eiverticulitis
- duverticulitis
- djverticulitis
- dkverticulitis
- doverticulitis
- d9verticulitis
- d8verticulitis
- diverticulitius
- diverticulits
Etymology of DIVERTICULITIS
The word "diverticulitis" has its roots in Latin and Greek. Here is the breakdown:
1. "Diverticulitis":
- "Diverticuli" is the plural form of "diverticulum", which comes from the Latin word "diverticulus", meaning "side road" or "byway". In anatomy, it refers to an abnormal pouch or sac that forms in the wall of a hollow organ, especially in the colon.
- "-itis" is a suffix in medical terminology indicating inflammation or swelling.
Therefore, "diverticulitis" can be defined as the inflammation or infection of the diverticula, primarily occurring in the colon.
Similar spelling words for DIVERTICULITIS
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