Diverticulosis
Diverticulosis is an uncommon and serious problem. False.Actually, the majority of Americans over age 60 have diverticulosis, but only a small percentage have symptoms or complications. Diverticulosis is a condition in which little sacs--or out-pouchings--called diverticula, develop in the wall of the colon. These tend to appear and increase in number with age. Most people do not have symptoms and would not know that they had diverticula unless x-ray or intestinal examination were done. Less than 10 percent of people with diverticulosis ever develop complications such as infection (diverticulitis), bleeding, or perforation of the colon.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease is caused by psychological problems. False.
Inflammatory bowel disease is the general name for two diseases that cause inflammation in the intestines, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The cause of the disease is unknown, but researchers speculate that it may be a virus or bacteria interacting with the body's immune system. There is no evidence to support the theory that inflammatory bowel disease is caused by tension, anxiety, or other psychological factors or disorders.
Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is only caused by alcoholism. False.Alcoholism is just one of many causes of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is scarring and decreased function of the liver. In the United States, alcohol causes less than one-half of cirrhosis cases. The remaining cases are from other diseases that cause liver damage. For example, in children, cirrhosis may result from cystic fibrosis, alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, biliary atresia, glycogen storage disease, and other rare diseases. In adults, cirrhosis may be caused by hepatitis B or C, primary biliary cirrhosis, diseases of abnormal storage of metals like iron or copper in the body, severe reactions to prescription drugs, or injury to the ducts that drain bile from the liver.
Ostomy Surgery
After ostomy surgery, men become impotent and women have impaired sexual function and are unable to become pregnant. False.Ostomy surgery does not, in general, interfere with a person's sexual or reproductive capabilities. Ostomy surgery is a procedure in which the diseased part of the small or large intestine is removed and the remaining intestine is attached to an opening in the abdomen. Although some men who have had radical ostomy surgery for cancer lose the ability to achieve and sustain an erection, most men do not experience impotence, or, if they do, it is temporary. If impotence does occur, a variety of solutions are available. A urologist, a doctor who specializes in such problems, can help find the best solution. In women, ostomy surgery does not damage sexual or reproductive organs, so it does not directly cause sexual problems or sterility. Factors such as pain and the adjustment to a new body image may create some temporary sexual problems, but they can usually be resolved with time and, in some cases, counseling. Unless a woman has had a hysterectomy to remove her uterus, she can still bear children.
Additional Resources
American Liver
Foundation
1425 Pompton Avenue
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
Tel: (800) 465-4837 or (973) 256-2550
Celiac
Disease Foundation
13251 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1
Studio City, CA 91604-1838
Tel: (818) 990-2354
Crohn's
Colitis Foundation of America,
Inc.
386 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10016-8804
Tel: (800) 932-2423 or (212) 685-3440
Hepatitis
Foundation International
30 Sunrise Terrace
Cedar Grove, NJ 07009-1423
Tel: (800) 891-0707 or (973) 239-1035
International
Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal
Disorders
P.O. Box 17864
Milwaukee, WI 53217
Tel: (414) 964-1799
United
Ostomy Association
19772 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 200
Irvine, CA 92612-2405
Tel: (800) 826-0826 or (949) 660-8624
National
Digestive Diseases Information
Clearinghouse
2 Information Way
Bethesda, MD 20892-3570
[Email=nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov]nddic@info.niddk.nih.gov
Adapted from the
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NDDIC)
(NIH Publication No. 99-2673 January 1999)
