Diverticulitis
Since Crohn’s disease affects all layers of the bowel, a condition can occur where inflammation causes pouches to develop on the exterior of the colon. This precursor to diverticulitis is known as diverticulosis; it develops into the former when one or more of these pouches becomes infected.
Diverticulitis is thought to be caused by a lack of fiber in the diet, and since low-fiber diets are a commonly recommended treatment for Crohn’s patients, the risk of diverticular disease can be heightened.
Surgery may be necessary to remove the infected pouch(es), but in many cases diverticulitis is treated similarly to Crohn’s itself, with low-fiber diets or limited food taken by mouth to rest the gut and allow it time to heal.
After the condition is believed to have been relieved, the usual course of action is to put the patient on a high-fiber diet as this is believed to be a measure of prevention against recurrence. A Crohn’s sufferer, however, does not always have so straightforward a solution.
A good way for Crohn’s patients to avoid diverticular disease is to keep a limited amount of fiber in their diet by eating cooked vegetables and fruits, although the benefits of this course of action varies from patient to patient and should of course be discussed with your doctor first.