Help the Aged funds The University of Nottingham to research pain affecting older people

A little-understood medical condition — which affects millions of older people in Britain — is to be studied at The University of Nottingham. David Humes of the Division of Gastroenterology, in The School of Medical and Surgical Sciences, has gained funding from Help the Aged and the Royal College of Surgeons to explore how the pain caused by diverticular disease can be reduced. The condition is formed by pouching in the lower gut — which can be painful, and, if infection sets in, can also be life-threatening.
Dr David Humes, said: “Our aim is to discover whether inflammation of the bowels causes the pain of diverticular disease. We will test new anti-inflammatory drugs to see if they could become a valuable treatment for this condition, which in varying degrees affects as many as two-thirds of the older people in our society.”
Dr Lorna Layward, Research Manager for Help the Aged, said: “We are delighted to be supporting David Humes alongside the Royal College of Surgeons. This study is elegant and clear-sighted, with the potential quickly to produce real treatments for people with diverticular disease. That would be fantastic news for older people and another great success for researchers at The University of Nottingham.”