· Facts Concerning Brock Lesnar’s Illness

UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has fallen on rough times as of late. The UFC president, Dana White, recently confirmed to the Associated Press that Lesnar has contracted a digestive disease known as diverticulitis, along with his previous diagnosis of mononucleosis, commonly referred to as “mono.” The question on every MMA fan’s mind is, “What does this mean about Brock’s immediate and long term future?” We will attempt to describe both of these illnesses and the potential damages they may have on Lesnar’s mixed martial arts career.

According to MedicineNet, diverticulitis is a digestive disorder found commonly in the large intestine that stems from diverticula in the colon rupturing and becoming infected. Diverticula form when the lining of the colon thickens and pressure within the colon pushes the lining through cracks in the muscle wall creating sacks along the muscle wall of the colon. When someone has diverticula along their intestinal muscle wall it is called diverticulosis which usually has no symptoms. Diverticulitis then occurs when one (or several) of these diverticuli become infected and rupture causing bacteria to be released.

Common symptoms of severe diverticulitis include: abdominal pain, feeling feverish, vomiting, constipation, diarrhea, and collection of puss in the pelvis. If not treated, severe diverticulitis can lead to a potentially fatal condition known as peritonitis which is inflammation of the entire abdominal lining. Antibiotics, along with surgery to remove the part of the colon that has been infected, are the treatments used to derail severe cases of diverticulitis like Lesnar’s.

The recovery time for the severe diverticulitis that needs surgery varies from person to person. The average person usually requires one to two weeks in the hospital then two to three months before he or she is back to 100 percent. A usual side effect of the infection, surgery, and recovery is significant weight loss which could keep Lesnar on the sidelines even longer.

Another potential obstacle to Lesnar’s recovery is the mononucleosis virus. Mono is a form of the Epstein-Barr virus, a member of the herpes family. Mono is an extremely pesky virus that usually causes major symptoms like fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands for two to four weeks, but stays active causing minor symptoms like fatigue for up six months. Mono also makes the body more susceptible to bacterial infections (30 percent of mono cases are accompanied by strep throat). This will be a cause for concern as Lesnar tries to recover from diverticulitis.

After Lesnar recovers from his illnesses, which could be by late February or early March, he will then go through the ordeal of regaining the weight and muscle mass he lost during the sickness and getting back into fighting shape. He will then probably have to be reevaluated by the Nevada State Athletic Commission to see if he is still physically able to compete (barring any complication). It is more than likely that Lesnar will not fight again until late summer or fall 2010 if he is medically cleared.