Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis – General Information

Diverticulitis is a disease which evolves from another health problem, diverticulosis. This problem is actually quite common among people older than 45 years and it is characterized by the appearance of small bags in the digestive tract. In what concerns people older than 50 years, more than half of them suffer from diverticulosis. The bags usually form in the large intestine, but they can also appear in the stomach, esophagus or the small intestines. In some circumstances, these bags become infected or inflamed, inducing severe pain, nausea and fever. In such circumstances, Diverticulitis develops. Most of the time, the disorder can be treated with a equilibrated diet, some rest and antibiotics but, in more severe cases, a surgery is absolutely necessary in order to remove the damaged parts of the intestine. The good part is the fact that most of the people present diverticulosis, but they never suffer from Diverticulitis. In addition, it is important for them to know that both disorders can be prevented if they follow a diet reach in fiber foods. In most of the cases, the bags which lead to the appearance of this disease form when some weak areas in the colon ease up under pressure. The areas are located in different parts of the colon, depending on the people’s habitat: in western population, the weak areas are common in the descending colon and in the sigmoid and in the case of Asian population the weak areas are located in the ascending colon and in the cecum (these parts form the right colon).

Diverticulitis – Symptoms

The signs and symptoms which appear in the case of Diverticulitis are quite the same with those which patients experience in the case of appendicitis. However, in this case, the pain is located in the left side of the body and not in the right one. The pain which characterizes this disease appears suddenly and is extremely severe. In some rare cases, the pain grows gradually over a few days. Other common symptoms are fever, constipation, abdominal tenderness, nausea or diarrhea.  There are, however, some signs which have been reported just in a few cases: bloating, frequent urination, vomiting, tenderness in the abdominal area (usually when wearing a belt) or bleeding in the rectal area. The most common problems which can lead to the appearance of Diverticulitis are: the age, the little fiber in the food and the lack of physic exercise. These problems can increase the risk of high pressure inside the colon. In what concerns the age, the disease is more likely to appear in the case of older people, usually in the case of those older than 40 years. The exact causes why this happen are not known yet, but specialists consider that this happen because of the decreased elasticity and strength of the colon. The lack of fiber can also result in the development of this disease. This is why this disorder is less common in the areas where people have an equilibrated diet; on the other hand, the disease is quite common in countries such as the U.S.A where people eat food rich in carbohydrates.

Diverticulitis - Treatment

The bags which appear in the interior of the colon and which then lead to Diverticulitis do not cause any kind of problems and, in most of the cases, they are not diagnoses until the patient performs a routine medical examination. In what concerns the disease itself it is easy to diagnose because of the sudden attacks which characterizes it. In both of the cases, the doctor will probably recommend you to take a blood test and an x-ray test. However, Diverticulitis can be difficult to diagnose, as it can be misidentified with a pelvic inflammation, an irritable bowel syndrome or appendicitis. This disease evolves in a fast rhythm and you should visit your doctor as fast as possible if you experience any of the symptoms described above.

The treatment which the doctor will prescribe you will depend on the severity of the disease; he will also take into consideration if you have already suffered from another attack of Diverticulitis. If the disease is diagnosed in its first stage, then the doctor will probably recommend you just a diet with a low quantity of fiber foods and some antibiotics. But if you suffer from a more severe form of the disease or you have already experienced one or more attacks, the doctor should choose a more advanced treatment. There are three ways of treatment which your doctor can choose from: home care, hospitalization and surgery. If the patient is prescribed home care, he should remain in bed for a few days in order to rest and he has to avoid some products for a period of time. These products include: fruits, grains and some vegetables. However, the symptoms will probably ameliorate in just a few days and, after that, the patient can gradually add fiber foods in his diet. In addition to rest and a certain diet, the doctor can also prescribe some antibiotics in order to eliminate the bacteria which caused the infection. If your medical condition is quite bad, your doctor will probably recommend you hospitalization in order to reduce the risk of the appearance of peritonitis; during hospitalization, you will also be administrated intravenous antibiotics.

If the part of the colon which is affected in the case of Diverticulitis is bigger than a few centimeters, the doctor will choose to perform a surgery in order to remove that part. There are two kinds of interventions: primary bowel resection and colostomy. The first type of intervention is the most common one and consists of the removal of the affected part of the colon and the reconnection of the healthy parts. In order to remove the infected parts of the colon, the doctor can choose a traditional surgery or a laparoscopic intervention. The second type of surgery, the colonoscopy, is necessary only if the infected area is so big that the reconnection of the healthy parts is impossible. In order to prevent the appearance of Diverticulitis, people should pay more attention to what they eat, they should drink more fluids and they should exercise more.