Diverticulitis
What is it?
Sometimes, with age, the inner, lining layer
of the large intestine bulges out through the
outer, muscular layer. The bulges look like small
pouches and are called diverticula. The presence
of diverticula in the colon is called diverticulosis.
Diverticulitis
occurs when the diverticula become inflamed and
infected because they are blocked with stool. If
the inflammation is severe, a hole (perforation)
may form in the wall of the intestine. On rare
occasions, perforation may lead to peritonitis,
which is the inflammation of the lining of the
abdomen and is a potentially serious condition.
Who gets it?
The chance of developing diverticula increases
with age, so that by the age of 50, about 20 -
50% of all people will have some diverticula. By
the age of 90, virtually everyone will have
developed some diverticula. However, you may have
diverticulosis, but never develop diverticulitis.
What causes it?
Healthcare providers believe a low fiber diet
is the main cause of diverticul itis. If your
diet is high in processed foods, you may be
lacking the fiber that is necessary to keep the
colon clean. The disease is rare in Asia and
Africa, where people eat high fiber vegetable
diets.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of diverticulitis may include
alternating diarrhea and constipation; severe,
intermittent cramps in the lower left side of the
abdomen; tenderness in the lower left side of the
abdomen; chills or fever; and rectal bleeding.
Diagnosis
Your healthcare provider will review your
symptoms and examine you. He or she may perform a
sigmoidoscopy, which is an exam of the rectum and
lower end of the large intestine using a lighted
viewing instrument. He or she may order a
colonoscopy or barium enema, which are other
procedures used to examine the intestines and
colon. Diagnosis may also require blood tests.
Treatment
For uncomplicated diverticulosis, your
healthcare provider may recommend a high fiber
diet and perhaps use of stool softeners. For an
attack of acute diverticulitis, you will probably
be hospitalized. Your treatment will include
antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and nasogastric
suction, a procedure that relieves pressure in
the intestine.
In most cases requiring surgery, the surgeon
removes the diseased section of the intestine and
joins the remaining sections together. Some
patients require a temporary colostomy. A
colostomy is an operation to bring part of the
large intestine to the abdominal surface to form
a new opening for bowel movements. Diverticulitis
is usually mild and should respond well to
antibiotics and changes in diet.
Self-care tips
To prevent diverticulitis, eat regular,
nutritious meals containing high fiber foods, such
as fruits and vegetables, drink plenty of water,
watch for changes in bowel movements (from
constipation to diarrhea), get enough rest and
sleep, and do not eat indigestible seeds such as
popcorn kernels. Discuss avoidance of certain
foods, such as whole-kernel corn and peanuts, with
your healthcare provider. If you have
diverticulitis, always follow your doctor’s
prescribed treatments.
Physicians who treat diverticulitis
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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