Diverticulitis is a condition marked by the inflammation of small sacs or pouches in the walls of the colon.
Medical professionals refer to such pockets, which can also grow elsewhere in the body, as diverticula. If there is just one pouch, it is called a diverticulum.
How Is Diverticulitis Different from Diverticulosis?
It’s common for these pockets to actually move and push out the area where the lining has been thinned on the colon.
When this happens, it is known as diverticulosis.
If the diverticula are pushing on the wall of the colon and have become inflamed or irritated, the diagnosis is going to be diverticulitis. Just about twenty five percent of those who get diverticulosis come down with diverticulitis.
It is not yet known why this inflammation or irritation takes place, even though there have been a lot of studies done. The main cause is probably fecal matter or bacterium that is lodged in the sacs.
Both diverticulitis and diverticulosis rarely occur in third world countries. This is probably because populations in the industrialized nations are not getting the proper dietary fiber.
Diverticulitis Symptoms
Some of the common indications of diverticulitis are stomach aches, which include a pain in the left side of the abdomen. It’s not uncommon for this discomfort to begin suddenly without any warning.
But it may also start slowly and get worse in the affected area. It may take a week for the pain to become severe.
Symptoms your doctor will consider in making a diagnosis include:
- How high your temperature is
- Whether you have been vomiting
- Whether you’re feeling sick to the stomach
- If you’ve had cramps
- Constipation
The more of these symptoms you have, the more serious your case of diverticulitis is likely to be.
Those who have diverticulitis may experience the following:
- Unusual bleeding
- An unusual number of infections
- torn colon tissue
A physician should be contacted as soon as these symptoms begin to appear.
Sometimes, you may need a surgical consultant to see if an operation will be needed to correct the problem.
If left untreated, these symptoms can grow worse and can lead to other health problems.
What to Do About Diverticulitis
The treatment will depend upon the severity of the case. Sometimes, all you need to do is increase your intake of fluids. Other times, an surgical intervention and a hospital stay may be needed. To learn more about this and related topics, click on diverticulitis and diverticulosis or colon health.
