Diverticulitis - Symptoms, Causes, Prevention, Treatment

A careful assessment of your gut can go a long way in ensuring a healthier, disease-free life. However, this requires you to be aware and on the lookout for certain illnesses that your body may develop. If you don’t have a healthy gut, one of the most common diseases you are prone to is diverticulitis. So without any further ado, let's dive right in and learn the A-Z of diverticulitis. 

Diverticulitis is the "inflammation and/or infection of" one or more diverticula. 

Now, what are diverticula?

Diverticula are the small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system, more precisely, in the lower part of your large intestine (colon). For a more accurate understanding, refer to the below image.

Diverticulitis Causes

1. Diverticula develop when increased pressure is put on weak parts of your colon. This can be due to not eating enough fibre, which builds up waste in your colon, commonly known as constipation. 
2. Constipation places extra strain on the walls of your colon, increasing pressure and causing the little pockets (diverticula) to form in weak areas of your colon.

How Do You Know It's Diverticulitis? - Diverticulitis Symptoms & Signs

Abdominal pain is considered to be one of the most typical symptoms of diverticulitis. However, abdominal pain can indicate several problems, so one must be extremely careful while assessing themselves. If you think you have diverticulitis, watch out for these symptoms:-

1. Persistent pain for several days in the lower left side of the abdomen
2. Nausea and vomiting
3. Fever and chills
4. Abdominal tenderness
5. Constipation
6. Bright red blood in poop

Diagnosis

1. Based on your symptoms, the doctor will first rule out other causes of your symptoms by performing the following tests:-
2. Blood and urine tests - to check for signs of infection.
3. A pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy as a cause for abdominal pain.
4. A liver enzyme test to rule out infection (if you have diarrhoea).
5. A stool test if you have diarrhoea.
6. A CT scan to identify inflamed or infected pouches and determine the severity of the disease.
7. Colonoscopy to examine the inside of your insides (intestines).

Diverticulitis Treatment

1. If you are suffering from uncomplicated diverticulitis, which means your diverticulitis symptoms are mild, the treating physician may prescribe an antibiotics course to treat infection and a liquid diet for a few days while your bowel heals. **Please Note: You must complete your entire course of antibiotics even if the symptoms reside, as this medication is indicated to help kill the infection completely.
2. If the attack is severe, the treatment for diverticulitis may include:-
3. Hospitalisation
4. A course of intravenous antibiotics; and
5. Insertion of a tube which will drain the abdominal abscess
6. You'll require surgical intervention for the diverticulitis treatment if:-
7. You develop complications like a bowel abscess, fistula, or a perforation in the bowel wall.
8. You've had multiple episodes of uncomplicated diverticulitis
9. You have a weakened immune system
10. Bowel Resection with Colostomy: This is performed in critical cases, like if you have so much inflammation that it's not possible to reconnect your colon and rectum. An opening in your abdominal wall is connected to the healthy part of your colon, allowing waste to pass through the opening and into a bag. Once the inflammation goes down, the doctor may reverse the colostomy.
11. If surgery is recommended, you may have to undergo one of the following types of diverticulitis surgeries:-
12. Primary Bowel Resection: The treating surgeon removes the diseased parts of your intestines and reconnects the healthy ones.