Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis FAQs
By Jarrett Kruse
The colon is a long tube-like structure that stores and then eliminates waste material. Pressure that builds up within the colon causes bulging pockets of tissue or sacs that push out from the colonic walls as a person ages. A small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall is called a diverticulum. When a diverticulum ruptures and becomes infected, the condition is called diverticulitis. Diverticulitis symptoms include abdominal pain, abdominal tenderness, and fever. Diverticula can occur throughout the colon but are most common near the end of the left colon called the sigmoid colon.
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A patient who suffers the consequences of diverticulosis in a perforated colon is referred to as having a diverticular disease. A high fiber diet and fiber supplements are advisable to prevent constipation and the formation of more diverticula. Patients with mild symptoms abdominal pain due to muscular spasm in the area of the diverticula may benefit from anti-spasmodic drugs such as Librax, Bentyl, Donnatal and Levsin.
When diverticulitis related infection or inflammation spreads outside the colon, the colon’s tissue may stick to nearby tissues causing a fistula. A fistula is an abnormal connection of tissue between two organs or between an organ and the skin. So when damaged tissues come into contact with each other during infection, they sometimes stick together. If they heal that way, a fistula forms. The organs usually involved are the bladder, intestine problems, and skin. The most common type of fistula occurs between the bladder and the colon. This type of fistula can result in a severe, long-lasting infection of the urinary tract. Many people believe in a special diet for diverticulitis. They think they must avoid tiny seeds, grains, lettuce, and other high fiber containing foods for fear that they will lodge in the diverticula and cause inflammation. Eat an adequate amount of fiber. You need at least 30 grams of fiber each day. Eat raw fruits and vegetables; they have more fiber than cooked or canned foods, or juice. Drink plenty of fluids because a high fiber diet requires lots of liquids. Fiber acts as a sponge in your large intestine. Any continued inflammation of the intestines can be a sign of Crohn’s disease so it is important to monitor.
