DIVERTICULITIS: Symptoms, Causes, & Complications

Here are the symptoms, causes, and complications of diverticulitis

DIVERTICULITIS – This condition is described as the infection or inflammation of pouches, called diverticula, that can form in your intestines.

These pouches can show up anywhere in your intestine and they are basically not harmful. However, when they become infected or inflamed, then you will acquire the condition of diverticulitis. This condition can be minor but at times it can be severe.

diverticulitis
Photo courtesy of Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

SYMPTOMS

  • Cramping on the left side of your abdomen that goes away after you pass gas or have a bowel movement
  • Bright red blood in your poop
  • Abdominal pain and fever

TYPES

Acute
– one or more severe attacks of infection and inflammation

Chronic
– inflammation and infection may go down but never clear up completely
– the inflammation can lead to a bowel obstruction, which may cause constipation, thin stools, diarrhea, bloating, and belly pain, over time
– abdominal pain and tenderness will increase, and you may feel sick to your stomach or throw up when the obstruction continues

CAUSES

  • being overweight
  • Smoking cigarettes
  • Not getting enough exercise
  • Eating lots of fat and red meat but not much fiber
  • Taking certain kinds of drugs, including steroids, opioids, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen or naproxen

COMPLICATIONS

You may acquire abscesses. It is the collections of pus from the infection and this may form around the infected diverticula. You could get peritonitis once these go through the intestinal wall. You need to see a doctor immediately because this situation can be life-threatening.

Abscesses can be a result of the perforation or tearing in the intestinal wall because of waste leaking into the abdominal cavity. Another complication is scarring which can lead to a stricture or blockage of the intestine. If an infected diverticulum reaches a nearby organ and forms a connection, a fistula may develop. Usually, this happens between the large intestine and the bladder. According to the article from Web MD, this can also lead to a kidney infection.

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