Diverticulitis Symptoms

The colon, which is also known as the large intestine, is where waste material is stored until it is eliminated. With advancing age, leading to the weakening of the walls of the large intestine, the pressure by the waste material causes the formation of sacs or bulging pockets on the intestinal walls. These sacs are called diverticula. Although diverticula may occur throughout the large intestine, they usually form at the sigmoid colon, which is the region that is at the end of the left colon. When the colon is affected by diveticula, the condition is referred to as diverticulosis.

When the diverticula become infected the condition is known as diverticulitis. Although physicians are not quite certain why the infection occurs, it is surmised that it could be caused due to bacteria or stool being caught in the diverticula. A diverticulis attack can develop all of a sudden, without any warning.

What are the signs and symptoms of diverticulitis?

Most people who have diverticulosis have no symptoms or very few of them. The condition, in fact, is usually discovered incidentally when they go in for tests for other types of intestinal problems. About 20 percent of the people affected with diverticulosis develop the symptoms associated with it. Some of the most common signs of diverticular disease are: bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal cramping. These symptoms are linked with the difficulty in passing stool through the left colon, affected by diverticular disease.

However, when the condition worsens into diverticulitis, more serious complications like pus filled abscess forming, bleeding in the colon, obstruction in the colon, bacterial infection of the abdominal cavity due to rupturing of the colon, known as peritonitis, and bleeding within the colon can occur accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Tenderness and pain in the lower left side of the abdomen as well as fever are the usual symptoms of diverticulitis. Diarrhea or constipation could also occur. Pus collecting around the infected diverticula leads to the abscess formation, which usually occurs in the pelvis. Sometimes, the infected diverticula can even cause erosion into the urinary bladder, which leads to infection of the bladder and gas being passed during urination. Occasionally, an infected diverticulum could also rupture into the abdominal cavity leading to peritonitis, which can be a life-threatening condition.

When there is stool erosion into a blood vessel at the lower part of a diverticulum it leads to diverticulur bleeding. Red, maroon, or even darker colored clots pass through the rectum without any abdominal pain associated with it. Although rare, but the blood clots may also be black in color when there is bleeding in the right colon. The bleeding could be intermittent or continuous, and last for several days. Those who have symptoms of active bleeding are generally hospitalized in order to monitor the condition. They are given intravenous fluids in order to maintain the blood pressure. Those who have moderate to severe loss of blood may also be given blood transfusions. Rarely, if there is severe and accelerated bleeding, there could be a drop in the blood pressure, leading to shock, dizziness, as well as loss of consciousness. In most cases, there is spontaneous stoppage of the bleeding, and the patients can go home after a few days at the hospital. However, if the bleeding is severe and persistent, the bleeding diverticula may be removed surgically.

How can diverticulosis be prevented?

Once diverticula are formed, they become permanent. There is no treatment yet to prevent the complications that arise due to diverticular disease.

A high-fiber diet increases the bulk of the stool, which prevents constipation. This could help in preventing the formation of further diverticuli or an exacerbation of the condition. It is recommended to avoid popcorn, nuts or seeds, which are known to clog the openings of the diverticula, leading to infection. If you do have diverticular disease and you suddenly develop abdominal pain, chills, or fever, it is advisable to get in touch with your doctor as soon as possible.