Diverticulitis of Colon – A Closer Look at the Condition

Diverticulitis is often thought of as similar to diverticulosis. The two medical conditions, as their names suggest, are indeed strongly related. The key difference is that diverticulitis is a progression of diverticulosis, which is to say that the former develops or stems form the latter. Diverticulosis is developed when diverticula, which are basically small pouches, are formed outside of the colon. When these small pouches become inflamed or infected, diverticulitis results. If you suspect you have or have actually been diagnosed with diverticulitis, it is best to read up on the matter and become better informed.

Diverticulitis of colon has its roots in the development of raised or lifted pressures in the intraluminal colon. The colon has different parts and portions, and the one with the smallest diameter is the sigmoid colon. Because it has the smallest diameter, the sigmoid colon is naturally expected to experience the highest level of intraluminal colonic pressure. This, in turn, results to the development of any of the many diverticular diseases, including colonic diverticulitis.

While diverticulosis involves few and mild symptoms, diverticulitis of colon is characterized by tenderness, as well as pain, in the left side of the lower section of the abdomen. When inflammation or infection hits the diverticula, there are also expected incidents of vomiting, nausea, an overall warm or hot feeling without the presence of fever, constipation, and cramps in the abdomen. Depending on how far the infection has spread and the complications that have already arisen, the severity of said symptoms varies. Most patients of the condition report that the pain gradually increases as the day progresses, generally starting off with a slight discomfort that develops into sharp, shooting pains. The symptoms of diverticulosis are often mistaken as symptoms of some other medical condition, particularly that of stomach ulcer and irritable bowel syndrome or IBS. The symptoms of diverticulitis, on the other hand, are likened to those of appendicitis, but doctors are unlikely to misdiagnose it because unlike in appendicitis, the abdominal pain in diverticulitis is in the left side.

Diverticulitis of colon may be acute or chronic. Discharged patients of the medical condition, whether of the acute or chronic form, are generally advised to switch to a low-fiber diet in order to help their colon heal fast and function better than ever. As the period of convalescence passes by, a high-fiber diet is then recommended. Chronic diverticulitis is harder to treat. Even with a high-fiber diet, the chances of recurrence are high when the condition worsens and receives medical attention much later than the ideal time. The good news is that while it can be difficult, treating chronic diverticulitis is still possible. In some instances, the affected area of the colon that plays host to the infected diverticula needs to be surgically removed. Most people fear surgery and the risks it poses, but in cases where diverticulitis repeats its symptoms time and time again, the risks of complications that may arise from the condition clearly overrides the total risk of surgery.