Treatment for Diverticulitis – When to Call a Health Professional

 Diverticulitis is a digestive disease that develops in the colon or large intestine. This condition is a progression of diverticulosis, another digestive disease that involves the formation of diverticula or small pouches in the said intestine. In diverticulitis, these small pouches become inflamed or infected, giving way to potentially fatal complications when left ignored and untreated. Because diverticulitis can hit anyone regardless of age, it is best to know about the treatment for diverticulitis, from recognizing the signs to knowing when exactly to call a health professional.

When a person develops diverticula in the colon, there are very few symptoms, if any at all, that make known this development. Moreover, the signs of diverticulosis are similar to those of other medical conditions, like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), menstrual cramps, or stomach ulcers. Such signs include nausea, diarrhea, constipation, the appearance of bright red blood in the stool in some cases, cramps, and profuse sweating. This is why diverticulosis is often mistaken to be some other disease, prompting the inflammation or infection of the diverticula and diverticulitis develops. The symptoms of diverticulitis are more overt and painful, specifically abdominal pain in the lower left side of the area.

The treatment for diverticulitis varies from patient to patient. Traditional treatments are still popular among doctors, and this includes bed rest, the regular intake of prescribed pain relievers, the use of muscle relaxers, antibiotic therapy, a liquid diet, and surgery, in rare and severe cases. An initial episode of diverticulitis that is acute can be treated using conservative medical management, IV fluid resuscitation, and antibiotics to fight off gram-negative rods and a spectrum of bacteria. Upon discharge, a low-residue diet must be followed in order to continue bowel rest and ample healing time for the colon.

There is also an available alternative treatment for diverticulitis that health professionals recommend and this is no less than increasing dietary fiber in the patient’s body in order to prevent attacks of diverticulitis, whether mild or already in the severe form. It has been proven that alterations in diet can reduce the symptoms, already mentioned above, of diverticulitis. A high-fiber diet is strongly suggested because it helps soften stool and relieves constipation and the abdominal pain and cramps that come with it. A high-fiber diet also improves overall digestion and boosts proper blood circulation in the stomach and kidney areas.

There are incidents that can take place which warrant the immediate attention of a competent health professional. These incidents involve the manifestation of symptoms of severe attacks of diverticulitis. If you experience pain in the abdominal area that is confined in one spot as opposed to a general feeling of pain in the entire area, have fever and/or chills, feel nauseated and want to vomit or are already vomiting, have a swollen abdomen, notice unusual alterations in your bowel movement routine and your stool’s appearance, suffer from pain that increases when you try to move, feel a burning sensation upon urination, and – if you’re a woman – have an abnormal discharge from your vagina, it is best to consult a doctor right away. More often than not, serious cases that have fistula, peritonitis, abscess, and other complications require hospital requirement and elective or immediate surgery as treatment.