Diverticulitis Infection: Symptoms, Side Effect Treatments, and Natural Remedies for Diverticulitis

As people tend to grow old miniature bulging pouches develop in the lining of the large intestine. These pouches are termed as diverticula. Subsequently when these pouches get infected or inflamed a very painful condition develops. This condition is called diverticulitis.

The signs and symptoms exhibited by the patients suffering from the condition of diverticulitis are given below

1. Constant pain for several days. The pain will usually occur in the lower left side of the abdomen. However, in some cases, the pain can also be felt on the right side of the abdomen.
2. Constipation
3. Fever
4. Vomiting
5. Nausea
6. Tenderness in the abdomen
7. Blood in the stool

The development of diverticula occurs when the weak places in the colon give way due to pressure. This leads to the formation of pouches which are of the size of the marbles to bulge out through the wall of the colon. Usually, the condition of diverticulitis occurs due to a tearing of diverticula which leads to infection inflammation or both. According to the experts, there are several environmental and genetic factors as well which play a part in the development of this condition.

Since the exact cause of diverticulitis is still not known thus it is very difficult to make a list of foods which may be beneficial in the condition of diverticulitis. However, there may be certain foods which can be avoided in the condition of diverticulitis as they are believed to either worsen the condition of diverticulitis or they can trigger it. Given below are some of the foods which can trigger the condition of diverticulitis

• Legumes and beans such as chickpeas, kidney beans, and lentils.
• Red meat
• Refined grains
• Fried food
• Full-fat dairy products
• Nuts
• Popcorn.

The condition of diverticulitis is usually diagnosed when a person is suffering from its acute attack. Since the main symptom of diverticulitis is abdominal pain thus a doctor would have to rule out several other conditions which may have a similar symptom. Initially, the doctor will conduct a physical examination of the patient in which he/she would check for tenderness in the abdomen. A pelvic examination would be conducted on women so that pelvic disease can be ruled out of contention. A doctor would also take into consideration the medical history of the patient. After the completion of these steps, a doctor will most likely order the following tests

• Pregnancy test for women to rule out pregnancy as a possible cause of pain in the abdomen.
• Stool test to rule out infection due to Clostridium difficile.
• To rule out urinary tract infection a urine test may be advised.
• Colonoscopy to check the gastrointestinal tract
• To check for signs of infection a blood test may be done.
• Liver function test to rule abdominal pain due to liver disease
• CT scan or MRI or abdominal ultrasound to check for the inflammation and confirming the diagnosis.

The treatment for the condition of diverticulitis depends upon the severity of the condition.

For people suffering from the condition of uncomplicated diverticulitis the doctor may recommend oral antibiotics to treat the infection, over the counter pain relieving medications like acetaminophen, and liquid diet until the condition of the bowel heals.

If people are suffering from the condition of complicated diverticulitis the doctor may prescribe the following treatment

• Insertion of the tube so that the abscess from the abdomen can be drained out.
• Intravenous antibiotics to bring relief in infection.

A doctor may also recommend surgery in some rare cases. The conditions which may require surgical intervention are given below

• If a person has had several episodes of uncomplicated diverticulitis.
• If the immunity of a person is wek.
• If a complicated condition like obstruction, fistula, or abscess occur in the wall of the bowel.

There are two types of surgeries which can be conducted Bowel resection with colostomy: in this surgery, the infected portions of the colon are removed surgically and the part of the section which is healthy is attached to the stoma. This surgery can be conducted either through laparoscopy or open surgery. Primary bowel resection: in this surgery, the infected portion of the colon is removed surgically by the surgeon and the segments which are healthy are reattached.

Approximately ¼ th of the people suffering from the condition of diverticulitis experience some additional side effects of the condition. Some of the side effects which may be experienced are given below

• An obstruction in the colon due to scarring.
• Development of an abnormal passageway between the bowel sections or between the bladder and the bowel.
• Formation of abscess when the pus gets collected in the pouches.
• A condition of peritonitis may occur in the patient. This condition occurs when the pouch which is infected gets ruptured. This leads to the contents of the intestine being spilled into the abdominal cavity. If this condition occurs immediate medical attention is required.

There are natural remedies available for the majority of the medical conditions that can affect a human being.

These remedies provide a solution of reducing or eliminating the symptoms of the medical condition by making use of substances which occur naturally. Similarly, there are some natural remedies also available for providing relief in the condition of diverticulitis

• Incorporating foods rich in probiotics like yogurt can help in alleviating the symptom of diverticulitis. According to a recent study, the good bacteria in the probiotics are beneficial in treating the condition of diverticulitis.
• Aloe vera juice can be very advantageous for the people suffering from the condition of diverticulitis as it not only stimulates the proper functioning of muscles in the digestive tract but it also alleviates constipation which is one of the major symptoms of this condition
• The risk of diverticulitis gets reduced by approximately 40 percent if a person can incorporate exercise in his daily routine.
• Cooking a meal with ginger and turmeric can be very good in treating the condition of diverticulitis as they both boast of anti-inflammatory properties.
• Sipping marshmallow tea is highly advantageous for patients with diverticulitis as the brew of the marshmallow tea is loaded with compounds which provide a protective coating around the irritated tissues of the intestine.

The condition of diverticulitis is more common in people above the age group of 45 years. More than 65 percent of the people above the age of 80 get affected by the condition. Nearly 10 percent of the people below the age of 40 have a chance of suffering from this condition. It would not be wrong to say that as the age increases the incidence of diverticulitis also increases.

In the western world, the condition of diverticulitis is very common. In the majority of the scenarios this condition gets treated by making some changes in the diet however, a doctor may recommend medicine or surgical intervention based on the severity of the condition. There are some natural remedies as well which help in alleviating the problems associated with diverticulitis.