It happens. You or a loved one gets the call from the doctor, and it's diverticulitis. So you wonder how did I get this? What is diverticulitis anyway? And most importantly what is the treatment?
I wrote this article to discuss some of the surprising facts about the disease and to clear up some misconceptions. As you'll see, this is an illness where your diet can truly make a difference in both your prognosis and recovery.
So what is diverticulitis? Well, the short answer is that diverticulitis is a swelling or inflammation of an abnormal pouch (diverticulum) in the intestinal wall. These pouches are usually found in the large intestine or colon. Diverticulitis occurs when bacteria gets trapped in the pouches and becomes infected.
The symptoms of the illness may last from a few hours to a week or more depending on the severity of the case, and can include any of the following: Belly pain (especially on the lower left side, that sometimes gets worse when you move), bloating and gas, fever and chills, diarrhea or constipation, nausea and vomiting, and a loss of appetite.
Here's what's surprising: The existence of the pouches (diverticula) does not necessarily mean that you will come down with diverticulitis. Doctors are not entirely sure why some people get the disease and others do not. Also surprising, diverticulitis is very common. Over half of Americans over age 60 are diagnosed with the disease.
So why do the pouches form and why are so many people are diagnosed? The current belief is that diet and age play a huge role in the formation of the diverticula. (The pouches are more common over the age of 40.) A low fiber diet is considered a major risk factor, here's why:
Doctor's think that without enough fiber to add bulk to the stool, the colon has to work harder to push the stool forward. The pressure from this exertion might cause the pouches to form. Once the pouches are formed, there are no known treatments to remove them short of surgery. Once you have the pouches, you're more susceptible to diverticulitis.
Prevention is the key here. You can greatly reduce your chance of getting the disease just by drinking plenty of water, getting regular exercise and by maintaining a diet high in fiber, meaning plenty of fruits and vegetables.
If you already have the disease, cases are typically treated with bowel rest (nothing by mouth) and a course of antibiotics. Once you're feeling better, doctor's typically recommend a high fiber diet to prevent recurrence.
So what is diverticulitis? A disease where a pound of prevention is truly worth an ounce of cure. Follow a healthy life style with a high fiber diet and you will be less likely to come down with this disease.
