Diverticula and Diverticulitis: Understanding the causes, symptoms and treatment options

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Some people feel constipated or suffer from diarrhea. Many do not know that they may be showing symptoms of diverticulitis. This intestinal disease can be harmful if not closely monitored. Therefore, we have prepared this article so that you know the origin, causes, symptoms and treatment to have a healthier life.

What is diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis is a disease that involves inflammation or infection of small bags, or pouches, that form in the walls of the colon (large intestine), called diverticula.

There are many causes that lead to the formation of diverticula in the large intestine, such as constipation and a low-fiber diet, being more common to appear in patients over 50 years old.

Fibers are present in vegetables, fruits, greens, whole grains and seeds. These are the foods responsible for maintaining the health of the colon, preventing intestinal constipation, among other benefits.

Causes of diverticula and diverticulitis

As mentioned above, an important cause is a diet low in fiber, which leads to constipation. Thus, as more force is required to press the colon and intestines, there are failures in the mucosa, allowing it to cross the muscle of the colon, generating a saturation outside the intestine, while inside a small hole is visualized.

Other causes can also be listed, such as weakness of the colon muscles with age, changes in muscle fibers and others.

This is an intestinal alteration that most commonly appears as the person ages. At least a third of the population over 50 years old, may have diverticula in the colon.

It is important to understand that diverticula (diverticulosis) is an alteration, where there may be accumulation of feces in these diverticula, leading to local inflammation, generating the picture we call diverticulitis (inflammation of the diverticulum).

Thus, having diverticula is not synonymous with diverticulitis. Only when there is inflammation does the picture of diverticulitis present itself.

Unfortunately, it is still very little understood why diverticulitis occurs, which makes its prevention difficult.

Symptoms of diverticulosis and diverticulitis

In most cases, patients with diverticulosis (presence of diverticula, without inflammation) do not show symptoms, being mostly found in colonoscopy or enema exams.

However, cases of diverticulitis, because they have an inflammatory character, can present signs and symptoms such as:

• Chills;
• Abdominal pain;
• Nausea and vomiting;
• Diarrhea and constipation;
• Fever.

If one of these symptoms is present in your life, consider the need to seek help. In the next topic, we will see how the disease can be treated.

Treatment options for diverticulosis and diverticulitis

Diverticulosis, or the simple presence of diverticula does not require treatment. What is guided in these cases is to prevent and treat constipation, through the intake of fibers and dietary habits.

However, in diverticulitis some patients feel acute pains caused by the inflammatory picture. In these cases, analgesics and antibiotics are used, sometimes with the need for hospitalization in order to avoid the picture of generalized infection more immediately.

Even so, if the patient does not have a good response to treatment, or the initial picture is very serious, he may receive specific treatments, such as drainage of abscesses (collections of pus formed by significant inflammation of the intestine) by skin puncture. The latter is a medical procedure in which a thin needle is inserted through the skin to access internal structures of the body, such as tumors, cysts or fluid collections. The technique is used to collect tissue samples, drain unwanted fluids or perform specific treatments.

Finally, there may be a need to perform a more invasive procedure: the removal of the portion of the intestine affected by the diverticula. In the most serious cases, when there is intestinal perforation, emergency surgery is necessary.

How to effectively deal with diverticulosis?

As we age we are more susceptible to diseases, including intestinal diseases. In addition to the body functioning more slowly, sedentary lifestyle is another factor that can lead to the appearance and increase in the amount of diverticula.

It is important to remember that physical exercise improves intestinal transit because it helps stimulate the muscles of the intestine, promoting a more efficient movement of feces through the digestive system. In addition, exercise has the potential to reduce chronic inflammation in the body, which is associated with various health conditions, including diverticulosis.

Changing some habits is important to improve the functioning of the intestine. After all, feeling pain after a happy hour with friends is not pleasant at all. So, the best way to keep health up to date is by doing physical activity and combining it with a balanced diet.

But don’t forget to drink water regularly. This habit should become a rule. In addition to benefits for the skin, fluid intake hydrates the body and helps when it comes to evacuating. It is important to remember that hardened stools are signs of little hydration. Over time, this becomes a problem that, if not taken care of at the beginning, can cause drastic consequences such as the removal of a part of the intestine.

If you feel abdominal discomfort and have difficulty evacuating regularly, seek a doctor to investigate the reason. It may be that the initial treatment is just a few changes in your lifestyle. This could already reverse the possibility of doing a more invasive treatment.

These are small cares that make a difference in intestinal health. In fact, the intestine ends up revealing how the integral health of your body is. Therefore, regularly check the frequency of evacuation and the consistency of your stools.

Diverticulosis, and consequently diverticulitis, are diseases that can affect anyone regardless of whether they have a genetic predisposition or not.

The best way to prevent diverticulosis is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, including a diet rich in fiber, stay hydrated, practice regular physical activity, among other habits that contribute to keeping your intestine healthy.

And finally, if you suspect that you are facing symptoms of diverticulitis, it is important to seek medical attention for an accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment.

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