Test for Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is a condition which affects the digestive system and can be prevented or lessened through lifestyle and diet. It is recommended that a high fiber diet, regular exercise and plenty of fluids will help maintain good colon and bowel health.

What is Diverticulitis?

• Typically, diverticula occur after the age of forty and are small bulging pouches that can be found in the esophagus, small intestine, and stomach, but are most commonly found in the large intestine, also called the colon. Many people have diverticula which never cause any problems; however, when one or more diverticula in your digestive tract becomes inflamed or infected, diverticulitis occurs.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of this condition can vary from constipation to diarrhea. There can also be nausea, vomiting and fever. In severe cases, patients can experience an inflammation in the colon leading to a bowel obstruction. In many cases, patients have no symptoms and the condition is found during testing for other intestinal problems.

Causes

• How the diverticula become infected is not really known. There are a few theories. One theory is that since the opening of the diverticula is so narrow, an obstruction can reduce the supply of blood to that area, which causes inflammation. Another theory suggests that the same narrow opening can trap fecal matter and cause infection of the area. The end result is that diverticula become inflamed and protrude through the wall of the colon, causing diverticulitis.

Testing

• Most of the time, diverticulitis is diagnosed when a patient has a severe attack. This is typically characterized by acute abdominal pain and tenderness. A blood sample can be taken to check for an increase in white blood cell count, which indicates infection. One of the easiest ways to detect diverticulitis is through direct visualization. This can be done through the use of a sigmoidoscope, which is a short flexible tube or a longer flexible tube called a colonoscope. Both have tiny video cameras at the tip and are inserted through the rectum and into the colon for direct viewing of the area. In some cases, your physician may order a CAT scan, which is a highly sensitive x-ray that will detect the infected or inflamed pouches.

Treatment

• Treatment can vary depending on the severity of the condition. If your symptoms are occasional and mild, a low fiber diet along with antibiotics may be all the treatment that is required. However, if you have an acute attack of diverticulitis with the risk of bowel obstruction, you may require hospitalization with an intravenous treatment of antibiotics. Continual attacks may require more serious treatment, such as surgery, to remove the area of the colon which is diseased. Any course of treatment should be thoroughly discussed with your health care professional.