Signs & Symptoms of Diverticular Disease

The digestive system can start to show some wear and tear after a while, and diverticular disease is one of those conditions that can develop in a person's later years. To diagnose for diverticular disease, a doctor will normally check the patient's abdomen for tenderness, use a blood test to check for infection, and then have the patient undergo an imaging test such as a CT scan. In order to properly diagnose diverticular disease, other conditions that elicit similar symptoms, such as appendicitis, need to be ruled out.

Identification

• As a person ages, small pouches known as diverticula can start to appear on the walls and linings of the various parts of the digestive system. The most common place for them to form is inside the large intestine. The formation of these pouches is a condition known as diverticulosis. Diverticulosis is fairly common, and most people who have it do not suffer any symptoms. In some cases, however, the pouches become inflamed or infected; then the condition becomes diverticulitis and requires treatment.

Effects

• One of the most common initial symptoms of diverticulitis is pain. In the majority of the cases this pain is sudden and very sharp. In other cases the pain is relatively mild at first, but over the span of a few days it can develop into a more consistent and severe pain. Regardless of the severity or type of pain, it is usually located in the lower left region of the abdomen. Other symptoms that may go along with this abdominal pain are a tenderness in the abdominal wall, a fever, and nausea that may be accompanied by vomiting.

Potential

• To add to the pain there are other symptoms of diverticular disease that can occur as the condition advances. These symptoms include intermittent bouts of diarrhea and constipation, a bloating feeling in the abdominal region, and rectal bleeding that may show up in the stool or after a bowel movement. Later stages of diverticular disease may also add chills and night sweats to go along with the fever and painful abdominal cramps.

Prevention/Solution

• The most common treatment after an attack of diverticulitis is to go on a liquid diet for several days and allow the condition to heal itself. A doctor may prescribe a series of antibiotics designed to kill any infection that may have triggered the attack, and she may recommend going back to solid foods that are high in fiber after a few days. More severe attacks may require an intravenous antibiotic administered in a hospital. For extreme cases a surgical procedure known as a bowel resection may be necessary. This is where the diseased portion of the intestine is removed and then the healthy sections are connected together.

Considerations

• According to the Mayo Clinic, risk factors for diverticular disease include a diet that is low in fiber, a lifestyle that does not include regular exercise, and obesity. The likelihood of contracting diverticular disease increases when a person gets past the age of 40.