Enema Help for Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is a disease that has to do with one or more small pockets that develop in the colon wall these pockets are called diverticula. When the diverticula become inflamed and infected it is then called diverticulitis. Diverticulitis usually occurs when bacteria has built up in the diverticula due to excrement blockage. Having healthy bowel movements are key to preventing diverticulitis, and fiber, exercise and fluids are an essential key to good bowel habits.

Prevention

• Diverticulitis can be prevented by adapting healthy lifestyle choices such as drinking lots of water, exercising for at least 30 minutes a day for as many days as you can, and eating 20 to 35 grams of high fiber rich foods a day according to the American Dietic Association. Certain cereals, vegetables, fruit, bran and brown rice are among a few of the fiber rich food choices that a person with diverticulitis can eat. Fiber is essential for moving along bodily waste in the intestines. However, too much fiber and too little water can cause constipation.

Symptoms and Enema Procedure

• The symptoms of diverticulitis include discomfort in the affected area, abdominal cramps in the lower abdomen, sporadic diarrhea and constipation, chills and fever. Since symptoms may not always be present in people suffering from diverticulitis it is not uncommon for more diverticulitis to be found by a doctor through random tests that are conducted for completely unrelated medical reasons.

  A lower gastrointestinal (GI) examination or barium enema is another way to detect diverticulitis. The barium enema allows for the intestine to be viewed in an X-ray examination because the intestine is filled with barium material. The material is then inserted inside the anus through a tube. The X-ray helps identify any inflammation. You must prepare for the barium enema procedure several days in advance because the colon has to be completely clear of bodily waste and gas, so you must go on a clear liquid diet for one to three days. Any beverage that is non-carbonated and clear is able to be consumed. Sometimes laxatives are used in combination with a clear liquid diet make sure that all the excrement is flushed out of the body. Diverticulitis is more often than not found through random tests that are conducted under the doctor's orders for unrelated reasons. Tests that can be done to detect diverticulitis are CT scans, ultra sound, colonoscopy or an X-ray. In some cases an angiography procedure will be done to people that experience intense rectal bleeding.