Diverticulitis is one of those conditions with few or no symptoms at all. Thus, it is quite difficult to diagnose and patients might not even be aware that they already have this particular condition until it is too late. Take time to learn more about this condition and symptoms of diverticulitis to guard your health.
First off, what causes diverticulitis? It is considered as resulting from raised intraluminal colonic pressure that affects the sigmoid colon, which is the portion of your colon that has the tiniest diameter. This is the area that is mostly affected by this particular condition. There are various claims as to what could possibly cause this particular condition with some suggesting it is lack of dietary fiber, especially non-soluble fiber. There are also various food substances that are identified to aggravate an existing condition of diverticulitis, such as nuts, corn, and seeds.
The symptoms of diverticulitis range from any of the following: constipation, bloating, mild cramps, diarrhea, and abdominal pain. In some cases, the diverticulitis disease will also cause a narrowing on your left colon, resulting in a painful sensation whenever the stool passes through that area when having bowel movement. However, doctors warn about the similarity in the symptoms of diverticulitis with other related diseases like stomach ulcers and inflammatory bowel diseases. Doctors therefore advise that you seek medical attention to ensure that you are properly diagnosed for this condition before administering treatment.
One of the initial symptoms of diverticulitis is a tender sensation on the left side of your abdomen, especially in the lower part. In case there is an infection, then other symptoms could also arise including fever, vomiting, and nausea. The disease creates rupture on the affected area in your colon that also facilitates in the spread of the bacteria that is causing the infection. It is therefore important to identify the symptoms as soon as possible to ensure that you can treat the condition and keep it from spreading further.
Diverticulitis could potentially develop into a more serious complication, depending on the extent and severity of your symptoms. There are some cases wherein the problem can extend to the urinary bladder that results in an infection and there will also be intestinal gas making its way to your urine. In more severe cases, diverticular bleeding could also occur as the infection reaches the blood vessel. You will know if you have developed this condition because there will be the appearance of red-maroon blood on your rectal passage. In addition, this complication would arise even without any painful sensation in your abdomen. The blood that is also secreted on your right colon is also black in color.
In case there is active bleeding as one of the symptoms of diverticulitis, it is important that the patient seeks medical attention. They might even require hospitalization to ensure that their condition is properly monitored for progress.
Make sure you learn and understand the risks involved in the symptoms of diverticulitis to ensure that you can prevent further danger. Now that you know what the basic symptoms are, you can be on the lookout for any abnormalities in your system.
