Diverticulitis Symptoms: What To Eat With Diverticulitis?

What Is Diverticulitis?

Diverticula are bulges in the wall of the esophagus, small intestine or colon. Normally they can do any harm. When diverticulitis are one or more of these bulges inflamed. This happens when there is food residue in the diverticula are left behind who are going to rot.

What are the symptoms of diverticulitis?
Most people with diverticulitis suffer from fever, nausea, abdominal distension and pain in the lower left corner of the abdomen. The pain occurs suddenly or gradually. The stool is often abnormally: very thin (diarrhea) or hard (constipation). There may also be some blood when sitting.

A slight case of diverticulitis heals by itself. In case of serious complaints or if the doctor thinks there are complications (for example, a tearing of a diverticulum) you will be hospitalized. Sometimes surgery is needed.

What to eat with diverticulitis?
You reduces the risk of diverticulitis by plenty of fiber to eat (fruit, vegetables and whole grains), at least two liters of fluid per day and to drink enough to move. There remain not so fast food residues in the diverticula.

Complications Of Diverticulitis

If a diverticulum is inflamed, the inflammation sometimes over on the intestinal wall or other organs in the abdomen. This inflamed diverticula worries in some patients for abnormal new connections (fistulae) between the colon and other organs, usually the bladder. Through the newly formed hallway there are gut bacteria in the bladder. That causes inflammation in the urinary tract. These fistulas are more common in men than in women. Sometimes also fistulas between the colon and the small intestine, uterus, vagina or abdominal wall.

In people who have more often suffer from diverticulitis can the diverticula cracks (perforating). If that happens, crack the gut on that weak spot open and comes the stool in the abdominal cavity. This can be a dangerous peritonitis. You will then get severe pain complaints and often high fever. In case of a bowel perforation you need immediate surgery.

How Does The Doctor That You Have Diverticulitis?

Slightly diverticulitis is usually no research is needed. Maybe it does the GP a blood test.

Are you referring to a medical specialist, it will do one of the following examinations:

1. An x-ray examination of the colon;
2. A colonoscopy;

Of the above investigations should the doctor a liquid or a viewing tube in the intestine. In people who have a lot of pain are those investigations often unpleasant. In this case, the doctor also diagnosed with a CT scan.

What Can You Do For Diverticulitis

At a slight case of diverticulitis, you don't need to do anything. Diverticulitis is usually reverts. Take rest if you have pain or if not feeling well. Would you use a painkiller, take acetaminophen. Painkillers such as diclofenac, naproxen or ibuprofen can irritate the intestinal wall.

When you should contact your GP?

1. The abdominal pain is worse.
2. You vomit.
3. There is blood in the stool.
4. You have fever above 39 degrees.
5. You is getting sicker.
6. You are drowsy.

At complications you must be in a hospital. You will receive an infusion of moisture, nutrients and medicines. You need a lot of rest. Until the symptoms disappear, you may start slowly with regular diet. First liquid nutrition, then soft and low fiber and eventually high-fiber diet.

If the symptoms, the doctor will recommend you have surgery. In the operation retrieves a portion of the colon with the inflamed diverticulum by bus or boat. The doctor then put the healthy parts of the intestine back together again. Sometimes can't do that right away. For example, when the intestine is very inflamed. Then submit the doctor a temporary stoma. This is a major surgery. The doctor will be here only as a precaution for choose. For example if you have a lot of risk on a bowel perforation.

What Can You Eat When You Have Diverticulitis?

When diverticulitis, it is important that the stool smooth by the intestine. Therefore, you need high fiber food: plenty of vegetables, fruit and whole grain products. Fibers provide softer stool. That is faster and easier through the intestine than hard stools. The chances of inflamed diverticula bypassing. Also in diarrhea are fibers useful because they absorb moisture. The loose stools is thus thicker. If you are going to eat more fiber, you have in the beginning maybe more suffer from flatulence, a swollen or rumbling in the intestines. This is because the intestines have to get used to the new way of eating. It comes spontaneously.

Drink at least two liters of fluid per day. If you do not drink enough fiber rich food, the symptoms even worse.

Divide the meals on the day. As you stimulate the bowel movements. The intestine than the whole day. A breakfast helps the bowel at the beginning of the day to get going.