Acute diverticulitis: what it is, what symptoms it manifests itself with and how it is treated

There diverticulosis of the colon it is not a rare condition. There are cases in which it is asymptomatic, others in which the it can evolve into a symptomatic disease with or without inflammation and transform into acute or chronic diverticulitis. Diverticulitis, specifically, is theinflammation with or without infection of a diverticulum (a small pouch that forms in the wall of the intestine at the level of the digestive system or, above all, the colon) and can be uncomplicated or made acute by manifestations such as perforation, fistulas, obstruction, bleeding.

The prevalence of diverticulosis increases with age and if in young people under the age of 30 it is estimated at around 1-2%, towards the age of 50 it increases up to 30%, while in the elderly around 80-85 years it is around 65% diffusion.

Often, however, diverticulosis is just an “accident”: essentially it is discovered during the execution of a diagnostic test carried out for another reason and becomes a disease in a relatively small percentage of cases, around 15-20%, that is, when The presence of diverticula is associated with real symptoms.

L'Italian Association of Hospital Gastroenterologists and Digestive Endoscopists (AIGO) recently intervened with a note to dispel common false beliefs and clarify how to deal with this widespread disorder, even with a correct diet.

Symptoms of diverticulosis

Constipation, meteorism (flatulence), changes in the bowel and/or typical symptoms of the irritable colon they can be a possible indicator of diverticula, as reported by the Veronesi Foundation website. When one or more of them becomes inflamed, it is called diverticulitis who gives signs of himself with a localized pain In the lower left quadrant of theabdomen sometimes accompanied by fever, nausea or vomit or even from diarrheal discharges.

In rare cases, diverticula can cause complications and give rise to bleeding, and therefore to anemia and iron deficiency, but also to very significant abdominal pain and, in the most serious cases, to intestinal perforation resulting in peritonitis.

Diverticulosis, what causes it

Numerous studies have suggested a correlation between the onset of diverticulosis and the presence of specific risk factors, such as a diet based on highly processed foods it's at low fiber content, alteration of the intestinal microbiota, sedentary lifestyle, impaired intestinal motility, obesity, smoking, high use of NSAIDstoopioid analgesics And corticosteroidsin addition to genetic predisposition.

Diverticulosis: how to intervene

The need for one pharmacological therapy it occurs only for symptomatic forms, approximately 15-20% of the total. In most cases There is no need to undergo therapy due to the simple presence of diverticula.

In the mildest formsin which i symptoms are similar to those of “irritable” bowelthe therapy will be based on the regularization of the bowel and on the possible use of antispasmodics, probiotics, antibiotics, antimeteoric And intestinal anti-inflammatories. In case of pain, treatment may be recommended paracetamol.

In the acute diverticulitis not complicated are important the fast (intravenous nutrition must be used), the administration of antipyretics and painkillers such as paracetamol and possibly antibiotics, always intravenously.
In complicated forms, in addition to these aids, more advanced medical intervention may be required and specific therapies.

Some attention should instead be paid to the use of drugs: non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, acetylsalicylic acid and cortisone, due to their harmful action on the intestinal mucosa and opioid analgesics, due to the negative effect on intestinal motility, should be taken with caution.

What prevention?

Patients with diverticulosis, at the end of each medical evaluation, ask if there is a reliable recipe to certainly avoid inflammation, thus avoiding a first episode of diverticulitis or subsequent new episodes. There is no clear scientific evidence but clinical experience leads us to believe that one good regularity of the bowel movementaadequate physical activitya reduced consumption of red meattogether with one good fiber intakewithin a “Mediterranean diet”, can be useful.

Healthy balanced diet concept. Selection of rich fiber sources vegan food. Vegetables fruit seeds beans ingredients for cooking. Copy space backgroundAamulya

It is also proven that seeds, dried fruit and, in general, the fibers contained in fruit and vegetables play a protective role and can help reduce or slow down the formation of the diverticula themselves, reducing the pressure created inside the colon.