Diverticulitis is an inflammation and infection of diverticula, which are pouches found in the colon wall. Complications such as perforations or tears, blockages, bleeding, peritonitis, and abscesses can occur even with treatment. If any of these complications should happen, immediate treatment must be started to prevent the complications from worsening and possibly ending up in a life-threatening situation.
Bleeding from diverticula can be mild severe, causing the individual to go into shock. You may notice blood in the toilet or the stool. Mild bleeding usually stops by itself without treatment, while severe bleeding will require treatment or surgery.
If diverticulitis symptoms do not clear up after a few days of antibiotics, surgery may be necessary, especially if an abscess has occurred. An abscess can swell and destroy tissue. A small abscess can clear up with antibiotics alone but most require surgical intervention, especially if they are large.
Infection from the diverticula that spreads into the abdominal cavity is called peritonitis. The abdominal cavity must be cleaned, and any damaged parts of the colon must be removed. A person with peritonitis who does not receive surgical help will die.
Sometimes scarring from infection can cause a partial or total blockage of the large intestine in which the stool cannot move out of the intestine and into the rectum. If the obstruction blocks the intestine, surgery is the only option and is an emergency. Partial blockage still requires surgery, but the partial blockage is not an emergency and can be scheduled.
Someone with diverticulitis must be aware of complications that could occur so they can watch out for these signs. When symptoms worsen, immediate medical attention must be sought. Complications that do not receive immediate medical attention can become life-threatening. An individual with diverticulitis must be monitored carefully until complete healing has occurred. This requires medical follow-up during treatment and after treatment has been completed, as recurrences of diverticulitis can happen.
Individuals with diverticulitis must be informed about the disease and be active participants in the treatment process. They must be truthful with the doctor regarding the duration of symptoms and severity of symptoms. They must report all symptoms to the doctor to get an accurate medical assessment and the correct tests are ordered.
When dealing with complications from diverticulitis, the patient needs to have as much family or other support as is possible. Going through complications from any illness can be scary, and family and friends can be reassuring and assist the individual to get proper care and rest so that the body can heal.
