The intestinal tract is a long tube structured to absorb nutrients and water from ingested food; waste products are then excreted from the bowel. Some individuals develop bowel diseases such as diverticulitis, Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, conditions that cause inflammation and infection of the intestine, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Cause
Diverticulitis forms small pouches, called diverticula, for reasons unknown. However, according to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State University, a low-fiber diet is the most likely contributor; it reports that it is rare in individuals who live in Africa or Asia, which are continents where high-fiber diets are the norm.
Inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's or ulcerative colitis, are autoimmune disorders. The body's own immune system attacks the intestinal lining, causing inflammation and infection. Crohn's disease can occur anywhere along the intestinal tract, from mouth to anus. Ulcerative colitis occurs only in the large intestine. Both conditions cause patches of inflamed tissue that can become infected, and, in severe cases can tear the intestine and predispose a person to septic shock, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Risk Factors
The incidence of diverticulitis increases if an individual has certain risk factors. For example, males are more inclined than females to develop the disease. Those who are obese or who eat a low-fiber diet are also more at risk. Finally, those who are over the age of 70 also have an increased risk, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Inflammatory bowel diseases occur more frequently in persons with a family history of the disease, who smoke and who are of Jewish dissent, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Signs and Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of diverticulitis include fever, nausea, vomiting, rectal bleeding, blood in the stool, lower left abdominal pain, gas, bloating and constipation or diarrhea, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Inflammatory bowel diseases present with fever, rectal pain, weight loss, abdominal pain and gurgling abdominal sounds, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Diagnosis
Diverticulitis and inflammatory bowel diseases are diagnosed with a sigmoidoscopy, to view the terminal portion of the colon; a colonoscopy to look at the entire colon; or by administering a barium enema and viewing the colon with a specialized X ray. Each method assesses for the presence of diverticula, or pouches and areas of severe inflammation in the intestinal lining, according to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State University.
Complications
Infection can spread through the intestinal lining, causing a condition called peritonitis. The intestinal lining can also break allowing the contents of the intestine to leak into the abdominal cavity. This is a life-threatening condition that can cause septic shock, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Treatment
A minor bout of diverticulitis is treated with oral antibiotics and a liquid diet. Major diverticulitis episodes are treated with IV antibiotics, IV antispasmotics and tube-feeding to rest the intestine. Patients that do not respond to treatment, or have perforations in the intestine, abscesses or fistula--burrowing holes between different regions--undergo surgery to remove portions of the colon, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Inflammatory bowel diseases are treated with medications to suppress the autoimmune condition and corticosteroids to decrease inflammation. Patients are instructed to follow a strict diet, avoiding allergens and food that cause diarrhea or abdominal pain. If the condition is severe, surgery is recommended to remove the affected intestine, but this is not a cure for the condition, says the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Other
Patients with diverticular disease are recommended to avoid nuts and seeds, foods that can become lodged within the diverticula, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Inflammatory bowel disease patients are advised to avoid a high-fiber diet, diary and fatty meals, this may trigger a flare-up, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center.
