Preview

Diverticulitis Research Paper

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
374 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Diverticulitis Research Paper
Diverticulitis is the inflammation of the small pouches that often line the digestive tract called diverticula. Diverticula are commonly seen in the intestine and colon where naturally weaken tissue gives way under pressure causing the pouches to protrude. The cause is unknown, but low-fiber diets and tearing accompanied by an infection usually promotes flare-ups.
Aging, obesity, smoking, high fat and low fiber diets, a sedentary lifestyle. Certain medications have been known to increase the risk of diverticulitis. These include steroids, opiates, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen and naproxen.
Symptoms include:
• Abdominal pain in the lower left side is the most commonly reported symptom,
• gas and bloating, …show more content…
Track this by keeping a food diary.
• Severe cases may require a surgical procedure called colectomy to remove the affected portion of the intestine.
Preventative care includes maintaining a healthy lifestyle which includes regular exercise and a low-fat, high-fiber diet accompanied by plenty of water. Also, avoiding foods that trigger flare-ups and foods that tend to get caught in the diverticula such as peanuts, seeds, popcorn and berries.
Prognosis
Overall the prognosis is good once the patient makes the necessary alterations to his or her lifestyle, but complications do present in around 25% of acute diverticulitis cases. Abscess, colon or small intestine blockage which is caused by scarring, fistulas between sections of bowel or the bowel and bladder, and peritonitis that occurs if the infected or inflamed pouch ruptures, spilling intestinal contents into your abdominal cavity. Peritonitis is a medical emergency and requires immediate
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Crohn's Disease Case Studies
    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Crohn's Disease Case Studies

    Nausea, vomiting and altered bowel sounds are some signs of intestinal obstruction. The intestinal obstruction is when the small or large intestine becomes blocked (partial or completely). The cause could be from previous surgery, ileus or certain kind of medication.…

    • 394 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hemroid Paper
    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hemroid Paper

    Hemorrhoids may develop as a result of repeated straining during bowel movements, pregnancy, heredity, aging, and chronic constipation or diarrhea.…

    • 660 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Diverticular Disease Case Study
    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Diverticular Disease Case Study

    Constipation and straining, can make this condition worse so it is very imperative that the patient be instructed on the importance of a high fiber diet. A high fiber diet keeps the stool soft and adds bulk allowing it to pass easily. Since many people may not know what foods are high in fiber, the recovery room nurse should be aware and be able to educate them on how to make good choices, and foods to add increased fiber to their diet. This also can benefit the physician by nursing staff providing this valuable education. Some fiber rich foods include fruits such as berries, apples and bananas, vegetables such as broccoli, carrots and squash. Beans and legumes are also fiber rich foods. Bread choices should consist of whole grain bread, brown rice, and whole grain cereals. The goal of a high fiber diet is to be eating 25-35 grams of fiber per day. If the diet is not currently high in fiber, it should be increased gradually. Too much fiber too fast can cause uncomfortable symptoms such as gas, abdominal pain and bloating. Fluid is also important to keep things moving, at least 64 ounces of liquids per day, and a regular exercise routine. Diverticulosis can lead to severe complications such as infection, bleeding and intestinal blockage. Another complication that may arise from Diverticular Disease, is Diverticulitis. This condition occurs when the pouches become inflamed and infected. During these flare ups patients treated with antibiotics and will be kept on a clear liquid diet, progress to a low fiber diet, and gradually return to normal diet after symptoms improve. (www.ucsfhealth.org). When complications do not respond to diet or medication, surgery to remove the infected area may be required.…

    • 906 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Lifestyle Or Medication Summary
    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Lifestyle Or Medication Summary

    Avoiding irritants that may irritate or upset you stomach is the most important way. Irritants that cause gastritis are aspirin, alcohol, tobacco, too much coffee, infections, stomach cancer, and certain foods. The cause can vary depending on which type of gastritis you have or are at risk for. Certain factors however, may make these lifestyle changes difficult. For example, addiction to tobacco, coffee, or alcohol use will make this change nearly impossible to you. Another difficulty is learning what foods may irritate your stomach and avoiding them even if they are your favorite…

    • 426 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Best Essays

    Hypnotherapy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • 2216 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Hypnotherapy and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

    Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common disorders of the digestive system. It is usually a disorder of the large intestine (colon), although other parts of the intestinal tract, even up to the stomach can be affected. The main functions of the colon include the absorption of water, dehydrating the contents to create a soft well-formed stool; and then movement of that stool to the point where it can evacuated from the body (Ross and Wilson 1990). This movement occurs by rhythmic contractions of the colon.…

    • 2216 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Best Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Summary: Coping With Diverticulitis
    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Summary: Coping With Diverticulitis

    Diverticulitis is a common condition in the United States, though its prevalence is growing worldwide. In the developed world, greater than 65% of adults over the age of 65 have some form of diverticular disease (McGarry, 2011). Although the condition is extremely common, severe complications requiring surgery occur in approximately 1% of patients overall (McGarry, 2011). Diverticulitis is a condition that can be acute or chronic with many different treatment and management methods as well as different considerations with each treatment option. The traditional treatments available are surgery (in extreme cases), antibiotic therapy (in most cases, in addition to other…

    • 2215 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Research Paper On Crohn's Disease
    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Research Paper On Crohn's Disease

    The symptoms of Crohn's can also reflect symptoms of other diseases and illnesses, making it hard to diagnose. Although Individuals’ symptoms vary, some of the common symptoms of the disease include; abdominal cramps, fatigue, loss of appetite, fever, diarrhea and rectal bleeding (Lashner, B. A. 2013). Crohn's disease is a chronic disease, meaning that those who have it will experience symptom free bouts, but the symptoms return eventually whether it be weeks, days, months or years later. Crohn’s is a very complex disease, there are several complications that accompany the common side effects listed previously. These accompanying complications include; ulcers, fistulas, malnutrition, bowel obstruction, and certain cancers. Many of these complications can arise due to the inflammation, symptoms and side effects, or a combination of all three (Lashner, B. A.…

    • 1302 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Diverticulitis Research Paper
    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Diverticulitis Research Paper

    These pouches are primarily found in the large intestine of the colon. Although there is not a specific proven culprit in causing diverticulitis, it is suspected that the small, narrow openings in the diverticula trap fecal material creating an infection. It is thought, not proven, that avoiding small foods such as nuts, kernels that are found in corn and popcorn, and even seeds found in some fruits like kiwi (Diverticulitis, 2012).. These small items are capable of entering the diverticula and causing a blockage. Another suspected cause of the inflammation is an obstruction in the diverticula which decreases the blood supply to the area. Although there are many general symptoms of the disease such as fever, constipation, nausea, vomiting, and bloating; there are symptoms specific to the disease. These symptoms are sudden pain, which is normally severe, located in the left lower side of the abdomen as well as tenderness, also located in the same place. When the patient becomes symptomatic they need to seek a health care provider as soon as possible. If the symptoms are ignored, other complications can occur (Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis,…

    • 1444 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Crohn's Disease
    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Crohn's Disease

    Many patients present with evidence of malabsorption, including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, weight loss, and anorexia. The disease is not always limited to the GI tract as individuals may experience symptoms outside of the intestine, which may affect the joints, bones, eyes, skin and liver. Some patients may develop tears (fissures) in the lining of the anus, which may cause pain and bleeding, especially during bowel movements. Inflammation may also cause a fistula to develop. If this complication occurs, the patient may be exposed to mucus or stool or pus from this opening and the symptoms may be mild to…

    • 1097 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Paper
    • 493 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Paper

    Some of the methods for treatment for irritable bowel syndrome is eliminating food high in gas. Eliminating gluten from your diet will also help. You can also take fiber supplements which can help with constipation. Anti-diarrheal medications will help with excessive diarrhea. If you have irritable bowel syndrome because of the amount of stress that you have, counseling could help. Medications specifically given for irritable bowel syndrome are called Alosetron and Lubiprostone which helps relax the colon and slowly help remove waste from your…

    • 493 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Crohn's Disease Analysis
    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Crohn's Disease Analysis

    Complications that may arise in the digestive tract due to Crohn's disease are total blockage within the intestine disrupting the normal process creating ulcers, fistulas, and fissures will also likely develop in reaction to this disturbance in the intestines…

    • 640 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Paper
    • 1769 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Irritable Bowel Syndrome Research Paper

    Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a disorder that can cause abdominal pain and cramping, and changes in bowel movements (“Irritable bowel syndrome”, 2011). Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a functional GI disorder (Lehrer, 2012). IBS affects a person’s colon, also known as the large intestine, but it does not cause permanent damage, which is a good thing (“Clinic Staff”, 2011)! Other symptoms can be diarrhea, constipation, and bloating gas (“Clinic staff”, 2011). Irritable Bowel Syndrome can be a very troublesome disease, causing heaps of symptoms, pain,…

    • 1769 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ulcerative Colitis Research Paper
    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Ulcerative Colitis Research Paper

    Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic, or long lasting disease of the large intestine, also known as the colon. The lining of the colon becomes inflamed and develops tiny open sores, or ulcers, that produces pus and mucous (1). In other words, the digestive system is affected by this disease. Ulcerative colitis is a disease of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, called inflammatory bowl disease (IBD) (2). The inflammation usually occurs in the rectum and the lower part of the colon, though it may affect most of the organ (3). This essay, is about the ulcerative colitis disease. What if affects, and in turn what impacts that has on the our body systems and the potential treatment for this chronic disease. It is written because one of my family members has ulcerative colitis since she was 29 years old, and I want to look into what this affects the body systems.…

    • 583 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Diverticulitis Paper
    • 1960 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Diverticulitis Paper

    When pouches called diverticula form on the wall of the colon become inflamed it becomes diverticulitis a very pain disease no one is sure what causes diverticulitis for sure, but doctors believe a low fiber diet may be a leading cause behind it. The treatments depend on if you have an infection and how bad your symptoms are which will typically be treated with antibiotics. Diverticulitis is a disease that affects the colon, doctors do not have a specific cause for the pea sized pouches. Diverticulitis was not very known 100 years ago due to the low percent of people contracting the disease. There are many more cases of diverticulitis then there was at any other point of history. The reason more and more people and starting to get diverticulitis is that; people now eat too much processed foods. The bowels work at a high volume and a low pressure. Processed foods have a very low volume and therefore require a high pressure to excrete the feces. The higher pressure from pushing can damage your colon, and anus. Eliminating waste should be easy for the body, not a high pressure challenge. When the feces is moving through the intestinal wall and there is a high amount of pressure the walls begin to get pressed upon by the feces. When the feces begins to press on the folds of the intestinal wall they become stuck inside the folds,and push out and hemorrhage the walls causing small papules, in which become inflamed and infected with a lot of bacteria becoming diverticulitis. Diverticulitis is found in 50-70% of people aged 80 years and older and 80% of the people with diverticulitis are age 50. Diverticulitis is not usually found in people younger than 40, Africans, and Asians. The most common regions diverticulitis affects is U.S.A., Europe, and Australia. Ages 50, obesity, and people with fiber diets are higher risk than other people to develop diverticulitis. In elder adults the muscular wall of the…

    • 1960 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Appendicitis: Pathology
    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Appendicitis: Pathology

    According the the Merriam-Webster Medical Dictionary, Appendicitis is an inflammation of the vermiform appendix; also called epityphlitis. Appendicitis occurs when the appendix becomes blocked by either stool, a foreign body, cancer or an infection (in which case the appendix swells in response to any bodily infection.)…

    • 519 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More

Related Topics