Diverticuli...WHAT?
Hey lovelies, today I'm sharing with you some informations I gathered about Diverticulitis.
Diverticuli...What? Yes...that's right...What is that? Even with the large amount of people that suffers from this called disease, we hear so little about, the symptoms and the treatments.
You must wonder by now what's that subject has to do with paper flowers? Well, nothing...only that I was diagnosed with the disease in 2012 when I had my very first attack. The pain...let me tell you about the abdominal pain. (on a scale 1 to 10 --> I'd go with 10+)..I couldn't stand straight, any position was uncomfortable and the fever...since it's an infection, my body would heat up so high...crazy! After a first attack is most likely to have recurring episodes. This week has been the worst attack and it got me worried, very worried...I deepened my knowledge about it and I scheduled an appointment with my doctor. If this disease gets out of control, it can be life threatening.
Here are details I gathered from WebbMD: Diverticulitis occurs when pouches that have developed in the wall of the large intestine (colon) become inflamed or infected. It is not clearly understood why 20 out of 100 people who have these pouches-a condition called diverticulosis-develop diverticulitis and the others do not.
In Western countries (North America and Europe), diverticulitis usually affects the left side of the colon (sigmoid colon).
Mild attacks of diverticulitis, with few symptoms or signs of infection or inflammation, sometimes heal without treatment. In most cases, a doctor recommends oral antibiotics to resolve an infection and a clear liquid diet to rest the bowel until inflammation goes away.
When infection and symptoms are severe, diverticulitis is treated in the hospital. Treatment includes antibiotics given in a vein (intravenous, or IV) and resting the bowel with IV fluids. If severe diverticulitis is not treated, complications such as an abscess or fistula may develop. Surgery often is needed to treat complications.
It is common to have lower abdominal pain after recovering from an attack of diverticulitis. But this pain is not always a return of diverticulitis. Less than half of people ever have a second diverticulitis attack. Of those who do have another attack, about half have the second attack within 1 year of their first one.
The Symptoms
Symptoms of diverticulitis may last from a few hours to several days.
These symptoms may include:
•Tenderness, cramps, or pain in the abdomen (usually in the lower left side but may occur on the right) that is sometimes worse when you move.
•Fever and chills.
•A bloated feeling, abdominal swelling, or gas.
•Diarrhea or constipation.
•Nausea and sometimes vomiting.
•Loss of appetite.
Doctors aren't sure what causes diverticulitis. Bacteria grow in the pouches, and this can lead to inflammation or infection. Pressure may lead to a small perforation or tear in the wall of the intestine. Peritonitis, an infection of the lining of the abdominal wall, may develop if infection spills into the abdominal (peritoneal) cavity.
The reason diverticula form in the wall of the large intestine (colon) is not completely understood. Doctors think diverticula form when high pressure inside the colon pushes against weak spots in the colon wall. Uncoordinated movements of the colon can also contribute to the development of diverticula.
Normally, a diet with adequate fiber (also called roughage) produces stool that is bulky and can move easily through the colon. If a diet is low in fiber, the colon must exert more pressure than usual to move small, hard stool. A low-fiber diet also can increase the time stool remains in the bowel. This adds to the high pressure. Pouches may form when the high pressure pushes against weak spots in the colon where blood vessels pass through the muscle layer of the bowel wall to supply blood to the inner wall.
It is not known why some people who have these diverticula (a condition called diverticulosis) develop diverticulitis and others do not.
What should I do to get better?
•Eat a high-fiber diet that is low in fat and red meat.
•Drink plenty of water.
•Exercise regularly.
As I mentioned in my introduction, this has nothing to do with paper flowers but it has everything to do with what I have to deal with once or twice a year. Sometime I do get very busy with custom paper flower orders that I neglect a bit to prepare good and healthy snacks full of fibers...but I realize that it doesn't pay to neglect my health and well being for the sake of the business. I have to carefully watch what I eat and drink and I seriously have to get back to my "Power Walk" routine.
If you made to this last sentence...well thank you for sticking around! I hope this was a bit informative for yourself or someone you may know or that knows someone
who suffers from severe abdominal pain.
Au revoir for now lovelies!
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