Table of Contents:
- What is Diverticulitis?
- Does Diverticulitis Cause Stomach Cramps?
- When to Seek Medical Attention for Diverticulitis Cramps
- How to Ease Diverticulitis Cramps at Home
- Tips to Reduce the Risk of Future Cramps
- Conclusion
What is Diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis is a condition that results from inflammation of the diverticula (small pouches and grooves lining the gastrointestinal tract, specifically in the colon). The diverticula are small pouches that divert from the GI tract, and develop in many people over the age of 50 (and sometimes even in younger people). They are usually located in the colon on the left side. Sometimes, food, waste products, and other ingestible materials can get stuck in these pouches. When this happens, it can lead to gut inflammation either from the rotting of the material itself or from infection by microbes feasting on the material. This leads to the development of the condition called diverticulitis, which can lead to many symptoms ranging from fever to bloating or stomach cramps.
Does Diverticulitis Cause Stomach Cramps?
A side-effect of diverticulitis can be stomach cramps. Stomach cramps are sharp sensations felt around the gut and sometimes lower back and can be mild to severe in intensity based on the source of the diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis can cause stomach cramps through either gut inflammation, infection, or both. Oftentimes, one leads to the other, with sensitive GI tracts becoming more vulnerable to infection after inflammation, and vice versa.
Gut inflammation can be caused by innate causes (meaning the body reacting to itself) or external causes. In the case of the innate response, the body views its cells as a threat and begins recruiting immune defense factors, such as protein-based cytokines like TNF-alpha, to the site of the perceived “attack”. These cytokines act like flags, and wave down members of the immune system such as neutrophils and macrophages, to begin cordoning off the area and vasodilating nearby blood vessels to allow more advanced white blood cells to address the “threat”. This kind of immune response is commonly associated with inflammatory bowel diseases such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, but the cause of inflammation in diverticulitis is different.
In most cases, diverticulitis is caused by infection. Food or other materials stuck in the diverticula become an attractive source of nutrients for bacteria and other opportunistic pathogens (microbes that live in our body and normally do not cause issues; however, when presented with the opportunity to proliferate beyond their normal physiological habitats, can become pathogenic). In this circumstance, the microbe acts as a threat to evoke the immune response described above—only this time, the threat is real. In this case, because there is a real and dynamic intruder in the body, symptoms of diverticulitis, such as stomach cramps caused by hypersensitivity, may intensify.
When to Seek Medical Attention for Diverticulitis Cramps
Many cases of mild diverticulitis can be treated at home. However, patients experiencing fever , intense cramps to the extent where they cannot perform day-to-day tasks (walking, cooking, etc), seeing blood or mucus in their stool, or vomiting should seek medical attention.. Medical treatments for diverticulitis may be necessary to address both the illness and the symptoms.
How to Ease Diverticulitis Cramps at Home
Cramping can be treated through several small changes in routine, including dietary changes, at-home remedies, and gentle self-care.
It is important to consume foods and drinks that do not exacerbate gut inflammation at this time. Therefore, easily digestible foods that do not trigger or irritate the gut lining or bowel movements are essential to proper recovery. Broths or watery soups can provide a host of nutrients and macro-molecules necessary for proper nutrition, and heat can provide relief to overstimulated, sensitive GI tracts. Generally, foods low in fiber and glucose will also help reduce the frequency of bowel movements and the ability of microbes to mass-proliferate, reducing the risk of infection and giving your gastrointestinal organs a break. Proper hydration is also integral to easing digestion during this time, to reduce straining and overworking digestive muscles. These dietary strategies can collectively contribute to reducing gut inflammation and relieving cramping at the source.
At-home remedies, such as heat compresses, can also aid in reducing cramping. Overstimulated muscles lining the gut lead to soreness—heat vasodilates the blood vessels surrounding these areas to enhance blood flow and decrease pain. While there are hundreds, if not thousands of natural physiological processes surrounding the beneficial application of slight heat to inflamed areas, it is important to ensure that the heat compresses used are temporarily applied, for no more than twenty minutes at a time, to prevent nerve damage in the skin from heat. Likewise, heated compresses should never be directly applied to the skin; but rather wrapped in a thin towel or fabric to avoid burning oneself.
Evinature also produces a natural supplement, DivertX, which combines compounds such as Coptis and curcumin to strengthen the gut lining, regulate microbial interactions in the gut, and promote immune response. Learn more about DivertX here.
Tips to Reduce the Risk of Future Cramps
Here’s the truth: you can’t predict the future. Patients who regulate their diet and exercise, avoid stress, and remain vigilant about hygiene still experience diverticulitis, no matter how hard they work to prevent it. Statistically speaking, however, patients who avoid foods that promote gut inflammation are less likely to experience gut inflammation. Similarly, patients who exercise regularly experience better immune system reactions, since research demonstrates that exercise enhances immune system function. Being careful to wash fruits and vegetables, cleaning kitchen surfaces, and generally ensuring proper personal hygiene correlates with fewer bacterial infections, which means less infection-based diverticulitis and diverticulitis cramps. However, research also shows that these practices do not reduce the risks of diverticulitis and associated stomach cramps to zero.
The best way to reduce the risk of future cramps is to be informed. Knowing ahead of time, especially for patients with sensitive gut linings and immune vulnerabilities, about what to do if they experience these symptoms, and establishing relationships with trusted medical experts and support personnel, can empower patients to take charge of their health even before a problem presents itself. In the case where the issue does appear, knowing what to do can reduce the stress and uncertainty surrounding it, and even reduce the frequency of cramping itself!
Conclusion
Diverticulitis is always hard, and dealing with stomach cramping on top of the problem itself is easier said than done. However, mild to moderate stomach cramping can often be managed from the comfort of one’s home, and when in doubt, talk it out with a medical professional.
Again, if patients experience severe stomach cramping, and/or fever, persistent vomiting, blood in stool or vomit, or a major change in bowel movements, they should consult immediately with a medical professional or emergency personnel to ensure they receive the right care for their condition.
Summer Pitocchelli-Schwartzman
