Diverticulitis

Overview Diverticulosis most typically affects the last segment of your colon (sigmoid colon). What is diverticulosis? Diverticulosis is the condition of having small pouches or pockets in the inside walls of your intestines. They develop when the inside lining of your intestines pushes into weak spots in the outer wall. This usually happens gradually over time. As you’re digesting food and food waste makes its way through your intestines each day, it pushes against the weak spots until they eventually begin to cave in. The term, “diverticulosis,” comes from the word “divert,” indicating that the path through your intestines is diverging into these side pockets. Several pouches are called “diverticula,” and one pouch is called a “diverticulum”. They most commonly occur in your What is the difference: diverticulosis vs. diverticulitis? Diverticulosis is the condition of having diverticula. Is diverticulosis a serious condition? Having diverticulosis alone isn’t necessarily a problem. Most people never experience any symptoms or complications from it. It can become serious under rare circumstances. For example, if you develop an infection and it goes untreated for too long, it can lead to complications like How common is diverticulosis? It’s common in the Western world, especially as you get older. In the U.S., 30% of people over 50, 50% of people over 60 and 75% of people over 80 have diverticulosis. Almost all of them have it in the last part of their colon (sigmoid colon)...

What is diverticular disease? Diverticular disease is an infection in the tiny pouches that some people get in their colon. The pouches are called diverticula. These pouches bulge out through weak spots in your colon. The pouches can become inflamed (red, swollen) or infected. Diverticular disease includes these 2 health problems: • Diverticulosis. When you have tiny pouches, or diverticula, in your colon. • Diverticulitis. When the pouches in your colon get infected. About half of all Americans over age 60 will have diverticulosis. Some people with diverticulosis also get diverticulitis. Diverticular disease is often seen in developed countries. It is very common in the United States, England, and Australia. People in these countries eat less fiber. Diverticular disease is rare in countries such as Asia and Africa. People in these countries eat more fiber and more vegetables. What causes diverticular disease? Experts are not sure what causes diverticular disease. They think it might happen when you don’t eat enough fiber. Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, and grains that the body can’t digest. Fiber helps make your stools soft and easy to pass. Eating more fiber helps stop constipation. Constipation is the main cause of greater pressure in your colon. When you are constipated, your muscles strain to move stool that is too hard. The extra pressure from this straining makes the weak spots in your colon bulge out. These pouches that bulge out are the diverticula. Expe...

Diverticulitis care at Mayo Clinic Your Mayo Clinic Care team Professionals involved in your diverticulitis diagnosis and treatment team may include digestive disease specialists (gastroenterologists), diagnostic radiologists and surgeons with expertise in bowel procedures. Depending on individual factors, such as your response to antibiotic therapy or your nutritional status, you may also consult with an infectious disease specialist or a registered dietitian. Advanced diagnosis and treatment Diverticulitis can be difficult to diagnose because abdominal pain is a symptom of many digestive disorders. Physicians on the diagnostic radiology staff at Mayo Clinic have expertise in imaging the digestive system to distinguish diverticulitis from other conditions. Gastroenterologists at Mayo Clinic also have experience assessing the severity of diverticulitis. Mayo Clinic specialists also have experience treating both mild and severe diverticulitis. If you need surgery, Mayo surgeons can offer minimally invasive options — including laparoscopic, hand-assisted laparoscopic and robotic procedures — if appropriate. Expertise and rankings Experience With 13 specialty groups and more than 140 digestive disease specialists on staff, the Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Mayo Clinic is one of the largest and most deeply experienced in the world. Each year, Mayo Clinic specialists diagnose and treat approximately 20,000 people with diverticulitis across the three main campus...

When you’re not in a flare, eating a high-fiber diet can promote gut health and reduce flares. However, switching to easier-to-digest foods during a flare may help relieve symptoms. Diverticula develop when weak spots in the intestinal wall give way under pressure, causing sections to bulge out. The presence of diverticula is called diverticulosis. It’s when they become inflamed or infected that it is considered diverticulitis. Diverticulosis is more common in older adults. Around 58 percent of people over age 60 have diverticulosis, according to the Diverticulitis may lead to health problems or complications, including: • nausea • fever • severe abdominal pain • bloody bowel movements • an abscess, or an inflamed pocket of tissue • Doctors used to recommend a low fiber, clear liquid diet during diverticulitis flare-ups. However, some experts That said, management of diverticulitis depends on the person. Some people may find that avoiding certain food helps. Some doctors The following sections look at the research behind different foods you might want to avoid with diverticulosis or diverticulitis. High FODMAP foods Following a FODMAPs are types of carbohydrate. It stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols. Some In this diet, people avoid foods that are high in FODMAPS. This includes foods such as: • certain fruits, such as apples, pears, and plums • dairy foods, such as milk, yogurt, and ice cream • fermented foods, such as sauer...

Diverticular disease consists of three conditions that involve the development of small sacs or pockets in the wall of the Diverticulosis Diverticulosis is the formation of numerous tiny pockets, or diverticula, in the lining of the bowel. Diverticula, which can range from pea-size to much larger, are formed by increased pressure on weakened spots of the intestinal walls by gas, waste, or liquid. Diverticula can form while straining during a Diverticulosis is very common and occurs in 10% of people over age 40 and in 50% of people over age 60. Most people will have no or few symptoms from diverticula. Complications can occur in about 20% of people with diverticulosis. One of these complications is Diverticular Bleeding Diverticular bleeding occurs with chronic injury to the small Diverticulitis Diverticulitis occurs when there is What Are the Symptoms of Diverticulosis? Diverticulosis does not cause any troublesome symptoms. What Are the Symptoms of Diverticulitis? Diverticulitis, infection and Symptoms of diverticulitis may include: • D • Painful • Chills or fever How Is Diverticulosis Diagnosed? Because people with diverticulosis do not have any symptoms, it is usually found through tests ordered for an unrelated reason. They usually include barium enema, sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy. How Is Diverticulitis Diagnosed? If you are experiencing the symptoms of diverticulitis, it is important to see your doctor. Your doctor will ask questions about your medical history (such...

Sometimes, especially as they get older, people can develop little bulging pouches in the lining of the large intestine. These are called diverticula, and the condition is known as diverticulosis. When the pouches become inflamed or infected, it leads to a sometimes very painful condition called Many experts believe that a low-fiber diet can lead to diverticulosis and diverticulitis. This may be why people in Asia and Africa, where the diet tends to be higher in fiber, have a very low incidence of the condition. Diverticulosis usually causes no or few symptoms; leaving many people unaware that they even have diverticula present. Diverticulitis may need to be treated with Diet for Diverticulitis If you're experiencing severe symptoms from diverticulitis, your doctor may recommend a liquid • Water • Fruit juices • Broth • Ice pops Gradually you can ease back into a regular diet. Your doctor may advise you to start with low-fiber foods (white bread, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products) before introducing high-fiber foods. Fiber softens and adds bulk to stools, helping them pass more easily through the Many studies show that eating fiber-rich foods can help control diverticular symptoms. Women younger than 51 should aim for 25 grams of fiber daily. Men younger than 51 should aim for 38 grams of fiber daily. Women 51 and older should get 21 grams daily. Men 51 and older should get 30 grams daily. Here are a few fiber-rich foods to include in meals: • Whole-grain bread...

What Are the Causes of Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis? Aging and heredity are primary factors in the development of diverticulosis and diverticulitis, but what you eat also plays a role. Eating a diet low in fiber and high in refined foods may increase the risk. Indeed, in Western societies, an estimated 10% of people over 40 develop diverticulosis; the figure reaches at least 50% in people over 60. Diverticulitis will occur in about 10%-25% of those with diverticulosis. Though it hasn't been proven, some researchers think that if you are often constipated and usually strain when you have a bowel movement, you may create enough pressure in the intestinal walls to weaken them and begin the development of diverticular pouches. Another school of thought is that not enough fiber in the diet is responsible. The lack of fiber leads to increased bowel wall strain to move stool through the colon. That then causes increased local pressures that lead to the formation of pouches at weak points in the colon wall. The increased pressure along with undigested food caught in these pouches can erode the diverticular wall, causing inflammation and possible bacterial infection, which can result in diverticulitis. How Are Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis Diagnosed? Most doctors don’t notice cases of diverticulosis until they screen for other conditions. For instance, the pouches might show up in a colonoscopy or an X-ray. Your doctor might take these steps to know for sure: Gather your m...

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) refers to a group of symptoms that affect your digestive system. It often includes abdominal pain, diarrhea, constipation, and bloating. Diverticulitis falls into a group of diseases called diverticular disease. It’s characterized by inflammation of bulging pouches in your digestive tract called diverticula. Some studies suggest that IBS is more common among people with diverticular disease, but the connection still is not clear. Keep reading to learn more about the similarities and differences between IBS and diverticulitis and how they may be linked. IBS Diverticulitis Common symptoms • • • • • • constipation • abdominal pain • • • diarrhea (less common) Causes not completely known inflammation of pouches in your intestines called diverticula Prevalence affects about • affects about • about Sex differences • under age 50, • over age 50, more common in women Most common age most commonly onsets in • more common in older adults • average age of hospital admission is How IBS develops still is not well understood. But it’s been • food passing through your gut too quickly or slowly • an oversensitivity of the nerves in your gut • stress • family history (genetics) Diverticulitis develops when one of these pockets becomes inflamed and infected by bacteria in stool that gets pushed into the diverticula. You may feel pain in your abdomen and may also feel nauseous and feverish. People with diverticulitis in Western societies, such as the United Sta...