According to the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, half of all people in the U.S. over age 60, and nearly everyone over age 80, has at least some diverticula in their colon. While diverticula are not always harmful, they can develop into a condition called diverticulitis if they become irritated. In this article, we will discuss what diverticulitis is, what symptoms it presents, and how it’s treated.
What is diverticulitis?
In people over the age of 40, “pouches” can often form on the lining of the colon when a person’s stool becomes hardened and makes the pouches bulge through the colon wall. These pouches are called diverticula. Usually diverticula do not pose any issues; however, sometimes they can become irritated. When diverticula become inflamed or infected, the condition is known as diverticulitis. Diverticulitis can cause severe abdominal pain, fever, nausea, and a marked change in your bowel habits.
What causes diverticulitis?
As mentioned, diverticula can be caused by hardened stool due to a lack of fiber intake. Diverticulitis most commonly occurs when the pouches tear or break, which causes inflammation, infection, or both in the diverticula.
Symptoms of Diverticulitis
The signs and symptoms of diverticulitis include pain in the lower abdomen (most commonly the left side), which may be relentless and continue for several days. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, fever, sensitivity in the abdomen, constipation, or diarrhea.
Risk Factors for Diverticulitis
Some lifestyle factors may increase your risk of developing diverticulitis, including:
Age. Diverticulitis risk increases with age.
Obesity. Obesity increases your risk of developing diverticulitis.
Smoking. Smokers are more likely than nonsmokers to experience diverticulitis.
Some Medication. Certain medications have been linked to an increased risk of developing diverticulitis. These include steroids, opioids and anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen.
Diverticulitis Treatment
Treatment depends on the severity of your signs and symptoms. If your symptoms are mild, you may be treated with antibiotics and an over-the-counter pain reliever. In more severe cases of diverticulitis, patients may need to be hospitalized. If your diverticulitis cannot be treated with antibiotics or draining the diverticula, your diverticulitis specialist may recommend surgery. There are two main types of surgery for diverticulitis:
Primary bowel resection, during which your surgeon will remove the infected segments of your intestine and then reconnect the unharmed segments, which will allow for normal bowel movements.
Bowel resection with colostomy, which is often recommended if you have so much inflammation that it's impossible to rejoin your colon and rectum. The surgeon will perform a colostomy, during which an opening in your abdominal wall is connected to the healthy part of your colon and waste passes through the opening into a bag. Once the inflammation has alleviated, the colostomy may be reversed.
If you are suffering from any of the abovementioned symptoms, speak with your doctor to see if you should visit a diverticulitis specialist to diagnose your condition before it becomes complicated.