Diverticulitis

About half of all Americans age 60 to 80, and most people over age 80, have diverticulosis. The main cause of this common condition is a low-fiber diet. Why? Low-fiber diets may lead to constipation, which causes pressure to build-up inside the colon (also known as the large intestine).

Years of constant pressure causes small pouches - called diverticula - to form inside the colon. Diverticulosis occurs when these small pouches bulge outward through weak spots in the colon. Most people with diverticulosis have no discomfort or symptoms, although some may experience mild cramps, bloating and irregular bowel movements.

The real problem arises when the diverticular pouches in the colon become infected or inflamed. When this happens, the condition is no longer referred to as diverticulosis, but as diverticulitis (people often confuse the terms). The inflammation or infection may result when stool or bacteria are caught in the diverticula, although the exact cause is not known. The infection or inflammation of diverticulitis causes pain and tenderness around the left side of the lower abdomen. Diverticulitis occurs in 10 percent to 25 percent of people who have diverticulosis, and can develop suddenly and without warning.

The condition is serious because it can lead to infections, perforations, blockages or bleeding of the colon. It's important to consult a doctor and receive treatment for diverticulitis to prevent it from progressing. Diagnosis is usually made after your doctor performs an exam and takes your health history. X-rays may be used to exclude other causes of abdominal pain, such as appendicitis. If treated early, antibiotics can clear up infections caused by diverticulitis. Resting the colon is also important, and may consist of bed rest, a liquid diet and a pain reliever or a drug to control spasms in the colon.

Surgery may be required if antibiotics fail to clear up the infection or if diverticulosis causes uncontrolled bleeding, when an abscess or other growths form in the colon, or if attacks are severe or frequent. When scarring from an infection causes total blockage of the colon, emergency surgery is necessary.

Because low-fiber diets are usually regarded as the main cause of diverticular disease, it is a 20th-century phenomenon. It is common in industrialized countries such as the United States and rarely found in countries where people eat high-fiber vegetable diets.

What to Do

Call your doctor if you have pain or tenderness in the left side of your lower abdomen, along with fever and other signs of infection, or if there is blood in your stool.