What do doctors call this condition?
Diverticular disease, diverticulitis
What is this condition?
In diverticulosis, bulging pouches (called diverticula) in the stomach or intestinal wall push through the surrounding muscle. Usually, the pouches are in the lower intestine, but they may develop anywhere from the top of the stomach (rare) to the anus. An inherited form, called Meckel’s diverticulum, is the most common genetic disorder of the intestinal tract.
Diverticulosis takes two forms. In one, the pouches are present but don’t cause symptoms. In the other, the pouches are inflamed and may cause potentially fatal intestinal blockage, infection, or bleeding.
What causes it?
Diverticulosis is most common in men over age 40. In these individuals, pouches probably result from straining, which pushes the intestines against weak spots in the gastrointestinal wall.
Lack of dietary fiber may be a contributing factor. Without adequate fiber, fecal matter solidifies and the bowel tunnel narrows, requiring higher abdominal pressure during bowel movements. This theory is supported by the fact that diverticulosis is most prevalent in industrialized nations, where processing removes much of the fiber from foods.
How the pouches become inflamed
Undigested food mixed with bacteria accumulates in these intestinal pouches and forms a hard mass. This condition restricts blood flow to the thin walls of the pouches, making them more susceptible to attack by the bacteria in the colon. Inflammation follows, possibly leading to perforation, abscess, peritonitis, obstruction, or bleeding. Occasionally, the inflamed segment may produce a fistula, or tunnel, by sticking to the bladder or other organs.
What are its symptoms?
Usually, diverticulosis produces no symptoms; however it may cause recurrent pain in the lower left abdomen that disappears after bowel movements or passing gas. The person may have alternating constipation and diarrhea and symptoms similar to those of irritable bowel syndrome – or may have both disorders at once. In rare cases, some elderly people develop bleeding in uninfected pouches, but this is easily controlled with medication.
A mildly infected pouch produces some pain in the lower left abdomen, mild nausea, gas, irregular bowel movements, and a low