Although it was rare before the 20th century, diverticular disease is now one of the most common health problems in the Western world. It’s a group of conditions that can affect your digestive tract.
The most serious type of diverticular disease is diverticulitis. It can cause uncomfortable symptoms and, in some cases, serious complications. If left untreated, these complications can cause long-term health problems.
Read on to learn more about diverticulitis, including its causes, symptoms, treatment options, and how your diet might affect your risk of developing it.
Diverticulitis can cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. These symptoms can appear suddenly or they can develop gradually over several days.
Potential symptoms of diverticular disease include:
- pain in your abdomen
- bloating
- diarrhea
- constipation
If you develop diverticulitis, you might experience:
- constant or severe pain in your abdomen
- nausea and vomiting
- fever and chills
- blood in your stool
- bleeding from your rectum
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of diverticulitis. It will mostly likely occur in the lower left side of your abdomen. But it can also develop in the right side of your abdomen.
If you develop any of the above symptoms, such as vomiting or blood in your stool, it may be a sign of a serious complication from diverticulitis or another condition. Call your doctor right away.
Diverticular disease develops when pouches form along your digestive tract, typically in your colon (large intestine). These pouches are known as diverticula. They form when weak spots in your intestinal wall balloon outward.
Diverticulitis happens when diverticula become inflamed and in some cases infected. This can occur when feces or partially digested food blocks the opening of the diverticula.
There’s no single known cause of diverticular disease. Instead, experts believe that multiple genetic and environmental factors likely contribute to its development.
To diagnose diverticulitis, your doctor will likely ask you about your symptoms, health history, and any medications that you take. They’ll likely perform a physical exam to check your abdomen for tenderness or, if they need more information, a digital rectal exam to check for rectal bleeding, pain, masses, or other problems.
Several other conditions can cause symptoms that are similar to diverticulitis. To rule out other conditions and check for signs of diverticulitis, your doctor might order one or more tests.
Tests can include:
- abdominal ultrasound, abdominal MRI scan, abdominal CT scan, or abdominal X-ray to create pictures of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract
- colonoscopy to examine the inside of your GI tract
- stool test to check for infections, such as Clostridium difficile
- urine test to check for infections
- blood tests to check for signs of inflammation, anemia, or kidney or liver problems
- pelvic exam to rule out gynecological problems in women
- pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy in women
If you have diverticulitis, these exams and tests can help your doctor learn if it’s uncomplicated or complicated.
These complications can include:
- abscess, an infected pocket that’s filled with pus
- phlegmon, an infected area that’s less well-confined than an abscess
- fistula, an abnormal connection that can develop between two organs or between an organ and the skin
- intestinal perforation, a tear or hole in the intestinal wall that can allow the contents of your colon to leak into your abdominal cavity, causing inflammation and infection
- intestinal obstruction, a blockage in your intestine that can stop stool from passing
The treatment that your doctor prescribes for diverticulitis will depend on how severe your condition is.
Uncomplicated diverticulitis can typically be treated at home. Your doctor might encourage you to make changes to your diet. In some cases, they might prescribe medications including antibiotics.
If you develop complications from diverticulitis, you’ll probably need to visit a hospital for treatment. You may be given fluids and antibiotics through an intravenous (IV) line. Depending on the type of complication, you might need to undergo surgery or another procedure.
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