It is estimated that about 50 percent of people over the age of 60 have diverticular disease. Many people have heard the name, but many are unsure of what it is because many who have it do not suffer from any symptoms.
Diverticular disease, also called diverticulosis, is characterized by pouches forming in the colon, and is usually caused by a low-fiber diet. Individuals on low-fiber diets are more prone to constipation, which can cause increased colon pressure during a bowel movement and may lead to weakening of the colon wall and eventually form pouches, called diverticula.
Food can back up into the diverticula in the colon, and bacteria can begin to thrive there, leading to infection. When these pockets, or diverticula, in the wall of the colon become inflamed or infected, this is a specific type of diverticular infection called diverticulitis.
Although most people with diverticulosis never develop diverticulitis, it is more common in people as they grow older, and symptoms should not be overlooked, as surgery may be necessary for proper treatment. Common symptoms of diverticulitis include the following:
- Pain on lower left side of the abdomen
- Stomach pain
- Fever
- Bloating
- Diarrhea
- Nausea
- Cramping
- Rectal Bleeding
