Danger level: High

What is it?

Diverticulitis is an inflammation of pouches (called diverticula) in the wall of your intestines.

Who gets it?

You are more likely to get diverticula (pouches in the wall of your intestines) as you age: less than 5% of people before age 40 get it, while at age 85 it happens to more than 65% of people.

In the world, diverticulitis occurs more frequently in Western countries, a fact which is probably related to the diet in these countries (it has become more common in Japan, for example, when the country adopted a more Western lifestyle).

There are a few risk factors – things which put you at a greater risk of getting diverticulitis:

1. Too little fiber in your diet – A high fiber diet helps keep stools soft. Fiber moves quickly through our digestive system, helping it to function properly. The diet in industrialized countries today is relatively low in fiber (which can be found in foods such as fruit, vegetables, oat bran, whole wheat bread and others).

   
   Fiber. You have to eat enough of it to prevent diverticulitis. Photo by Mr. T in DC.

2. Lack of exercise – The exact reason behind this isn’t understood.
3. Obesity – Being overweight increases the odds of developing diverticulitis. You can find out if you’re overweight by calculating your BMI.

What causes it?

Without enough fiber in our diet, which usually adds bulk to the stool, the intestines have to work harder to push the stool forwards. This causes pressure on the intestine’s wall, causing pouches (called diverticula) to form in weak places in the wall of the intestine.

Diverticulitis is the formation of pouches in the wall of your large intestine.

These pouches can just lie there aimlessly, or can cause trouble. There are 2 things which can happen to them:

1. Diverticulitis – This is the subject of this article. Diverticulitis (or an inflammation of the pouches) occurs when bacteria get trapped in the pouches, leading to infection or inflammation there.
2. Hemorrhage – Sometimes a blood vessel adjacent to one of these pouches may rupture, which can cause massive bleeding.

How does it feel?

The most common symptom in diverticulitis is abdominal pain, located in the left lower part of the abdomen. The pain is often sudden and severe (but it can less commonly start milder and progress). The pain can radiate as well, and be felt in the groin or the back.

Other things that can appear along with the pain include a change in bowel habits, tenderness when touching the abdomen, nausea and vomiting, fever and chills, constipation or diarrhea.

How is it discovered?

Besides a physical check-up, the doctor may run some blood tests (they will take a test called a complete blood count, which will tell if you have an infection) and take some images of your abdomen, for example using a CT scan.

How is it treated?

The treatment depends on the severity of the disease, as well as other things, such as if you’ve had attacks before.

The initial treatment usually includes fluids given through the vein, while withholding eating anything, to not put a burden on the intestines. Also, since diverticulitis is usually related to an infection, antibiotics are given.

In more problematic situations (such as when an abscess develops) a surgery may be needed.

What happens after treatment?

If diverticulitis isn’t treated on time, the intestines may rupture, which can be a life threatening situation. Therefore, if you experience the symptoms mentioned above it’s important that you seek immediate medical care.

Even when the condition is treated, in some people it tends to recur. In these cases, surgery may be needed.

The bottom line – How do I avoid it?

1. Eat a fiber-rich diet – You should replace low-fiber foods (such as white bread, white rice, candy and chips) with fiber-containing foods (whole-grain bread, brown rice, fruits and vegetables). The nutrition labels on foods will show you how much fiber the food has, like in the following example (information by nutritiondata.com):

   

   The recommended amount of fiber per day is at least 25-30 grams.

2. Get regular exercise
3. Drink lots of fluids – This prevents you from having chronic constipation, which can contribute to the pressure on the intestine’s wall.

Have you experienced diverticulitis and have tips of your own to share? Let us know in the comments.

What next?

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