The condition is very common as people age. Estimates are that about half of the U.S. population over 50 has diverticulosis. Most people have it by the time they reach 80.
How common are diverticulosis, diverticulitis, and diverticular disease? Diverticulosis is quite common, especially as people age. More than 30% of U.S. adults between the ages of 50 and 59 and more than 70% of those older than age 80 have diverticulosis.
Diverticulosis is a common condition in the United States that affects half of all people over 60 years of age and nearly everyone by the age of 80. As a person gets older, the pouches in the digestive tract become more prominent. Diverticulosis is unusual in people under 40 years of age.
Epidemiology. Diverticulosis is one of the most common incidental findings on colonoscopy 6 and the eighth most common outpatient diagnosis in the United States. Over 50% of people over the age of 60 and over 60% of people over age 80 have colonic diverticula.
Diverticula are common, especially after age 40, and seldom cause problems. The presence of diverticula is known as diverticulosis (die-vur-tik-yoo-LOE-sis). When one or more of the pouches become inflamed, and in some cases infected, that condition is known as diverticulitis (die-vur-tik-yoo-LIE-tis).
CAUSES. The most commonly accepted theory for the formation of diverticulosis is related to high pressure within the colon, which causes weak areas of the colon wall to bulge out and form the sacs. A diet low in fiber and high in red meat may also play a role.
An American study followed 47,000 men over the age of 18, and found that the risk of diverticulitis was 78% higher for men with a BMI > 30 compared to men with a BMI < 21, and the risk of diverticular hemorrhage was 3 times higher [71].
Diverticulosis is a common condition that can develop in your colon, especially as you get older. It means that little pouches form in the inside lining of your colon. They usually don't cause any problems. But rarely, they may bleed or develop an infection (diverticulitis).
Vigorous physical activity appears to reduce the risk of diverticulitis and diverticular bleeding. Findings regarding smoking and diverticular complications have been inconsistent, but suggest that smokers are at increased risk for complications, particularly perforation.
Dealing with diverticulosis
Once the sacs develop, they don't heal on their own, and they don't go away. We can cure diverticulosis by performing surgery to remove the sacs. But if you don't have symptoms and an infection doesn't develop, there's no reason to treat the condition at all, much less undergo surgery.
The formation of pouches or sacs on the intestinal lining is called diverticulosis. It is found in more than half of Americans over age 60. However, no one knows exactly what causes the pouches to form. Eating a low-fiber diet mostly made up of processed foods may be a cause.
The most common symptom of diverticular disease is intermittent (stop-start) pain in your lower abdomen (stomach), usually in the lower left-hand side. The pain is often worse when you are eating, or shortly afterwards. Passing stools and breaking wind (flatulence) may help relieve the pain.
But in fewer than 5% of patients with diverticulosis, the diverticula become inflamed or infected, causing diverticulitis – a condition that does typically cause symptoms such as: Pain in the lower left abdomen.
By age 60, about one out of every three patients we see will have developed these pouches. By age 85, this increases to two out of every three patients. Only about 20 percent will develop diverticulitis, but it can cause significant issues for those who do. Diverticula occur in weak parts of muscle in the colon lining.
Pay attention to symptoms and follow a healthy lifestyle.
Stay away from nuts and seeds, and don't eat popcorn — that's what doctors said years ago if you had diverticulosis, a condition marked by tiny pouches (diverticula) that develop in the lining of the colon.
Drink plenty of fluids (at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day) if you increase your intake of fiber. Avoid refined foods, such as white flour, white rice, and other processed foods. Prevent constipation by trying over-the-counter stool softeners.
Constipation and straining during bowel movements can worsen the condition. A diet rich in fiber can help keep stools soft and prevent inflammation.
Diverticulosis: What to Eat. Cater says people with diverticulosis can benefit from eating fiber-rich foods, including: Whole grains, such as quinoa, bulgur, teff, barley, popcorn, oats, shredded wheat or bran cereals, and whole grain breads.
A Developing Problem
When stress is added to the overall picture, the problem of diverticulitis becomes an issue. This is due to the body impulses that will immediately address stressful situations by shifting the oxygen and blood from the digestive tract to the brain and muscles.
You can have diverticulosis and not have any pain or symptoms. But symptoms may include mild cramps, swelling or bloating, and constipation. These symptoms can also be caused by irritable bowel syndrome, stomach ulcers, or other health problems. These symptoms don't always mean that you have diverticulosis.
In chronic diverticulitis, inflammation and infection may go down but never clear up completely. Over time, the inflammation can lead to a bowel obstruction, which may cause constipation, thin stools, diarrhea, bloating, and belly pain.
Diverticulitis is an intestinal disease that can cause fatigue in some people. The fatigue may be caused by infection, inflammation, or sleep disruption due to pain. It could also be related to nutritional deficiencies such as anemia, dehydration, medication side effects, or surgery.
In about 95 out of 100 people, uncomplicated diverticulitis goes away on its own within a week. In about 5 out of 100 people, the symptoms stay and treatment is needed. Surgery is only rarely necessary.
Mild cases of diverticulitis are usually treated with antibiotics and a low-fiber diet, or treatment may start with a period of rest where you eat nothing by mouth, then start with clear liquids and then move to a low-fiber diet until your condition improves. More-severe cases typically require hospitalization.