Understanding Diverticulitis - the Basics

What Is Diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis is inflammation or infection of small pouches called diverticula that develop along the walls of your intestines. The formation of the pouches themselves is a relatively benign condition known as diverticulosis.

The pouches can develop anywhere on the digestive tract, but they most commonly form at the end of the descending and sigmoid colons. They also frequently occur on the first section of the small intestine, although they rarely cause problems.

If you have diverticulosis, you may not even be aware of it because the diverticula are usually painless and cause few, if any, symptoms. You may experience some cramping on your left side that disappears when you pass gas or move your bowels. And because diverticula on rare occasions bleed, bright red blood may appear in your stool.

The more serious disease, diverticulitis, may involve anything from a small abscess in one or more of the pouches to a massive infection or perforation of the bowel. The symptoms are similar to those of appendicitis, except the location of the pain may differ.

Diverticulitis may be acute or chronic. The acute form can manifest itself with one or more severe attacks of infection and inflammation. In chronic diverticulitis, inflammation and infection may subside, but they may never clear up completely. The inflammation of diverticulitis can eventually result in a bowel obstruction, which is indicated by constipation, thin stools, diarrhea, abdominal distention, and abdominal pain. If the obstruction persists, abdominal pain and tenderness will increase, and you may experience nausea and vomiting.

If it is left untreated, diverticulitis can lead to serious complications requiring extensive surgery.

Abscesses may form around the infected diverticula, and if these go through the intestinal wall, you may develop peritonitis, a potentially fatal infection that requires immediate treatment. Sometimes scarring can occur, leading to a stricture or blockage of the intestine from the infection. An infected diverticulum can also reach an adjoining organ and form a connection, or fistula, between them. This most frequently occurs between the large intestine and the bladder, and it can lead to an infection of the neighboring kidneys. Fistulas can occur less commonly between the large intestine and either the skin or the vagina. Another potential complication of diverticulitis is severe internal and colonic bleeding.