Diverticular disease is caused by the formation of pouches in the large intestine, which can lead to diverticulosis, diverticulitis, and diverticular bleeding. Symptoms vary, but can include cramps, sudden pain on the left side of the abdomen, abnormal bowel movements, and bloody stools. A high-fiber diet, drinking water, and exercise can help prevent the condition.
There are three common types of diverticular disease: diverticulosis, diverticulitis, and diverticular bleeding. The diseases are caused by the formation of pouches, called diverticula, within the large intestine. They can also form in the esophagus, small intestine, or stomach, but are rarer. Pouches are common and the likelihood of having them increases with age. While only 10% of people over the age of 40 have diverticular disease, 50% of people over the age of 60 do.
A person gets diverticulosis simply by having pouches on their intestinal wall. Diverticulosis is the type of diverticular disease that usually has no symptoms. If a person experiences symptoms, they are usually mild, such as cramps.
Diverticula can form in the colon when a person is constipated. The exertional pressure pushes the pouches outward on weakened areas of the intestinal wall. The bags are usually the size of a pea, but can be much larger.
The pouches can become infected with trapped waste and bacteria or become inflamed from pressure and strain, leading to another type of diverticular disease, diverticulitis. Unlike diverticulosis, the symptoms of diverticulitis are severe and obvious. With diverticulitis, a person usually feels sudden pain on the left side of the abdomen. In some cases, the pain builds up gradually instead of coming on suddenly. Other symptoms of diverticulitis include fever, abnormal bowel movements and nausea.
A person can experience the third type of diverticular disease, diverticular bleeding, when a blood vessel bursts near a sac. Bloody stools are a common result of diverticular bleeding. While the bleeding usually isn’t painful and usually stops on its own, it’s important for a person to see their doctor right away to make sure it isn’t caused by a more serious condition and to make sure they haven’t lost too much blood.
Diverticular disease in an asymptomatic person is often diagnosed during a colonoscopy. If a person has diverticulitis or diverticular bleeding, it can be diagnosed via a CT scan or other imaging method. A blood sample can be combined with technetium, a radioactive substance that can be traced, and then injected into a person to find out where the blood is coming from.
Although the condition is common, especially as people get older, there are steps you can take to prevent diverticular disease. A high-fiber diet can reduce the chance of becoming constipated and strain the colon, preventing pouches from forming. Drinking water and getting enough exercise also reduces the pressure on the colon.
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