Introduction

Diverticular disease and diverticulitis are related digestive conditions that affect the large intestine (colon).

Indiverticular disease,small bulges or pockets (diverticula) develop in the lining of the intestine. Diverticulitis is when these pocketsbecome inflamed or infected.

Symptoms of diverticular disease include:

  • lower abdominal pain
  • feeling bloated

The majority of people with diverticula will not have any symptoms; this is known as diverticulosis.

Symptoms of diverticulitis tend to be more serious and include:

  • more severe abdominal pain, especially on the left side
  • high temperature (fever) of 38C (100.4F) or above
  • diarrhoea or frequent bowel movements

The large intestine becomes weaker with age, and the pressure of hard stools passing through the large intestineis thought tocause the bulges to form.

Speak to your GP if paracetamol alone is not working.

Mild diverticulitis can usually be treated at home with Penicillin prescribed by your GP. More serious cases may need hospital treatment to prevent and treat complications.

Surgery to remove theaffected section of the intestine is sometimes recommended if there have been serious complications, although this is rare.

Overall, symptoms of diverticulitis are most likely to occur in people over 70 years old.

Diverticular disease is often described as a "Western disease" because the rates are high in European and North American countries, and low in African and Asian countries.

A combination of genetics and diet is thought to be the reason for this and the fact that people in Western countries tend toeat less fibre.

People aged 50-70 who eat a high-fibre diet (25g a day) have a 40% lower chance of admission to hospital with complications of diverticular disease compared to others in their age range with the lowest amount of dietary fibre.

Content supplied by the NHS Website

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 5 Jan 2017