Diverticulosis (cont.)
Medical Author:
Jay W. Marks, MD
Jay W. Marks, MDJay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Medical Editor:
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR
William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACRDr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. In this Article
 What are diverticulitis symptoms?Patient Comments on Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis) - Attack Symptoms
Comment from: MISTER WAIT, 65-74 Male
Published: May 13
Do not play the wait-and-see-what-happens game. I suffered for weeks with great pain. When I gave up and went to the emergency room after several tests, I had a very bad case of diverticulitis. It was two days after Christmas that I went to the hospital, as we had family stay over and I did not want to take the chance of being admitted. (I will never do that again!) They were ready to do surgery on me, but I bounced back and stayed in the hospital for four days. The doctor told me how lucky I was and that if it broke open I would have had only a half hour or so to get to the hospital and be operated on. I am 65 years old and will never wait again as I did with this incident. I lost more than 10 pounds in just the four days I was in the hospital. That was five months ago, and now I walk each day and eat smart. The doctor told me he would see me again in the future as I know it will never go away. Do whatever you must to and at least try your best and NEVER, EVER WAIT as I did. Take care, and stay healthy. Was this comment helpful?Yes
Comment from: kat x x x, 45-54 Female (Patient)
Published: January 27
I have been diagnosed since 2oo5. If I lift anything heavy or stretch too far I get another bout. Fiber in diet stops bouts caused by constipation. Corn on the cob is a no for me. Sometimes the pain is terrible, worse than labor pains, but when you get used to it you know how to get over a bout asap. Was this comment helpful?Yes
Most patients with diverticulosis have few or no symptoms. The diverticulosis in these individuals is found incidentally during tests for other intestinal problems. Twenty percent of patients with diverticulosis will develop symptoms related to diverticulosis, primarily diverticulitis. The most common signs and symptoms of diverticulitis include:
What causes diverticula, and how do diverticula form?Patient Comment on Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis) - Causes
Comment from: salvador, 65-74 Male (Patient)
Published: April 15
After passing a kidney stone (right side), I was not getting better. I had three trips to the ER, two CT scans, and two ultrasounds. I had gallbladder surgery because I had stones. Now they say I have diverticulitis. I have right-sided flank pain extending to my right lower abdomen, lots of bloating, and gas. I'm on antibiotics now and waiting. I'm not angry – but these symptoms can mimic anything. Maybe it's appendicitis or Meckel's diverticulum. I'm just waiting and watching. Was this comment helpful?Yes
The muscular wall of the colon grows thicker with age, although the cause of this thickening is unclear. It may reflect the increasing pressures required by the colon to eliminate feces. For example, a diet low in fiber can lead to small, hard stools which are difficult to pass and which require increased pressure to pass. The lack of fiber and small stools also may allow segments of the colon to close off from the rest of the colon when the colonic muscle in the segment contracts. The pressure in these closed-off segments may become high since the increased pressure cannot dissipate to the rest of the colon. Over time, high pressures in the colon push the inner intestinal lining outward (herniation) through weak areas in the muscular walls. These pouches or sacs that develop are called diverticula. Lack of fiber in the diet is considered the most likely cause of diverticula, and there is a good correlation among societies around the world between the amount of fiber in the diet and the prevalence of diverticula. Many patients with diverticular disease have excessive thickening of the muscular wall of the colon where the diverticula form. The muscle also contracts more strongly. These abnormalities of the muscle may be contributing factors in the formation of diverticula. Microscopic examination of the edges of the diverticula show signs of inflammation, and it has been suggested that there may be an inflammatory component to the formation of the diverticula. Reviewed by William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR on 12/13/2012 Patient CommentsViewers share their comments
Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis) - Attack Symptoms
Question: What were the symptoms of your diverticula attack?
Diverticulitis - Treatment
Question: What was the treatment for your diverticulitis?
Diverticulitis (Diverticulosis) - Causes
Question: What are the causes of your diverticulitis?
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I had an all over abdominal discomfort, but not actual pain. Frankly, I thought I had a bad case of gas. But the things I normally do to relieve gas (obviously) didn't help. I could not isolate the pain to one area. I was just bloated. I took some Alka seltzer and had a small amount of relief - not enough that the discomfort went away totally, just enough to fool me into thinking I was right about the gas. And then the rupture. The pain became VERY localized - it was like someone was stabbing me in one spot (lower left) with a very hot knife. It was excruciating! Worst pain EVER - made delivering my son naturally seem like a stubbed toe. And because I was young - only 36 - they went "exploring" my abdomen. I had NO history of any trouble at all. I lost nearly 3 inches of my sigmoid and had a colostomy due to the peritonitis. Fortunately for me, 6 weeks later I was able to be "put back together." I haven't had any recurring problems, but I am pretty good about taking fiber twice a day and trying not to strain to go to the bathroom. I also avoid white breads and try to get plenty of whole grains. It's been 8 years (wow - that is so hard to believe!) and I am fine.