Diverticulitis Causes & Risk Factors

Diverticulosis is a disorder that causes people to develop pouches in their large intestine. The disorder develops into diverticulitis when the pouches become swelled.

Causes

• According to the Mayo Clinic, one theory is that diverticulitis can result from pressure in the large intestine causing an infection. The organization also states that inflammation in the large intestine results from the pouches, or diverticula, collecting fecal matter or obstructing blood flow to the organ.

Risk Factors

• According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, about 10 percent of people over 40 years of age and 50 percent of people over 60 years of age develop diverticulitis. People who have low-fiber diets, do not exercise regularly and/or are obese are at an increased risk of developing diverticulitis.

Symptoms

• People with diverticulitis often have no symptoms, according to Jay W. Marks of MedicineNet. Diverticulitis can cause rectal bleeding, an infection that leads to abscesses or perforations in the colon, fistulas between the large intestine and other organs, a blockage in the colon, abdominal pain in the left side, a fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and/or constipation.

Identification

• Until diverticula cause infection they usually go undiagnosed, according to the Mayo Clinic. Doctors usually perform a chest X-ray or computerized tomography (CT) scan to look at the colon and rule out other possible medical conditions, such as appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease or colon cancer.

Treatment

• Diverticulitis is usually treatable with antibiotics and a liquid diet. Some people with the condition must undergo surgery to get rid of an abscess or fistula in their colon or a portion of the colon that contains inflamed diverticula.