Diverticulitis 101

Welcome to Diverticulitis 101!

The main focus of this site is on sharing personal experiences of diverticulitis, but you can also find information on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of diverticulitis, and ideas for a suitable diverticulitis diet.

Please note: The information on this site has NOT been written by a doctor and should not be used to replace medical advice.

About diverticulitis

Diverticulitis occurs when small pouches bulge out from weak points in the intestines, forming 'diverticula', which then become infected or inflamed. It is sometime described as being similar to a balloon of air bulging out of a bicycle tire.

The pouches alone, without any infection or inflammation are quite common, and if you have just the pouches then you suffer from diverticulosis.

If you have the pouches plus the inflammation or infection then you have diverticulitis.

Approximately 10% of people in the US who are 40 or over suffer from diverticulosis, and then around 10 to 25% of people who have diverticulosis will go on to develop diverticulitis.

Diverticulitis causes

Most doctors think that diverticulitis is mainly caused by the Western style of diet, which is generally low in fiber and has a lot of processed and refined food, rather than healthier diets of wholewheat, fruit and vegetables.

Low fiber diets often lead to constipation, and which in turn can lead to straining, hard stools and higher levels of pressure in the colon. More pressure then leads to weak spots in the intestines which can become the bulges and pouches of diverticulosis.

The next stage of disease, diverticulitis, where the pouches become inflamed or infected, may be caused by bacteria or pieces of stool which are caught in the pouches.