Diverticulitis refers to the presence of small pockets or diverticula located in the lining of the bowel. This is actually quite common and harmless. About 10 percent of the population is affected by diverticulitis by the time they are 50 years old and about fifty percent of the population is affected by it by the time they are 80 years old. The good news about diverticulitis is that most of the time there are relatively no symptoms and many people do not even realize they have a problem.
However, if the diverticula grow, they can place pressure on the walls of the intestines. This can cause digestive complications such as blockages, inflammation, rectal bleeding, constipation, excessive gas, and other issues with bowel movements. This can occur because the intestinal walls are weakened as the diverticulitis develops.
While diverticulitis typically develops in people over the age of fifty, anyone can develop these small sacs in the lining of their bowel at any time. If you are suffering from any type of digestive issue, it may be caused by diverticulitis. Here are 11 of the most common symptoms of diverticulitis.
1. No Symptoms
As mentioned, there are many people who have diverticulitis and do not even realize it. This is because the appearance of these small pockets in the colon or large intestine are quite common and for most people they remain small and do not cause any issues at all. The diverticula will not cause any health problems or pain unless they become inflamed for some reason. For this reason, there are many people who live for many years with diverticulitis and do not even realize that they have it.
