What are the symptoms of diverticulosis?

Introduction

Diverticulosis is a condition characterized by the presence of diverticula, which are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of the digestive system, most commonly in the colon. While many individuals with diverticulosis remain asymptomatic, a subset of patients may experience various gastrointestinal symptoms.

Key Insights

Asymptomatic Nature:
- Most individuals with diverticulosis do not exhibit symptoms and remain asymptomatic .
Common Symptoms:
- When symptoms do occur, they often include altered bowel habits such as loose stools, urgency, and high stool frequency .
- Abdominal pain, particularly in the left lower quadrant, is a frequent symptom and can be prolonged and severe in some cases .
- Diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is more common in older patients with diverticulosis.
Inflammation and Pain:
- There is no strong evidence linking diverticulosis to mucosal inflammation or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms.
- However, low-grade inflammation may play a role in symptom persistence following acute diverticulitis.
Complications:
- A minority of patients with diverticulosis may develop diverticulitis, which can lead to complications such as abscess, perforation, fistulation, or stricture formation .
- Symptoms of diverticulitis include severe abdominal pain, often localized to the left lower quadrant, and may be accompanied by fever and changes in bowel habits .
Associated Conditions:
- Some patients with jejunal diverticulosis may experience symptoms of intestinal pseudo-obstruction, including diarrhea, steatorrhea, and weight loss.

Conclusion

Diverticulosis is often asymptomatic, but when symptoms do occur, they typically include altered bowel habits and abdominal pain, particularly in the left lower quadrant. While there is no strong evidence linking diverticulosis to chronic inflammation, low-grade inflammation may contribute to symptom persistence after episodes of diverticulitis. Complications such as diverticulitis can lead to more severe symptoms and require medical intervention.

What are the symptoms of diverticulosis?

Summary

Introduction

Key Insights

Conclusion

Sources and full results

Colonic Diverticula Are Not Associated With Mucosal Inflammation or Chronic Gastrointestinal Symptoms

Colonic diverticulosis is not associated with mucosal inflammation or chronic gastrointestinal symptoms, and even in patients with symptoms, there was no evidence of inflammation.

Symptomatic Diverticulosis Is Characterized By Loose Stools.

Diverticulosis is a common condition with a higher prevalence in older adults, and is associated with loose stools, abdominal pain, and diarrhea-predominant IBS.

Jejunal diverticulosis. A heterogenous disorder caused by a variety of abnormalities of smooth muscle or myenteric plexus.

Jejunal diverticulosis is a heterogenous disorder involving at least three abnormalities of smooth muscle or myenteric plexus, with intestinal pseudoobstruction being a major clinical manifestation, and some patients may have clinically inapparent progressive systemic sclerosis.

Perception and the Origin of Symptoms in Diverticular Disease

Diverticular disease can cause altered bowel habit and abdominal pain in up to 20% of patients, with various theories explaining the development of these symptoms.

Changing views on diverticular disease: impact of aging, obesity, diet, and microbiota

Diverticular disease is influenced by aging, obesity, smoking, and diet, with factors like neuromuscular changes, diet, and dietary changes potentially causing symptoms.

Serotonin Signaling in Diverticular Disease

Serotonin signaling is altered in patients with acute diverticulitis, potentially explaining persistent pain and altered motility long after recovery.

Images of interest. Gastrointestinal: Foreign bodies and diverticulitis.

A rare cause of diverticulitis is a chicken bone lodged in the sigmoid colon, which may not be removed at colonoscopy.

Moderate to Severe and Prolonged Left Lower-abdominal Pain is the Best Symptom Characterizing Symptomatic Uncomplicated Diverticular Disease of the Colon: A Comparison With Fecal Calprotectin in Clinical Setting

Severe and prolonged left lower-abdominal pain is the best symptom to differentiate symptomatic uncomplicated diverticular disease from irritable bowel syndrome in diverticulosis patients.

Colonic Diverticular Disease: Pathophysiology and Clinical Picture

Colonic diverticulosis is a common structural abnormality of the large bowel, influenced by lifestyle changes, reduced fiber diet, and ageing, with symptoms often overlapping with irritable bowel syndrome.

Role of Inflammation in the Pathogenesis of Diverticular Disease

Inflammation plays a role in symptom occurrence in diverticular disease and symptom persistence after acute diverticulitis, with colonic dysbiosis potentially being a trigger.

Try another search