Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is inflammation in your diverticula, which are small pockets that can develop on the inside of your colon. Having diverticula is called diverticulosis. It’s common as you get older, and most people never have any problems with it. But if one of your diverticula becomes inflamed, it can cause acute pain and other symptoms. It might mean that it has an infection, which needs medical attention.

How common is diverticulitis?

Although diverticulosis is common, diverticulitis is an uncommon complication. It affects about 4% of people with diverticulosis. Once you’ve had it, you have a 20% chance of getting it again.

Are there different types of diverticulitis?

Healthcare providers classify diverticulitis as acute or chronic and as complicated or uncomplicated.

Acute/chronic

Diverticulitis begins as an acute problem, which means that it comes on suddenly and goes away shortly with treatment. But some people have recurring (repeat) episodes of diverticulitis, and some people develop chronic inflammation. There are different theories about why this happens. It may be because an acute episode didn’t heal completely, or it may be related to another chronic condition in your colon.

Complicated/uncomplicated

Most of the time, diverticulitis is uncomplicated, which means that inflammation and possible infection are the extents of the problem. It heals easily with the right treatment. Diverticulitis becomes complicated when the inflammation begins to cause secondary problems. For example, severe acute inflammation may cause a diverticulum (singular of diverticula) to rupture. Chronic inflammation may cause scarring.