Your digestive tract has an important job. It breaks down all the food you eat into nutrients your body needs to survive. Sometimes, small pouches can form inside the lower part of the tract. If you have many pouches, this is called diverticulosis. Diverticulosis happens when the inside layer of the tract pushes out through a weak spot. A single pouch is called a diverticulum. These pouches can form anywhere in your lower digestive tract. Most often, they form on the left side of the large intestine or colon. This is where stool collects before you have a bowel movement.
Diverticulosis means that small pouches have formed in the wall of the large intestine. Most often, this problem causes no symptoms and is common as people age.
Some people get pouches along the wall of the colon as they get older. These pouches are called diverticula. They often cause no symptoms. If the pouches become blocked, you can get an infection. This infection is called diverticulitis.
Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are two problems involving the colon (large intestine). These conditions can be painful. But they can be managed. Read on to learn how.
Diverticular disease is an infection in the tiny pouches that some people get in their colon. The pouches are called diverticula. These pouches bulge out through weak spots in your colon. The pouches can become inflamed (red, swollen) or infected.
