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Diverticulitis can occur many places in the body, but the term is used almost always to refer to diverticulitis of the colon.

This can be a little confusing, because diverticulitis typically occurs in the Sigmoid Colon, usually called  the "Sigmoid".

A diverticulum is a bubble or balloon like outpouching, like a bubble that forms at the weak place in a tire. The illustration is pretty close, because pressure inside the colon can stretch the colon wall, and cause a diverticulum.

We could go on and on about why and how the colon might get a weak spot, whether it is genetic, inborn, caused by a certain diet, etc etc etc.  The reality is that lots of Americans have diverticula.

BTW diverticula is plural for diverticulum in case you escaped Latin grammar as a kid.

OK, lots of folks have diverticula, and this is called Diverticulosis.

It does not usually amount to much, and does little harm.

Diverticulitis occurs when this bubble, or balloon area fills with colon contents (read bacteria, debris, ugh.). Add a watermellon seed or the like...and plug this balloon fuller and fuller.  Inflammation begins, swelling follows, blood supply is reduced by the swelling, and at the worst this diverticulum becomes a bag of pus (abscess)

This can actually burst through the wall of the colon, and produce the severe abdominal pain which can be dangerous.

 

These days, when the diganosis is known, patients are often treated with antibiotics to reduce the severty of disease before surgery removes the segment of colon with the diverticulitis.