Questions in the Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum have been answered by Dr. Kevin Pho who is board certified in Internal Medicine and by doctors from Henry Ford Health System.

Question Title: Is it Diverticulitis

Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Diverticulitis


I am a 71 year old active woman & have had excessive gas & bloating with pain in the mid section of my abdomen just below the rib cage for at least a month. the pain has now settled in the left lower quadrant of the abdoman & radiates to the back & to the groin area & is quite severe. I have been taking anti-acids & watching my diet but with no results. a upper G-I a few years ago shows Multiple diverticuli in the duodenum (sp) so I am wondering if I have diverticulitis or IBS.

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Dear Mytze,
Diverticulitis refers to inflammation of outpouchings of the colon, although in theory any area of the bowel could have outpouchings that become inflamed. Multiple duodenal diverticula are not common, raising the possibility of a motility disorder which would also be the cause of your symptoms. You should ask your physician about performing a workup of your GI tract looking for causes of your pain. Among the tests needed will be a barium enema, barium study of the small intestine and gastric emptying test.

At present, I would be inclined to attribute your symptoms to IBS rather than diverticulitis but I think that additional tests are needed to exclude other possible causes for your symptoms.

This information is presented for educational purposes only. Always consult your personal physician for specific medical questions.

HFHSM.D.-rf
*keywords: abdominal pain, diverticulitis
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