Q What exactly is colonic diverticulosis? I am curious about why diverticula form.
A Diverticula are pouch-like outpouchings of the colon wall pushed outward by internal pressure at weak points. They form when a low-fiber diet causes repeated constipation and the colon uses excessive pressure to push the contents. Incidence increases as the colon wall weakens with age.
Detailed Answer
Diverticula are small pouches formed when the colon mucosa herniates through gaps in the muscle layer. With a low-fiber diet, the stool becomes hard and the colon strengthens its contractions, raising internal pressure, and this repeated pressure pushes out vulnerable blood vessel passage areas. They are most common in the sigmoid colon (left side), and are rapidly increasing in Korea as Western-style diets have spread.
Korean Medicine Clinic Perspective
In Korean medicine, chronic constipation and decreased colon function are seen as the main background for diverticulum formation. Regulating the state where intestinal qi (腸氣) does not circulate smoothly, causing contents to stagnate and internal pressure to rise, can help suppress new diverticulum formation and relieve symptoms.
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