Disclaimer: This article does not constitute medical advice. Medical advice should always be sought from a qualified medical practitioner.
- Is Diverticulitis Only a Condition of Older People?
- What Is the Difference Between Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis?
- Is a Colonoscopy Standard After a First Flare?
- Why Are More Younger People Being Diagnosed?
- Does Family History Matter?
- What Do Flares Feel Like?
- FAQs
- Why Does This Feel So Confusing?
- Key Takeaways
This article is based on anonymised discussions from our Diverticulitis Club group on Facebook, combined with current UK guidance and evidence.
The short answer is this: diverticulitis is more common over the age of 50, but it can occur much younger, even in your twenties.
That contrast is exactly what creates so much confusion. One person is diagnosed at 27 after a CT scan. Another at 75. Some live with diverticulosis for years before a first flare. Others experience a sudden, severe attack with no warning at all.
For many people in their 50s and 60s, the shock is not just the pain. It is the uncertainty. Why now? Is this normal? What happens next?
Below, we explore what our community has experienced, alongside what current evidence tells us.
Is Diverticulitis Only a Condition of Older People?
No, but age is a major risk factor.
Diverticular disease becomes more common as we get older. According to the NHS, diverticula are rare under 40 but affect around half of people over 50 and up to 70 percent of people over 80. However, most people with diverticulosis never develop diverticulitis.
You can read more about diverticular disease on the NHS website here:
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/diverticular-disease-and-diverticulitis/
In our group, diagnoses ranged widely:
- 21 years old, diagnosed after a barium enema
- 22, diagnosed by colonoscopy
- 27, diagnosed via CT scan
- 34 and 36, confirmed by CT followed by colonoscopy
- 40s and 50s, often during routine colonoscopy or after a first painful flare
- 60s and 70s, sometimes with no prior symptoms at all
“Rebecca from Kent” shared that she was diagnosed at 28 and is now 56. She usually has one or two flares a year.
“Laura from Manchester” was 63. She had never had any symptoms before her first attack. It was labelled uncomplicated diverticulitis after a CT scan.
The range itself can feel unsettling. There is no single ‘typical’ age.
What Is the Difference Between Diverticulosis and Diverticulitis?
This is one of the most common sources of confusion.
- Diverticulosis means small pouches have formed in the bowel wall.
- Diverticulitis means those pouches have become inflamed or infected.
Several members described being told they had diverticulosis years before any flare occurred.
“Dana from Bristol” was diagnosed with diverticulosis at 41 during a colonoscopy. Her first diverticulitis flare happened five years later.
Others experienced a flare without ever knowing they had diverticula in the first place.
This difference matters. Many people live with diverticulosis and never develop diverticulitis. Read more about the difference here.
Is a Colonoscopy Standard After a First Flare?
This was one of the most debated questions in our community.
Short answer: often yes, but timing and necessity depend on individual circumstances.
Many members reported:
- CT scan in hospital during acute pain
- Follow-up colonoscopy weeks or months later
“Rachel from Belfast” had a CT scan at 36 during a flare. A colonoscopy followed a month later. She has another scheduled and admits she dreads it.
“Donna from Leeds” was diagnosed via CT during her first flare. A colonoscopy in September confirmed diverticular disease.
Current UK practice commonly involves a colonoscopy after a first episode of diverticulitis, especially if it was confirmed by CT. The purpose is to:
- Confirm the diagnosis
- Exclude other conditions such as bowel cancer
- Assess the extent of diverticular disease
However, colonoscopy is usually delayed until inflammation has settled, often six to eight weeks later, to reduce the risk of complications.
Not everyone continues to have regular colonoscopies. One member in her late 50s shared that her clinicians are cautious about repeat procedures because of extensive diverticulosis and the theoretical risk of perforation.
This highlights something important: recommendations are personalised.
Why Are More Younger People Being Diagnosed?
There are a few possible reasons:
- Increased use of CT scanning means diverticulitis is identified more accurately.
- Lifestyle factors such as diet, obesity and physical inactivity may contribute.
- Greater awareness means people seek help earlier.
That said, diverticulitis under 40 is still less common than in older age groups.
For someone diagnosed at 27, as one member was, the experience can feel isolating. Most online information appears to focus on older adults. Yet younger cases are real and increasingly recognised.
Does Family History Matter?
Possibly.
“Dawn from Sheffield” was diagnosed at 54 but had known she had diverticulosis since 50. Her mother suffered with it for years.
Research suggests genetics may play a role, although diet and lifestyle are also significant contributors.
Family history does not guarantee you will develop diverticulitis, but it may increase awareness and prompt earlier investigation.
What Do Flares Feel Like?
While this discussion focused on age, many comments referenced symptoms:
- Left-sided abdominal pain
- Flank pain
- Sudden severe pain requiring hospital admission
- Pain resolving with antibiotics and a liquid diet
For some, like “Karin from Glasgow,” the first episode was severe, involving a perforated sigmoid colon and emergency surgery with temporary colostomy formation.
For others, flares were labelled uncomplicated and managed with antibiotics and dietary modification.
The emotional experience was consistent across ages: shock, fear, confusion and questions about what comes next.
FAQs
Yes, although it is less common. Cases in people in their 20s and 30s are increasingly reported.
No. Many people with diverticulosis never develop diverticulitis.
Many people are advised to have one after their first confirmed episode, once inflammation has settled. However, individual circumstances vary. Always discuss this with your clinician.
Severity does not strictly follow age. Younger patients can experience severe disease, and older patients may have mild or uncomplicated episodes.
Why Does This Feel So Confusing?
Because there is no single path.
One person has mild flares every year. Another has a single severe episode at 63. Someone else lives for decades with diverticulosis before anything happens.
When you are newly diagnosed, particularly in your 50s or 60s, it can feel like the ground has shifted beneath you. You may be wondering:
- Is this the start of something chronic?
- Will I need surgery?
- Should I change my diet completely?
- Why did this happen now?
These are reasonable questions. And the answers are rarely one-size-fits-all.
Key Takeaways
- Diverticulitis is most common over 50, but it can occur much younger.
- Many people have diverticulosis without ever developing diverticulitis.
- CT scans are commonly used to diagnose acute flares.
- Colonoscopy is often recommended after a first episode, once inflammation has settled.
- Experiences vary widely in frequency and severity.
If you have been recently diagnosed and feel uncertain about what comes next, you are not alone. Our forum at Diverticulitis Club exists to provide calm, balanced peer support alongside evidence-based information.
You can join the discussion or read others’ experiences here:
https://diverticulitis.club/forum/
Disclaimer: This article does not constitute medical advice. Medical advice should always be sought from a qualified medical practitioner.
