Mild diverticulitis symptoms often include lower-left abdominal pain or cramping, bloating, changes in bowel habits (constipation/diarrhea), nausea, and sometimes a low-grade fever, which can come and go or gradually worsen over a few days. While it can resolve on its own, persistent pain, fever, or bloody stools warrant immediate medical attention as symptoms can become severe.
A common symptom of diverticulitis is pain in the area below the chest called the abdomen. Most often, pain is in the lower left abdomen. Pain from diverticulitis is usually sudden and intense. Pain may be mild and gradually worsen, or the intensity of the pain may vary over time.
Symptoms of diverticular disease and diverticulitis
Know the signs of diverticulitis
Other symptoms may include a combination of loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal bloating and cramping, and not passing gas or stool. A mild case of diverticulitis that causes only minimal pain in the lower abdomen can resolve on its own within a day or two.
Dealing with diverticulosis
Once the sacs develop, they don't heal on their own, and they don't go away. We can cure diverticulosis by performing surgery to remove the sacs. But if you don't have symptoms and an infection doesn't develop, there's no reason to treat the condition at all, much less undergo surgery.
If you have diverticulitis with mild symptoms and no other problems, a doctor may recommend that you rest, take oral antibioticsExternal NIH Link, and follow a liquid diet for a period of time. If your symptoms ease after a few days, the doctor will recommend gradually adding solid foods back into your diet.
Diverticulosis is common, especially as people age. More than one-third of U.S. adults between the ages of 50 and 59 have diverticulosis. More than two-thirds who are over age 80 have it. Most of those people will not have symptoms or problems.
Stage I: Diverticulitis with phlegmon or localized pericolic or mesenteric abscess. This means there are inflammatory masses or abscesses in the fat surrounding the colon or the folds of the small intestine. Stage II: Diverticulitis with walled-off pelvic, intra-abdominal, or retroperitoneal abscess.
Common alternative conditions that can clinically mimic diverticulitis include small bowel obstruction, primary epiploic appendagitis, acute cholecystitis, appendicitis, ileitis, ovarian cystic disease, and ureteral stone disease.
Oral antibiotics are no longer recommended as a first-line treatment for acute diverticulitis in most patients with uncomplicated disease and no co-morbidities.
While no specific foods are proven to trigger diverticulitis attacks, a diet rich in high-fiber foods can help maintain digestive health and reduce the risk of complications. High-fiber foods soften waste, decreasing pressure in the digestive tract. Examples include: Fruits.
Diverticulitis causes several noticeable changes in your poop, including altered color (bright red, maroon, or black), different shapes (thin, pellet-like, or irregular), and unusual texture (watery diarrhea or hard constipation).
A few early signs that could indicate you're suffering from diverticulitis include:
While the cause of diverticular diseases is unknown, several studies have associated the conditions with low fiber intake, excessive alcohol use, anti-inflammatory medications, steroids, obesity, lack of exercise, and smoking.
Diverticulosis occurs when small, bulging pouches (diverticula) develop in your digestive tract. When one or more of these pouches become inflamed or infected, the condition is called diverticulitis.
The worst things for diverticulitis during a flare-up are high-fiber foods, red/processed meats, sugar, fat, alcohol, and NSAIDs like ibuprofen, as they can worsen inflammation and symptoms; instead, focus on a temporary low-fiber diet (liquids/soft foods) and gradually reintroduce fiber after healing to prevent future attacks, consulting your doctor for personalized advice.
Diverticulitis is diagnosed primarily with a CT scan (often with contrast), the most precise tool to see inflammation and complications, along with a doctor's review of your medical history, physical exam (checking for tenderness), and blood tests for infection. Other tests, like colonoscopy (to rule out cancer), ultrasound, or X-rays, might also be used to confirm the diagnosis and check for other issues.
IBS and diverticulitis cause symptoms that affect the digestive system. They may share some symptoms, such as constipation and diarrhea. However, unlike IBS, diverticulitis can cause fever, chills, and vomiting. It may also cause more sudden and severe pain than IBS.
“A CT scan with contrast can diagnose about 95 percent of diverticulitis cases.” It's highly effective at detecting diverticulitis when you have it and ruling it out when you don't. “If complicated diverticulitis is suspected, your doctor will want to check for signs of infection or inflammation,” he says.
Uncomplicated diverticulitis
If your symptoms are mild, you may be treated at home. Your healthcare professional is likely to recommend a liquid diet. When symptoms begin to improve, you can gradually increase solid food, beginning with low-fiber foods.
Mild diverticulitis can usually be treated at home with antibiotics prescribed by your GP. More serious cases may need hospital treatment to prevent and treat complications. Surgery to remove the affected section of the intestine is sometimes recommended if there have been serious complications, although this is rare.
Urgent red flags – seek immediate medical help (999/A&E):
Severe or worsening abdominal pain with fever. Persistent vomiting, inability to pass wind or stool. Heavy rectal bleeding, black or tarry stools. Signs of shock (pale, clammy, dizzy, fainting)
Men are more likely to have bleeding from diverticular disease. Other risk factors for diverticular disease include use of NSAIDS, aspirin, steroids, opioids, smoking and sedentary lifestyle. Family history and genetics is also an important risk factor for development of diverticulitis.
The most important risk factor is age. After the age of 40 they become more common. With increasing age about 2 out of 3 people will develop diverticula during their lifetime. More people are being diagnosed, especially people under 45 years of age.
If you have mild diverticulitis, you may feel better within 2 to 3 days of starting a clear liquid or low-fiber diet. If you don't start to feel better within a few days, call your healthcare professional. Also call your healthcare professional if: You get a fever.