Question: What are the common diverticulitis symptoms? Also, what can I do if I have this?

Answer: Diverticulitis symptoms include three different problems that when seen in conjunction with one another will indicate a diagnosis of diverticulitis. The first symptom is lower left abdominal pain. This symptom is usually accompanied by fever and an elevation of white blood cells.

Many patients will also complain of nausea, diarrhea, or constipation. Diverticulitis gets worse throughout the day. It may start as minor discomfort in the morning and progress to acute pain by the late evening.

If your doctor suspects you have diverticulitis he or she will order a CT scan, more commonly known as a cat scan. This is basically an x-ray and can confirm the diagnosis with a great degree of accuracy.

If this is the first time you have been diagnosed your doctor will likely tell you not to eat anything by mouth to give the bowel a rest. They will often order antibiotics to treat the infection. If this is a recurrent problem surgery may be required.

After treating you the physician will likely place you on a low fiber diet. This is to allow the bowel time to rest before it resumes its normal function in the body.

We hope that we have answered your questions about diverticulitis symptoms, but if you have further questions please feel free to ask.