Take the Tummy Trouble Quiz Digestive Disease Myths Slideshow Pictures Heartburn? Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid Slideshow

Medical Author:

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, FACOEP

John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.

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Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Medical Editor:

Bhupinder Anand, MD

Diverticulitis Symptoms

Most people with diverticulosis have no symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are usually mild and include the following:

• pain in the belly (abdomen),
  
  
• bloating,
  
  
• constipation (less often, diarrhea), and
  
  
• cramping.

These symptoms are nonspecific. This means that similar symptoms are seen in many different digestive disorders. They do not necessarily mean that a person has diverticulosis. If an individual has these symptoms, he or she should see a health care practitioner.

Diverticulitis is a more serious condition and causes symptoms in most people with the condition that include:

• pain in the abdomen, usually in the lower left side;
  
  
• bleeding, bright red or maroon blood may appear in the toilet, on the toilet paper, or in the stool. Bleeding is often mild and usually stops by itself; however, it can become severe;
  
  
• fever;
  
  
• nausea;
  
  
• vomiting;
  
  
• chills; and
  
  
• constipation (less often, diarrhea).

If diverticulitis is not treated promptly it can develop some very serious complications. A complication is suggested by any of the following symptoms:

• worsening abdominal pain;
  
  
• persistent fever;
  
  
• vomiting (no food or liquid can be tolerated);
  
  
• constipation for an extended period of time;
  
  
• burning or pain during urination; and
  
  
• bleeding from the rectum.