Adiverticulitisattack usually feels like sharpabdominal painon the left side of your belly. Other symptoms can include fever, chills, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.This article describes what you may experience if you are having a diverticulitis attack and how to know when the symptoms require a call to a healthcare professional.AJ_Watt / Getty ImagesDiverticular diseaseis an umbrella term that includes both diverticulosis and diverticulitis, as well as diverticular bleeding.Symptoms of a Diverticulitis AttackAbdominal pain is the most common symptom of a diverticulitis attack, also called aflare-up. It might be felt in the lower-left quadrant (quarter) of the abdomen, the lower-right quadrant, or at thepubic bone. The pain might come and go or be constant.The symptoms of a diverticulitis attack can be similar to many other common digestive problems. Some of the symptoms can include:BloatingConstipationDiarrheaFeverLoss of appetiteNauseaMucus in the stoolUrinary frequencyVomitingWhy Am I So Tired With Diverticulitis?How Long Does a Diverticulitis Attack Usually Last?In around 95% of people with uncomplicated diverticulitis, an attack usually lasts a week or less before subsiding on its own. The other 5% require treatment with antibiotics, aliquid diet, and—rarely—surgery before they get symptom relief.How Do You Know If You Are Having a Diverticulitis Attack?If you’ve already been diagnosed with diverticulosis or have previously experienced a flare-up of diverticulitis, you might assume you are having an attack—and you might be right.If your symptoms are unfamiliar or different than they were during another attack, you may need to be evaluated to rule out other possible causes.Other conditions that can be mistaken for diverticulitis include appendicitis,inflammatory bowel disease,and colorectal cancer.Can Diverticulitis Pain Radiate to Your Back?When to See a Healthcare ProviderEven if you already know you have diverticular disease, it’s important to call your healthcare provider for advice on what steps you should take.You should also call a healthcare provider if constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, or fever have gone on for more than a few days.Getemergency careif you are experiencing:Sharp abdominal painBleeding from the rectumFaintingFeeling confused, bleedingAn inability to keep any food or water downIs Alcohol Safe With Diverticulosis or Diverticulitis?Risks of Untreated DiverticulitisIt’s important to have diverticulitis evaluated and treated. Without treatment,there could be complicationssuch as:Anemia: A low number of healthy red blood cells from blood lossPerforation: A tear that causes the contents of the large bowel to leak into the abdomenPeritonitis: Infection of the abdominal cavity liningAbscesses: Pockets of infectionBowel obstructionWhat to Do If You Have Both IBS and DiverticulosisPreventing a Diverticulitis AttackIt’s not known exactly what causes diverticular disease. However, quitting smoking, eating as healthy a diet as possible (one that contains high fiber and includes less red meat), exercising, and maintaining an appropriate weight are all recommended to try to avoid a flare-up or complications from diverticular disease.A healthcare provider can offer instructions on which of these lifestyle changes may be helpful.How to Prevent Diverticulitis Flare-UpsSummaryThe main symptom of a diverticulitis attack is pain on the left side of the abdomen. Symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, fever, and nausea are also possible. Sometimes it is necessary to rule out other causes before arriving at a diagnosis of diverticulitis.In the majority of cases, a diverticulitis attack will resolve within a week with conservative treatment.Frequently Asked QuestionsThese two terms are interchangeable. Both a diverticulitis attack and a diverticulitis flare-up refer to the onset of symptoms of diverticulitis.Learn MoreDrugs to Avoid With DiverticulitisDiverticulitis might resolve withtreatment at homethat includes a liquid diet.For some more serious symptoms, antibiotics or treatment in the hospital might be needed.Learn MoreDoes Diverticulitis Go Away?
Adiverticulitisattack usually feels like sharpabdominal painon the left side of your belly. Other symptoms can include fever, chills, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
This article describes what you may experience if you are having a diverticulitis attack and how to know when the symptoms require a call to a healthcare professional.
AJ_Watt / Getty Images
Diverticular diseaseis an umbrella term that includes both diverticulosis and diverticulitis, as well as diverticular bleeding.
Symptoms of a Diverticulitis Attack
Abdominal pain is the most common symptom of a diverticulitis attack, also called aflare-up. It might be felt in the lower-left quadrant (quarter) of the abdomen, the lower-right quadrant, or at thepubic bone. The pain might come and go or be constant.
The symptoms of a diverticulitis attack can be similar to many other common digestive problems. Some of the symptoms can include:
Why Am I So Tired With Diverticulitis?
How Long Does a Diverticulitis Attack Usually Last?In around 95% of people with uncomplicated diverticulitis, an attack usually lasts a week or less before subsiding on its own. The other 5% require treatment with antibiotics, aliquid diet, and—rarely—surgery before they get symptom relief.
How Long Does a Diverticulitis Attack Usually Last?
In around 95% of people with uncomplicated diverticulitis, an attack usually lasts a week or less before subsiding on its own. The other 5% require treatment with antibiotics, aliquid diet, and—rarely—surgery before they get symptom relief.
How Do You Know If You Are Having a Diverticulitis Attack?
If you’ve already been diagnosed with diverticulosis or have previously experienced a flare-up of diverticulitis, you might assume you are having an attack—and you might be right.
If your symptoms are unfamiliar or different than they were during another attack, you may need to be evaluated to rule out other possible causes.
Other conditions that can be mistaken for diverticulitis include appendicitis,inflammatory bowel disease,and colorectal cancer.
Can Diverticulitis Pain Radiate to Your Back?
When to See a Healthcare Provider
Even if you already know you have diverticular disease, it’s important to call your healthcare provider for advice on what steps you should take.
You should also call a healthcare provider if constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, or fever have gone on for more than a few days.
Getemergency careif you are experiencing:
Is Alcohol Safe With Diverticulosis or Diverticulitis?
Risks of Untreated Diverticulitis
It’s important to have diverticulitis evaluated and treated. Without treatment,there could be complicationssuch as:
What to Do If You Have Both IBS and Diverticulosis
Preventing a Diverticulitis Attack
It’s not known exactly what causes diverticular disease. However, quitting smoking, eating as healthy a diet as possible (one that contains high fiber and includes less red meat), exercising, and maintaining an appropriate weight are all recommended to try to avoid a flare-up or complications from diverticular disease.
A healthcare provider can offer instructions on which of these lifestyle changes may be helpful.
How to Prevent Diverticulitis Flare-Ups
Summary
The main symptom of a diverticulitis attack is pain on the left side of the abdomen. Symptoms such as diarrhea, constipation, fever, and nausea are also possible. Sometimes it is necessary to rule out other causes before arriving at a diagnosis of diverticulitis.
In the majority of cases, a diverticulitis attack will resolve within a week with conservative treatment.
Frequently Asked QuestionsThese two terms are interchangeable. Both a diverticulitis attack and a diverticulitis flare-up refer to the onset of symptoms of diverticulitis.Learn MoreDrugs to Avoid With DiverticulitisDiverticulitis might resolve withtreatment at homethat includes a liquid diet.For some more serious symptoms, antibiotics or treatment in the hospital might be needed.Learn MoreDoes Diverticulitis Go Away?
Frequently Asked Questions
These two terms are interchangeable. Both a diverticulitis attack and a diverticulitis flare-up refer to the onset of symptoms of diverticulitis.Learn MoreDrugs to Avoid With Diverticulitis
These two terms are interchangeable. Both a diverticulitis attack and a diverticulitis flare-up refer to the onset of symptoms of diverticulitis.
Learn MoreDrugs to Avoid With Diverticulitis
Diverticulitis might resolve withtreatment at homethat includes a liquid diet.For some more serious symptoms, antibiotics or treatment in the hospital might be needed.Learn MoreDoes Diverticulitis Go Away?
Diverticulitis might resolve withtreatment at homethat includes a liquid diet.For some more serious symptoms, antibiotics or treatment in the hospital might be needed.
Learn MoreDoes Diverticulitis Go Away?
6 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diverticular disease.InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG);Diverticular disease and diverticulitis: Treating acute diverticulitis. 2018 May 17.Ohio State University School of Nursing.Diverticular disease case study. Differential diagnosis. Autumn 2017.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of diverticular disease.Onur MR, Akpinar E, Karaosmanoglu AD, Isayev C, Karcaaltincaba M.Diverticulitis: a comprehensive review with usual and unusual complications.Insights Imaging. 2017;8(1):19-27. doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0532-3National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for diverticular disease.
6 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diverticular disease.InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG);Diverticular disease and diverticulitis: Treating acute diverticulitis. 2018 May 17.Ohio State University School of Nursing.Diverticular disease case study. Differential diagnosis. Autumn 2017.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of diverticular disease.Onur MR, Akpinar E, Karaosmanoglu AD, Isayev C, Karcaaltincaba M.Diverticulitis: a comprehensive review with usual and unusual complications.Insights Imaging. 2017;8(1):19-27. doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0532-3National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for diverticular disease.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diverticular disease.InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG);Diverticular disease and diverticulitis: Treating acute diverticulitis. 2018 May 17.Ohio State University School of Nursing.Diverticular disease case study. Differential diagnosis. Autumn 2017.National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of diverticular disease.Onur MR, Akpinar E, Karaosmanoglu AD, Isayev C, Karcaaltincaba M.Diverticulitis: a comprehensive review with usual and unusual complications.Insights Imaging. 2017;8(1):19-27. doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0532-3National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for diverticular disease.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Symptoms & causes of diverticular disease.
InformedHealth.org [Internet]. Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG);Diverticular disease and diverticulitis: Treating acute diverticulitis. 2018 May 17.
Ohio State University School of Nursing.Diverticular disease case study. Differential diagnosis. Autumn 2017.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Diagnosis of diverticular disease.
Onur MR, Akpinar E, Karaosmanoglu AD, Isayev C, Karcaaltincaba M.Diverticulitis: a comprehensive review with usual and unusual complications.Insights Imaging. 2017;8(1):19-27. doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0532-3
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.Treatment for diverticular disease.
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