Diverticulitis Symptoms You Shouldn't Ignore

Diverticula are pouches that form inside your large intestine (colon). The condition of having diverticula is called diverticulosis, and it's not a diseased state. It's common as you age, and most people never have a problem with it.

Diverticulitis occurs when inflammation develops in the diverticula, which might mean an infection requiring medical attention.

Although diverticulosis is common, diverticulitis isn't. It affects about 4% of people who have diverticulosis, and if you've had it, you have a 20% chance of getting it again.

At Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota, Dr. John Bollins and the team perform minimally invasive and robotic-assisted colon surgeries for various digestive conditions, including diverticulitis. You must learn to recognize the symptoms to prevent them from becoming life-threatening, so we're discussing them here.

What are the types of diverticulitis?

Doctors classify diverticulitis as acute or chronic and complicated or uncomplicated.

Acute/chronic

Diverticulitis is an acute problem, meaning it comes on suddenly and disappears quickly with treatment. Some people, though, have recurring bouts of diverticulitis, and some develop chronic inflammation. This inflammation may be from an acute episode that didn't heal completely, or it could be related to another chronic colon condition.

Complicated/uncomplicated

Most of the time, diverticulitis is uncomplicated, meaning that inflammation and any infection are the extent of the problem, and you can treat it quickly. Diverticulitis becomes complicated when the inflammation leads to secondary problems, such as severe acute inflammation causing a diverticulum to rupture or chronic inflammation leading to scarring.

Diverticulitis symptoms

Diverticulitis comes with an array of symptoms that may include:

Severe abdominal pain
Distended abdomen or palpable colon (you can feel it with your hand)
Fever
Nausea and vomiting
Rectal bleeding
Constipation or, less commonly, diarrhea

The palpable colon is a notable symptom, as is the type and location of the pain. The pain of an acute diverticulitis attack or a flare-up of chronic diverticulitis feels similar. An acute attack may occur more suddenly, while a flare-up can build over a few days. The pain is generally moderate-to-severe and feels sharp and penetrating or burning. You should be able to point to the precise spot where the inflamed diverticulum lies.

Diverticula are typically found in the last part of the colon, the sigmoid colon, in people of European descent. It begins on the lower left side and tilts slightly to the right as it approaches the rectum. As a result, most people feel diverticulitis pain in the lower left quadrant of their abdomen, but it may also spread to the pelvis or radiate to the back.

People of Asian descent usually feel it in the first part of the colon, so the pain presents in the upper abdomen.

It’s also important to know the signs that you’ve developed complicated diverticulitis.

Symptoms include:

Fresh blood in your stool
Facial paleness or feeling weak
You feel like you need to urinate often or have irritation when you do
Your abdomen is rigid and sensitive to touch

If you notice these symptoms, call Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota ASAP, as you have a medical emergency.

A complicated case of diverticulitis can lead to:

Gastrointestinal bleeding: leads to anemia
Intestinal obstruction: swelling might cause your colon to temporarily narrow, and chronic swelling might cause scarring (stricture)
Fistulas: inflamed colon wall might fuse to another body canal (e.g., small intestine, bladder, vagina), creating an inappropriate tunnel
Bladder inflammation: fistula to your bladder may spread an infection there
Abscess: pocket of infected pus that, if it ruptures, can infect your peritoneal cavity (peritonitis); call 911
Gastrointestinal perforation: intestinal bacteria leak into your peritoneal cavity, leading to sepsis

All of these are serious complications and can be life-threatening; you need medical help immediately.

If your diverticulitis is mild and uncomplicated, it may go away independently. However, it's always best to have a doctor evaluate it. You may need antibiotics and pain medications, and you'll need to know how to care for yourself while recovering. It takes about a week.

If you've noticed any of the signs or symptoms of diverticulitis, you should visit Advanced Surgical Associates of Northern Minnesota for an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.

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