5 Early Warning Signs of Diverticulitis
Key takeaways:
Diverticuli are small pouches in the wall of the large intestine. When they become inflamed, it causes diverticulitis.
Early symptoms of diverticulitis are abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
Serious or later symptoms of diverticulitis include fever, severe abdominal pain, and bloody poop.
Table of contents
As we age — especially after the age of 50— the wall of the large intestine can develop small pouches call diverticuli. As a condition, this is called diverticulosis. But when those pouches become inflamed, it’s called diverticulitis. This condition can be uncomfortable and can sometimes be serious.
Most of the time, diverticulitis gets better without an issue. In about 15% of cases, it can lead to complications (more on this later).
Early diagnosis and treatment can often prevent these severe complications. Here, we’ll review the five common early symptoms of diverticulitis and when to get medical attention for them.
1. Abdominal pain
Diverticulitis almost always causes abdominal pain. This is due to inflammation and swelling in the affected area of your intestine. Diverticulitis can also irritate the lining of your abdomen (peritoneum).
Abdominal pain from diverticulitis can show up in various ways. Usually, the pain is sharp, but it can also be crampy. It’s most often constant, but the pain can also come and go.
People of European descent are most likely to have pain in the left lower corner of their belly. In contrast, people of Asian descent are more likely to have pouches in a different part of their intestine. Because of this, their pain is more likely to be on the right side of their abdomen.
When does diverticulitis need treatment in the hospital? It depends on the symptoms, which can help determine if there’s a higher chance of complications.
During a diverticulitis flare, what you eat and drink matters. These five food types can help provide relief and speed up recovery.
Severe abdominal pain can be scary: It’s especially scary if you’re not sure what’s causing it. It can help to know the signs and symptoms that should prompt a visit to the ER.
2. Nausea and vomiting
Nausea and vomiting are also common symptoms of diverticulitis. They may occur because of:
Irritation in your abdomen
Inflammation causing your intestines to work more slowly
Blockage of your intestines
Nausea and vomiting may come and go, but can also worsen over time. There’s no modern research on how common vomiting is in diverticulitis. Older research suggests that it happens in about 1 out of 5 people with the condition.
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3. Fever
When infection causes diverticulitis, fever is common. Fever is a sign that your body is fighting an infection. It can also be a sign that the diverticulitis is getting worse or spreading throughout your body.
But not everyone with diverticulitis has a fever. One research study found that only 20% of people with diverticulitis had fever, while another reported 48% did.
4. Changes in bowel habits
It’s common to have changes in bowel habits with diverticulitis. This means your bowel movements can become more or less frequent, and the consistency of your stool can change.
About 50% of people with diverticulitis have constipation. This may be due to the effects of inflammation on the function of your large intestine. It can also be related to avoiding bowel movements because they’re painful.
Around 35% of people with diverticulitis have diarrhea. Experts believe this is due to inflammation of the large intestine, which leads to more fluid in your stools.
5. Urinary symptoms
Pain when you pee or feeling like you have to pee often can also happen with diverticulitis. These symptoms are less common than others. The part of the intestine where diverticulitis usually happens is near the bladder, so inflammation of your intestine can cause inflammation in your bladder.
When should you seek care for diverticulitis symptoms?
There are many possible causes of abdominal pain and bloody stools, and they can be difficult to tease out. So, it's better to get medical attention sooner rather than later. A healthcare professional can perform an exam and, if needed, order tests to figure out what’s going on.
If you have had diverticulitis before and this feels the same, you can try to treat your symptoms at home. But if your symptoms intensify or don’t improve within a couple days, you should see your doctor.
Some symptoms can suggest you’re dealing with a more severe problem or complication. If you have of the following, you should see a doctor right away:
Severe abdominal pain
Persistent fever
Black or bloody stools
Signs of dehydration from losing fluid through vomiting or diarrhea
Possible diverticulitis complications include:
Infection that has spread beyond your intestines to other parts of your body
Bleeding from your intestines
Blockage in your intestines
A pocket of infection (abscess) that needs to be drained surgically
A hole (perforation) in your intestinal wall
The bottom line
Diverticulitis is inflammation of small pouches in your large intestine. Early warning signs include abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, and bowel habit changes. Get medical attention right away if your pain is severe, you‘re running a fever along with abdominal pain, or your stools are black or bloody.
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References
Bamani, H. M., et al. (2022). Epidemiology, management, and outcomes of acute diverticulitis in King Abdul-Aziz University hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Cureus.
Eggers, C. (1941). Acute diverticulitis and sigmoiditis. Annals of Surgery.
Linzay, C. D., et al. (2023). Acute diverticulitis. StatPearls.
Perrone, G., et al. (2021). Conservative management of complicated colonic diverticulitis in early and late elderly. Medicina.
Sung, C., et al. (2022). Colonic diverticulitis location is a risk factor for recurrence: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study in Asian patients. Scientific Reports.
