How to Diagnose Diverticulitis

Diverticulitis is an infection or inflammation of the pouches in the digestive tract, most commonly affecting the sigmoid colon, which is part of the large intestine. It mostly affects people over the age of 40, but it isn't uncommon for a younger person to experience diverticulitis. Complications of diverticulitis could affect nearby organs. Emergency surgery is sometimes necessary if the intestine has ruptured.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Identify whether you have pain and tenderness in your back and, if you do, whether it is in the lower left quadrant.
2. Take your temperature to see if you have a fever, which could be a sign of the onset of diverticulitis.
3. Contact your doctor immediately if you begin bleeding, are constipated, have cramps, fever, chills or begin vomiting. You could have an obstruction in the colon.
4. Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you have any change in bowel habits or cramping. She may want to do a computed tomography (CT) scan, colonoscopy or other tests to better diagnose diverticulitis.
5. Listen to your doctor's instructions if you are diagnosed. A diet change will be necessary.
6. Research this disease and learn what you need to do to prevent an attack from reoccurring. You can find out more online at WebMD or the Mayo Clinic website.

Tips & Warnings

• If you think you have diverticulitis, you should call your doctor.
• Symptoms of diverticulitis could also be a sign of another condition.
• Eat more fiber; a low-fiber diet is one of the leading causes of diverticulitis.
• If it goes untreated, it could lead to surgery to remove a portion of your colon.
• Don't assume you have diverticulitis unless you've been diagnosed with it before. The symptoms could also be appendicitis, colon or ovarian cancer, an abscess or uterine fibroids.
• Some people don't have pain, but may have mild cramps, bloating and constipation.