Health Topics A-Z

What Are the Symptoms?

Symptoms of diverticulitis are:

• Severe, cramping abdominal pain that is usually worse on the left side.
• Nausea.
• Chills or fever.
• Constipation, thin stools, or diarrhea.
• Pain in the lower left quadrant of the abdomen that increases when the area is touched.
• Rectal bleeding (rare).

Call Your Doctor If:

• You have a fever, chills, and abdominal swelling, or are vomiting, or your abdomen becomes rigid and your experience pain when you move; you could have peritonitis, an infection of the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity. Get medical help immediately.
• Blood appears in stools; this indicates internal bleeding.
• You have a fever; you may have an infection that requires medication.
• Severe pain continues despite treatment; you may have another abdominal disorder.