What should you know about extreme diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis is inflammation affecting small pouches in the bowel wall, within the broader condition of diverticular disease. It commonly causes steady abdominal pain, often on the lower left side, with tenderness, fever, nausea, or a change in bowel habit. Constipation or diarrhoea may occur, but abdominal pain with fever is more concerning than a bowel change alone.

Severe disease may involve an abscess, a leak, or inflammation spreading around the bowel. A clinician may need an examination, blood tests, and imaging to judge severity.

Contact a GP or urgent-care service promptly for new, intense, or persistent abdominal pain, especially with fever or vomiting. Follow the recommended eating and drinking plan, take prescribed medicines exactly as directed, and avoid laxatives unless a clinician specifically recommends them. Nutrition counselling can help with longer-term bowel and fibre choices after the acute illness settles.

Go to an emergency department for severe or rapidly worsening pain, a rigid or swollen abdomen, repeated vomiting, fainting, confusion, heavy rectal bleeding, or inability to pass stool or gas with increasing swelling. Fever with marked weakness also needs urgent assessment.

Ask whether examination or imaging is needed, which foods and fluids are suitable now, how to use prescribed treatment, and what changes should trigger reassessment. Tell the clinician about previous attacks, bowel changes, medicines, allergies, and any bleeding.