Diverticulitis: When To Call A Doctor

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When To Call a Doctor

Call 911 or other emergency services immediately if the person has been bleeding from the anus and has signs of shock, which could indicate that a diverticular pouch is bleeding (diverticular bleeding).

Call your doctor immediately if you have pain in the abdomen that is in one spot (as opposed to general pain in the abdomen), especially if you also have:

• Fever or chills.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Unusual changes in your bowel movements or abdominal swelling.
• Blood in your stool.
• Pain that is worse when you move.
• Burning pain when you urinate.
• Abnormal vaginal discharge.

Call your doctor immediately if you have:

• Severe pain in the abdomen that is getting worse.
• Pain in the abdomen that becomes worse when you move or cough.
• A stool that is mostly blood (more than a few streaks of blood on the stool). Blood in the stool may appear as reddish or maroon-colored liquid or clots or may produce a black stool that looks like tar.
• Shoulder pain (possibly from air in the abdomen due to a hole or perforation in the intestine).
• Pass gas or stool from your urethra while urinating. This likely means that you have an opening (fistula) between the bowel and the urinary tract.

Call your doctor if you:

• Have cramping pain that does not get better when you have a bowel movement or pass gas.

Watchful Waiting

It is not uncommon to have bloating, gas pressure, or mild abdominal pain. These can be caused by eating certain foods or by stress. Home treatment usually will take care of these symptoms. If home treatment does not help or if the symptoms become worse, see your doctor.

Who To See

Health professionals who can diagnose and prescribe treatment for diverticulitis include:

• Family medicine physician, general practitioner, or other primary care doctor.
• Internist.
• Physician assistant.
• Nurse practitioner.

If further tests are needed, if your symptoms do not respond to treatment, or if you may need surgery, your health professional may refer you to a:

• Gastroenterologist.
• Surgeon.

To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.

Last updated:	July 30, 2008
Author:	Monica Rhodes
Reviewed By:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine, Jerome B. Simon, MD, FRCPC, FACP - Gastroenterology
Editors:	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS, Pat Truman, MATC