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Diverticulitis - When To Call a Doctor
SYMPTOMS & TREATMENTS
Call
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.
Call your doctor if you are treating mild diverticulitis at home and:
- You have a fever.
- Your pain is getting worse.
- You can't keep down liquids.
- You are not better after 3 days.
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 doctor may refer you to a:
To prepare for your appointment, see the topic Making the Most of Your Appointment.
| By: | Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: July 26, 2010 |
| Medical Review: | Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Arvydas D. Vanagunas, MD - Gastroenterology | |
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated. This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Terms of Use. How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.
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