Why is diverticulitis pain on left side

This occurs when diverticula pouches cause intermittent lower abdominal stomach pain. This occurs when diverticula pouches become inflamed and infected causing significant lower abdominal pain. It is thought an infection develops when a hard piece of stool or undigested food gets trapped in one of the pouches. This gives bacteria in the stool the chance to multiply and spread, triggering an infection.

Symptoms of diverticular disease include intermittent stop-start pain in your lower abdomen below the umbilicus belly button and feeling bloated. If it moves to one side of your lower abdomen this will usually be in the lower left-hand side; but not always. Diverticular disease does not cause weight loss, so if you are losing weight, seeing blood in your stools or experiencing frequent bowel changes, see your GP.

Diverticulitis shares most of the symptoms of diverticular disease see above. However, the pain associated with diverticulitis is constant and severe, rather than intermittent. It is most likely to occur if you have previously had symptoms of diverticular disease, and develops over a day or two.

The pain usually starts below your belly button, before moving to the lower left-hand side of your abdomen. In Asian people, the pain may move to the lower right-hand side of your abdomen. This is because East Asian people tend to develop diverticula in a different part of their colon for genetic reasons. A high-fibre diet can often ease symptoms of diverticular disease, and paracetamol can be used to relieve pain.

Other painkillers such as aspirin or ibuprofen are not recommended for regular use for the pain associated with diverticular disease, as they can cause stomach upsets, or promote bleeding from the large bowel when this condition is present.

Mild diverticulitis can usually be treated at home with paracetamol, clear fluids and antibiotics prescribed by your GP. More serious cases may need hospital treatment to prevent and treat complications. Surgery to remove the affected section of the intestine is sometimes recommended if there have been serious complications, although this is rare.

Contact your GP as soon as possible if you think you have symptoms of diverticulitis. If you have symptoms of diverticular disease and the condition has previously been diagnosed, you do not usually need to contact your GP as the symptoms can be treated at home.

If you have not been diagnosed with the condition, contact your GP so they can rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as appendicitis and colitis. The exact reason why small bulges in the large intestine diverticula develop is not known, but they are associated with not eating enough fibre. It is not known why only one in four people with diverticula go on to have symptoms of diverticulitis. Diverticular disease may be chronic low-level diverticulitis. As you get older, the walls of your large intestine become weaker and the pressure of hard stools passing through your intestines can cause diverticula to form.

The majority of people will have some diverticula by the time they're 80 years old. Not eating enough fibre is thought to be linked to developing diverticular disease and diverticulitis. Fibre helps to make your stools softer and larger so they put less pressure on the walls of your intestines.

You're more likely to develop diverticula if you have a close relative with diverticular disease, especially if they developed it before they were Page last reviewed: 29 September Next review due: 29 September Diverticular disease and diverticulitis. When there are no symptoms, it is called diverticulosis. Symptoms of diverticular disease and diverticulitis Symptoms of diverticular disease include: tummy pain, usually in your lower left side, that tends to come and go and gets worse during or shortly after eating pooing or farting eases it constipation , diarrhoea , or both occasionally, blood in your poo If your diverticula become infected and inflamed diverticulitis , you may suddenly: get constant, more severe tummy pain have a high temperature have diarrhoea or constipation get mucus or blood in your poo, or bleeding from your bottom rectal bleeding When to get medical advice Contact a GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms of diverticular disease or diverticulitis.

Tests for diverticular disease and diverticulitis After taking your medical history and listening to your symptoms, the GP may first want to rule out other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome IBS , coeliac disease or bowel cancer. These often have very similar symptoms to diverticular disease. Colonoscopy A colonoscopy is where a thin tube with a camera at the end a colonoscope is inserted into your bottom and guided up into your bowel.

A colonoscopy should not be painful, but can feel uncomfortable. CT scan Sometimes you may need to have a CT scan.

Treatment for diverticular disease and diverticulitis Treatments for diverticular disease Diet Eating a high-fibre diet may help ease the symptoms of diverticular disease and stop you developing diverticulitis. Generally, adults should aim to eat 30g of fibre a day. Find out how to get more fibre in your diet Gradually increasing your fibre intake over a few weeks and drinking plenty of fluids can help prevent side effects associated with a high-fibre diet, such as bloating and farting.

Medicine Paracetamol can be used to relieve pain. Speak to a GP if paracetamol alone is not working. Treatments for diverticulitis Diet If you have diverticulitis, a GP may recommend that you stick to a fluid-only diet for a few days until your symptoms improve. Medicine Diverticulitis can usually be treated at home with antibiotics prescribed by a GP.

Do not take aspirin or ibuprofen, as they can cause stomach upsets. More serious cases of diverticulitis may need hospital treatment. Surgery In rare cases, surgery may be needed to treat serious complications of diverticulitis. Causes It's not known exactly why some people get diverticular disease, but it seems to be linked to age, diet and lifestyle, and genetics.

Here's how to decide if surgery is right for you and how to…. Diverticulitis occurs when pouches in the wall of your colon become infected or inflamed.

Learn more here. At-home microbiome testing kits can be a first step. We look at these and give our recommendations for your overall gut health questions. Cholangitis is inflammation swelling in the bile duct. Treatment depends on your symptoms and whether you have chronic or acute cholangitis. Gastroparesis is a condition in which your stomach empties into your small intestine too slowly. Learn about the best diet for gastroparesis and what…. Pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas and causes abdominal tenderness and pain.

Learn more. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Saurabh Sethi, M. Fast facts about diverticulosis. What are the symptoms of a diverticulitis attack? What causes it? What are the risk factors for developing diverticulitis? When to see a doctor. How is diverticulitis diagnosed? How is it treated? Home remedies. The bottom line. Read this next. What to Eat on a Diverticulitis Diet. Medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, R.