Diagnosis for Diverticulitis
If you are older than 60, you quite likely have diverticulosis. It's that common. However, unless you have had a colonoscopy, CT scan of your abdomen or barium enema, you would not be aware they exist. On the other hand, diverticulitis almost always causes symptoms. Your doctor will ask about your medical history, bowel habits and diet and will conduct a physical examination. Your doctor will press on your abdomen to check for tenderness.

Based on the location of your symptoms and the location of abdominal pain and tenderness, your doctor may be able to make the diagnosis without further testing. If your doctor is unsure or concerned that you may have an abscess or other complication, he or she will likely order additional studies. These usually include blood tests for signs of infection and an abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan.

Lower intestinal bleeding is commonly caused by a broken blood vessel within a diverticula. But it is often very difficult to identify the exact bleeding site, even with colonoscopy.