Summarize:

Screening for diverticulitis generally starts with a standard physical unless you're experiencing extreme symptoms. Your doctor will check your overall health profile, along with examining your abdomen for tenderness or signs of pain. If you are experiencing serious symptoms or severe pain, seek emergency medical treatment right away. If you experience sharp pain that is localized to 1 part of your abdomen, this is a sign of a medical emergency. You may experience this type of localized pain with either diverticulitis or appendicitis, and it will be extremely severe (a 10 on the numeric pain scale). A basic blood and urine test will help your doctor screen for signs of infection, inflammation, and anemia. You may be able to complete your tests in your doctor's office, or you may have to go to an affiliated hospital or clinic, depending on your health care provider's in-house setup. During a CT scan, an x-ray technician will use a combination of x-rays and computer imaging to create a comprehensive image of your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This procedure is painless, and requires you to lie on a table that slides into a tunnel to capture the x-rays. The images are then used to check for both diverticulosis and diverticulitis. Prior to your scan, your technician may give you a solution to drink and an injection of a dye called a contrast medium. This medium makes it easier to see inside your body during the procedure. In a colonoscopy, your doctor will use a long, thin, flexible tube with a tiny light and camera attached to it to look inside your colon. This can help them directly identify diverticulosis and diverticulitis, as well as other conditions that may potentially be causing your abdominal pain. This is an outpatient procedure, but you will generally be given a sedative or anesthesia to help manage any associated discomfort. This procedure uses a chalky liquid called barium to make your large intestine more visible on x-rays. During this process, you will lie flat on a table, and your radiologist will use a thin, flexible tube to fill your large intestine with barium. They will then take x-ray images to check for the pouches that cause diverticulitis. This procedure may cause some discomfort. Generally, though, the discomfort is not so great that you will need anesthesia. The night before your procedure, your doctor may provide you with a set of instructions to help you empty your bowel as much as possible. If they do, follow them closely. The cleaner your bowel, the easier it will be for the scan to detect any issues.
Make an appointment for a physical with your health care provider. Get a blood and urine test. Have a CT scan done on your GI tract. Ask about a colonoscopy. See if you need a lower GI series.