Q: I am a 54-year-old man and I’ve been having some pain in the left lower area of my stomach now and then. When the pain is at its worst, I feel feverish, though I haven’t taken my temperature. The pain has not yet been severe enough to make me go to see my doctor, but I would like to know what might be causing this; can you help?

A: Your symptoms certainly sound most like diverticulitis, which is caused by inflammation/ infection of small outpouchings in the wall of the large intestine (colon). Each outpouching is called a diverticulum and the condition is called diverticulosis, which causes no symptoms at all until infection begins.

They first appear at the lower left end of the colon and then develop gradually throughout the rest of the colon. This problem is more prevalent in individuals consuming a low-bulk diet, such as highly processed foods and fast food; a diet high in fiber has been shown to prevent the development of diverticulosis, but if you already have it (and most people consuming a typical American diet, who are over 50 years old, do have it), switching to a high-fiber diet will greatly decrease your risk of diverticulitis.

When food particles or tiny seeds, such as from raspberries or strawberries, become trapped in a diverticulum, it sometimes becomes infected. That infection can spread to the wall of the colon, causing the symptoms you describe.

Because this is best treated promptly, with an antibiotic, I recommend you discuss obtaining a 10-day supply of the antibiotic your doctor chooses to keep on hand so you can start it as soon as discomfort begins.

This approach allows any brewing infection to be quickly brought under control, preventing worsening that might necessitate more invasive treatment, such as surgery, to remove the infected portion of the colon. Eliminating foods containing the tiny seeds noted above and increasing the bulk in one’s diet can help prevent flares of diverticulitis.

To learn more about this and many other health topics, visit the American Academy of Family Physicians’ website www.familydoctor.org, where you can search for your topic of interest.

I want to thank Karl H. for suggesting this topic; if you have a topic you would like to hear more about, message me at paulmdake@ gmail.com.

Dr. Paul Dake, a Newberry native, is a retired family physician. He lives in Pinconning, Michigan.