Body system: Digestive SystemRegulation: 38 CFR § 4.114
Diverticulitis is inflammation of small pouches (diverticula) in your colon, while diverticulosis is having these pouches without inflammation. The VA rates this condition based on how severe your symptoms are and whether you've needed hospitalization. Ratings range from 0% for mild cases managed with diet and medication, to 30% for severe cases requiring hospitalization with serious complications like bleeding or bowel obstruction.
Rating levels
- 30% — You must have been hospitalized at least once in the past year because your diverticular disease caused severe belly pain, fever, and high white blood cell count (which shows your body is fighting infection or inflammation). Additionally, you must have experienced at least one serious complication like bleeding from your intestines, a blockage in your bowel, a pus-filled infection (abscess), infection spreading throughout your abdominal cavity (peritonitis), or a tear in your intestinal wall (perforation).
- 20% — You qualify for this rating if your diverticular disease (pouches that form in your colon wall) has been serious enough to require at least one hospital stay in the past year due to belly pain, fever, and elevated white blood cells (a sign of infection or inflammation called leukocytosis). However, you must not have experienced any of the more serious complications like internal bleeding, bowel blockage, pus-filled infections (abscesses), abdominal lining inflammation (peritonitis), or holes in your intestinal wall (perforation).
- 0% — You qualify for this rating if you have diverticulitis (inflammation of small pouches in your colon) or diverticulosis (having these pouches without inflammation) but either have no symptoms at all, or your symptoms are well-controlled through changes to your diet and taking medication. This covers cases where the condition doesn't significantly interfere with your daily life because it's either not causing problems or is effectively managed with basic treatment.