Diverticulitis

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The treatment of diverticulitis depends on the severity of your symptoms. Some people may need to be in the hospital, but usually you can treat this problem at home.

To help with the pain, your doctor may suggest that you:

• Rest in bed and possibly use a heating pad on your belly
• Take pain medicines (ask your doctor which ones you should use).
• Drink only fluids for a day or two, and then slowly begin drinking thicker liquids and then eating foods.

The doctor may treat you with antibiotics.

After you are better, your doctor will suggest that you add more fiber to your diet and avoid certain foods. Eating more fiber can help prevent future attacks. If you have bloating or gas, reduce the amount of fiber you eat for a few days.

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Once these pouches have formed, you will have them for life. If you make a few simple changes in your lifestyle, you may not have diverticulitis again.

Some foods can make your symptoms worse:

• AVOID beans and peas, coarse grains, coconut, corn or popcorn, dried fruits, skins on vegetables and fruits, tomatoes, strawberries, pickles, and cucumbers.
• Ask your doctor about eating nuts or seeds.
• Do not drink too much coffee, tea, or alcohol. They can make constipation worse.

Usually, this is a mild condition that responds well to treatment. Some people will have more than one attack of diverticulitis.

More serious problems that may develop are:

• Abnormal connections that form between different parts of the colon or between the colon and another body area (fistula)
  • Abscess (pocket filled with pus or infection)
• Hole or tear in the colon (perforation)
• Narrowed area in the colon (stricture)

Call your health care provider if symptoms of diverticulitis occur.

Also call if you have diverticulitis and:

• Blood in your stools
• Fever above 100.4 °F that dos not go away
• Nausea, vomiting, or chills
• Sudden belly or back pain that gets worse or is very severe

Review Date: 01/31/2011
Reviewed By: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; George F Longstreth, MD, Department of Gastroenterology, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program San Diego, California. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org).