Once the sacs develop, they don't heal on their own, and they don't go away. We can cure diverticulosis by performing surgery to remove the sacs. But if you don't have symptoms and an infection doesn't develop, there's no reason to treat the condition at all, much less undergo surgery.
In about 95 out of 100 people, uncomplicated diverticulitis goes away on its own within a week. In about 5 out of 100 people, the symptoms stay and treatment is needed. Surgery is only rarely necessary.
Home remedies for diverticulitis that may be recommended include following a liquid diet, increasing your intake of fiber and anti-inflammatory foods, avoiding red meat and high-fat foods, cutting back on alcohol, exercising, and trying certain supplements.
What is the treatment for diverticulosis? Once diverticula form, they do not disappear by themselves.
Complicated/uncomplicated
Most of the time, diverticulitis is uncomplicated, which means that inflammation and possible infection are the extents of the problem. It heals easily with the right treatment.
For most people, diverticulitis won't affect their life span. Many people don't even know they have diverticular disease. Only a small percentage will have symptoms, and an even smaller number will have complications.
The formation of pouches or sacs on the intestinal lining is called diverticulosis. It is found in more than half of Americans over age 60. However, no one knows exactly what causes the pouches to form. Eating a low-fiber diet mostly made up of processed foods may be a cause.
Once the sacs develop, they don't heal on their own, and they don't go away. We can cure diverticulosis by performing surgery to remove the sacs. But if you don't have symptoms and an infection doesn't develop, there's no reason to treat the condition at all, much less undergo surgery.
Actually, no specific foods are known to trigger diverticulitis attacks. And no special diet has been proved to prevent attacks. In the past, people with small pouches (diverticula) in the lining of the colon were told to avoid nuts, seeds and popcorn.
Physical adaptation to a severe social stress possibly generates sustained dominance of the sympathetic over the parasympathetic activity, leading through a prolonged spasm of the sigmoid to the creation of diverticula and the related disease.
Contact a GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms of diverticular disease or diverticulitis. If you've already been diagnosed with diverticular disease, you usually do not need to contact a GP – the symptoms can be treated at home. But if you have any bleeding or severe pain, seek immediate medical advice.
Brock Lesnar is incredibly lucky to be alive. Diverticulitis, left untreated can lead to serious problems. Surgeons have said that the damage Lesnar had from the illness showed that he went undiagnosed with it for a year, and he had many fights in the octagon while he was undiagnosed with diverticulitis.
If you have diverticulosis
Make changes to your diet. This is often all that's needed to control symptoms. The main changes are adding fiber and drinking more water.
Stool may become hard, loose, thin, or pellet-shaped. Stool may contain blood and/or mucus. Diarrhea and/or constipation can occur. Bowel movements may also be irregular.
Mild diverticulitis can usually be treated at home with antibiotics prescribed by your GP. More serious cases may need hospital treatment to prevent and treat complications. Surgery to remove the affected section of the intestine is sometimes recommended if there have been serious complications, although this is rare.
After you go home, you may have diarrhea on and off during the first month. It takes about three months for the bowels to learn their “new normal.” You'll need to avoid heavy lifting for six to eight weeks to prevent a hernia.
Plus, probiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, which may help to ease inflammation from diverticulitis. Probiotics are available in supplement form, but they can also be found in certain foods, such as yogurt, kombucha, and fermented vegetables.
BRAT is an acronym for the foods traditionally “allowed” on this diet- Bananas, Rice, Apples, and Toast. The BRAT Diet was developed to include foods that are bland enough to not further disrupt a Diverticulitis flare or exacerbate present symptoms.
In general, it's best to avoid alcohol during a flare-up of diverticulitis. During times of non-flares if you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.
Alcohol may lead to gastric irritation and trigger diverticulitis symptoms. Consumption of alcohol may also increase the frequency of flare-ups. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have diverticulitis symptoms. They may advise you to avoid alcohol completely to prevent the condition from worsening.