Mild cases of diverticulitis are usually treated with antibiotics and a low-fiber diet, or treatment may start with a period of rest where you eat nothing by mouth, then start with clear liquids and then move to a low-fiber diet until your condition improves. More-severe cases typically require hospitalization.
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.
Traditional therapy includes fiber, rest, antibiotics, pain control and surgery for selected cases. Natural treatments for diverticulitis include eating a high-fiber diet with more anti-inflammatory and probiotic foods and using supplements, such as slippery elm, aloe vera and protein powder made from bone broth.
Using a heating pad, taking Tylenol (acetaminophen), and resting are all strategies you can employ at home to soothe diverticulitis pain fast—or at least faster. Home remedies used for diverticulitis are more often used to improve symptoms over some time and prevent future attacks.
Diverticulosis: What to Eat. Cater says people with diverticulosis can benefit from eating fiber-rich foods, including: Whole grains, such as quinoa, bulgur, teff, barley, popcorn, oats, shredded wheat or bran cereals, and whole grain breads.
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.
Pay attention to symptoms and follow a healthy lifestyle.
Stay away from nuts and seeds, and don't eat popcorn — that's what doctors said years ago if you had diverticulosis, a condition marked by tiny pouches (diverticula) that develop in the lining of the colon.
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.
A low-fiber diet leads to constipation, which increases pressure within the digestive tract with straining during bowel movements. The combination of pressure and straining over many years likely leads to diverticulosis.
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.
In most cases, even complicated diverticulitis resolves quickly and completely with treatment. Diverticulitis shouldn't affect your overall life expectancy. Only in the unlikely event of a bowel perforation or a ruptured abscess would you be at risk of life-threatening complications.
Take fiber supplements — You can take fiber supplements like Metamucil, Citrucel or Benefiber to bulk up your stool. Seeds and nuts — In the past we advised diverticulitis patients to avoid whole pieces of fiber, like seeds, corn and nuts.
Get more exercise
This might help alleviate pain due to diverticulitis. Low-to-medium impact exercise has anti-inflammatory effects, according to one 2019 review . The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise per week.
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.
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.
There are no specific foods you need to avoid. You do not need to avoid any foods such as nuts, seeds, corn, popcorn or tomatoes if you have diverticular disease. These foods do not make diverticular disease worse. These foods may even help prevent it because they are high fibre choices.
Dairy: “Cottage cheese and Greek yogurt are real winners if you're recovering from a flare-up: They're high in protein, calcium and other nutrients and don't have any fiber. They're also soft, moist and easier to get down if you're not feeling well,” says Taylor.
Your diet was likely lacking protein during your flare-up, and eggs will help you get plenty of it. “Eggs are a great source of protein, and they're easily digested,” Dr. Nazarian says. And they won't irritate your diverticula.
How is uncomplicated diverticulitis treated? 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.
Eggs contain protein that can be easily digested, and it will not irritate your digestive tract. Therefore, scrambled eggs can be taken during diverticulitis.
Diverticulosis is a condition that causes pouches to form in the large intestine that may become inflamed and infected. You should avoid greasy foods, dairy, sugary foods, and foods with artificial sweeteners if you have diverticulosis.