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.
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.
Diverticulitis Recovery Timeline
Recovering from a flare-up of diverticulitis could take as long as two weeks. 1 The first few days of recovering from uncomplicated diverticulitis at home will include following a liquid diet, resting, and using recommended medications for pain relief.
If left untreated, diverticulitis may lead to a collection of pus (called an abscess) outside the colon wall or a generalized infection in the lining of the abdominal cavity, a condition referred to as peritonitis.
Constant abdominal pain that lasts for days, typically on the lower left side of the abdomen (although some people experience it on the lower right side) Nausea and/or vomiting. Fever and/or chills. Constipation or diarrhea.
The most common symptom of diverticular disease is intermittent (stop-start) pain in your lower abdomen (stomach), usually in the lower left-hand side. The pain is often worse when you are eating, or shortly afterwards.
Symptoms of diverticulitis are more severe and often start suddenly, but they may become worse over a few days.
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.
As the name implies, chronic diverticulitis is a variant of diverticulitis in which symptoms can persist for 6 months to 1 year or longer [8]. In our study, the mean duration of symptoms at the time of presentation was 11 months, and one patient had symptoms for as long as 3 years.
Diverticulitis may cause abdominal pain. In most cases, symptoms of diverticulitis last for a few days. Some people may have a recurrence. but most people recover fully and symptoms resolve.
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.
Stay with liquids or a bland diet (plain rice, bananas, dry toast or crackers, applesauce) until you are feeling better. Then you can return to regular foods and slowly increase the amount of fibre in your diet. Use a heating pad set on low on your belly to relieve mild cramps and pain.
During a flare- up, applying an ice pack to the painful area may bring relief; however, do not use a heating pad, which can worsen inflammation and may even cause a diverticulum to rupture. Mild diverticulitis can usually be treated at home with oral antibiotics and a liquid diet to give the colon a chance to heal.
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. Beans and legumes, including black beans, kidney beans, chickpeas and lentils.
Lifestyle remains the major culprit behind diverticulitis flare-ups, such as a high-fat, low-fiber diet commonly found in Western countries.
Taking Tylenol (acetaminophen) as directed can take the edge off your pain and help you feel better. Other pain relievers might be your preferred drugs of choice. But when it comes to diverticulitis, acetaminophen is your best bet.
This occurs when diverticula (pouches) become inflamed and infected causing significant lower abdominal pain. It is thought an infection develops when a hard piece of stool or undigested food gets trapped in one of the pouches.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): Several studies have shown that the risk of bleeding in diverticula is higher in people who take NSAIDs. 2 OTC NSAIDS include Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) and Aleve or Naprosyn (naproxen).
If you are having a flare-up, your doctor may put you on a low-fiber or clear liquid diet for a time to give your digestive system a chance to rest and heal.
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.
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.
If they become inflamed (diverticulitis), they cause sudden dull pain in the abdomen, accompanied by a mild fever. Other symptoms include constipation, diarrhea, bloating, nausea and sometimes cramping too.
Severe diverticulitis may lead to complications that require immediate medical attention. If a diverticulum has perforated (burst), it may cause an increase in the severity of your symptoms, as well as rapid heart rate, dizziness, light-headedness, or weakness.