1. Rest Your Body and Colon
Get some rest and allow your inflamed colon to settle down during a diverticulitis attack, a condition in which pouches that protrude from weakened spots on your colon become irritated and sometimes infected. Rest your body by limiting your physical activity for a few days, especially if you are having a lot of abdominal pain. With your doctor's consent, take an over-the-counter anti-inflammatory drug like ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain relief. While your diverticulitis pain is intense, reduce the amount of fiber you consume. This temporary change in your diet will let your colon rest without exposing it to potential irritants. You can start taking in more fiber again, little by little, as you begin feeling better.
2. Clear up Infections
Antibiotics are used to heal infections that may be causing your diverticular pain. If you can't tolerate oral medications, you may be hospitalized and put on intravenous antibiotic drugs. A simple blood test to measure your white-blood-cell count will let your doctor know if you have an infection that needs attention.
3. Explore Surgical Options
If you have frequent, acute diverticulitis attacks, surgery may be necessary to treat your inflammation. Procedures include removing the diseased part of your colon and repairing scar tissue that can sometimes form an obstruction in your intestine. You may also need to have surgical procedures to control complications of diverticulitis, like abscesses and bowel perforations. Some people who have surgery for diverticular disease require a colostomy, a procedure by which your bodily waste bypasses your rectum and empties into a bag outside your body. Once you have recovered from surgery and your inflammation has healed, your surgeon may be able to reverse the colostomy and reconnect your colon and rectum. In more severe cases, a permanent colostomy may be required.
