Treatment
A high fiber diet helps to keep diverticulosis under control.
Treatment of diverticular disease includes the following:
- Patients are advised to eat a high – fiber diet. They may also be prescribed fiber in medications like Metamucil or Fibercon. They should avoid nuts or popcorn, which can obstruct the opening of the diverticulum. Drugs that reduce spasm may help in controlling the pain.
- Diverticulitis should be treated with antibiotics and bowel rest with a low-residue diet
- Bleeding usually stops on its own. In some cases, the bleeding point is plugged during colonoscopy and mesenteric angiography procedures. Severe bleeding may warrant removal of the affected part of the colon surgically.
- Abscesses are treated with antibiotics and surgical drainage
- Some cases of complicated diverticular disease like perforation, obstruction and fistulae are treated with surgery.
