You will also find recommendations to avoid seeds in fruits and vegetables like tomatoes, zucchini, cucumbers, strawberries and raspberries. Antibiotics are definitely warranted in severe cases, but less so otherwise.Ī simple search for “foods to avoid with diverticulitis” or “what not to eat for diverticulitis” will show you nuts and seeds, corn and popcorn. Summary: Acute flare-ups of diverticulitis are treated with a clear fluid and low-residue diet for several days to allow the gut time to heal. The remainder of this article focuses on long-term dietary management of diverticulitis. This is why diet and nutrition are incredibly important for managing this disease, not only during a flare-up but afterwards as well. However, recent research suggests that aggressive antibiotic treatment is overused, particularly in less severe cases ( 5, 6). In severe cases of diverticulitis, surgery and regular antibiotic use are required to overcome the infection. This includes a clear fluids diet for several days followed by a short-term "low-residue" or low-fiber diet and eventually progressing to normal foods. It's not uncommon for treatment to require a hospital admission, where the diet is heavily modified to allow the digestive tract some time to heal and inflammation to subside. Diverticular disease refers to either condition.ĭiverticulitis typically occurs as a painful "flare-up" with sharp pain and digestive symptoms. Diverticulosis is simply the presence of these small pockets. Summary: Diverticulitis occurs when small pockets in the lining of the colon become irritated and inflamed. Researchers suspect it to be a combination of numerous dietary habits, aging and genetic predisposition ( 4). The cause of this disease is complex and still poorly understood. Together, diverticulitis and diverticulosis are often referred to as diverticular disease. Fortunately, it only progresses to diverticulitis about 4% of the time ( 2, 3). The risk of diverticulosis increases as we grow older, to about 70% of people aged 80 and above. ‘Osis’ refers to a medical condition, while ‘itis’ typically refers to inflammation or infection. This means diverticulosis always occurs before diverticulitis. Diverticulitis vs Diverticulosisĭiverticul osis refers to having diverticula that have not yet become infected and painful. Even immediate surgery can be required to treat a severe case. Diverticulitis becomes extremely painful during a flare-up.
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