In addition to abdominal pain, some people experience bowel symptoms such as constipation during a flare-up ofdiverticulitis.
It affects the digestive tract and the bowels.
Its estimated that 50% of people who have diverticulitis also have constipation.
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Most people dont know they have diverticulosis, and it doesn’t require treatment.
However, in some people, once diverticulitis develops, they can experience symptoms that include abdominal pain.
However, the theory is that several factors contribute.
Another theory is that constipation may raise the pressure inside the colon.
Why the diverticula flare up and cause diverticulitis is also not well understood.
Some long-held working theories, such as an infection or constipation causing diverticulitis, are now being challenged.
Another newer theory is an imbalance of the colon microbiome.
Themicrobiomeis the community of bacteria, viruses, and fungi that live in the digestive system.
An imbalance could lead to constipation, which could, in turn, contribute to the formation of diverticula.
Developing diverticulosis and diverticulitis may have more than one cause.
Several factors working together can bring on diverticular disease.
Antibiotics may be prescribed.
After starting to feel better, a healthcare provider may recommend moving to low-fiber.
During recovery, there will be follow-ups or touch points to understand when to advance the diet.
That first follow-up might be about a week after symptoms first start.
Generally, a high-fiber diet is recommended for most adults.
That would include people who live with diverticular disease.
Theres not enough evidence to say that a high-fiber diet will help prevent diverticulitis from coming back again.
A study of 50,019 nurses showed that those who ate the most fiber had lower rates of diverticulitis.
Eating more vegetables did not have the same effect.
Eating morecereal fiber, though, was associated with a lower risk of diverticulitis.
However, the healthcare provider should rule out bowel obstruction as a complication of diverticulitis before considering laxatives.
Not all types of laxatives have been studied directly in diverticulitis.
Therefore, its important to get advice from a healthcare professional before using them.
These have not been studied either in short-term or long-term use in diverticulitis.
Bulk-forming laxatives such as Metamucil or Citrucel may be recommended after the diverticulitis flare-up has resolved.
These types of supplements can help add fiber to the diet while treating either constipation or diarrhea.
Fiber supplementscan include psyllium, methylcellulose, and polycarbophil.
Does Constipation Go Away After Diverticulitis Treatment?
There is little research into how common it is to have constipation after adiverticulitis flare-up.
If constipation was a problem before the flare-up of diverticulitis, it might continue after the episode is treated.
Ongoing abdominal pain may also result from the colon being more sensitive.
In some cases, surgery may improve quality of life.
Chronic constipation can be complicated and can occur for a variety of reasons.
It can take time to figure out why it might be happening and how to help treat it.
Some testing might be done to ensure that theres no medical condition causing the problem.
However, some daily habits are often recommended to help treat and prevent constipation.
Working with a healthcare provider will help narrow down which lifestyle changes might be best.
These can include using laxatives or other medications developed specifically to treat the cause of hard stools.
Summary
Diverticulitis can be a painful and disruptive condition that may be associated with constipation.
Treatment for uncomplicated cases of diverticulitis usually involves changing the diet for several days.
To treat ongoing problems with constipation, it may be necessary to make some changes to diet and lifestyle.
2022;35:8-16. doi:10.20524/aog.2021.0677
Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. doi:10.1053/j.gastro.2020.09.059
Morris AM, Regenbogen SE, Hardiman KM, Hendren S.Sigmoid diverticulitis: a systematic review.JAMA.
