5 Ways to Prevent Diverticulitis Complications

Living with diverticulitis is challenging, especially during acute flares. Diverticulitis is inflammation of the diverticula, or small pockets that form in the colon. When inflammation occurs, it causes pain and other issues that could be serious.

If you have diverticulitis, Dr. Ilyas Memon and the Texas Digestive Disease Consultants team provide diagnostic tools and treatments to avoid complications. Dr. Memon is an experienced gastroenterologist offering antibiotics and lifestyle tips to control diverticulitis symptoms.

Common diverticulitis complications

Diverticulitis can be acute or chronic and complicated or uncomplicated. In most cases, it doesn’t cause serious complications — but if it does, they can be severe. Prevalent complications of diverticulitis include:

Bowel obstruction

Inflammation from a diverticulitis flare can lead to colon narrowing and prevent stool from passing. A bowel obstruction can be painful and lead to further issues in the colon.

Fistula

A fistula happens when part of the inflamed colon attaches to another organ, causing a connection that shouldn’t be there. An example of a fistula is the colon attaching to the bladder or vaginal tissues.

Abscess

Chronic inflammation leads to colon abscesses. An abscess is a pocket filled with pus that could rupture. If it ruptures, the abdominal cavity can fill with pus, which is an emergency and requires immediate treatment.

Bleeding

Bleeding from inflamed diverticula causes significant gastrointestinal bleeding. It can be severe and lead to anemia and fatigue, among other symptoms.

Perforation

A bowel perforation is a serious problem when an extremely inflamed diverticula bursts. When this happens, dangerous bacteria leak into the gut, causing peritonitis and sepsis, both serious issues.

Colon cancer

Although diverticulitis doesn’t always lead to colon cancer, it can increase the risk of cancer due to chronic inflammation.

Tips to prevent diverticulitis complications

The good news is that you can take steps to prevent diverticulitis flares and serious complications. We recommend lifestyle changes and professional treatment to ensure your gut stays healthy.

There are many ways to improve diverticulitis symptoms and prevent complications, but five of them we highly recommend include:

1. Exercise regularly

Exercise is essential in maintaining gut health and improving muscle tone around the intestines. Regular exercise also improves gut health by promoting stool regularity, allowing for regular bowel movements.

2. Eat more fiber

Fiber is essential in controlling diverticulitis by adding bulk to the stool. It allows for easier passage of the stool, which controls inflammation in the colon.

3. Change your diet

Diet changes are necessary to prevent diverticulitis flares and complications. Avoid red meat as much as possible and eat plenty of whole, nutritious foods. Avoid sugar and overly processed foods, and drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.

4. Prevent constipation

Preventing constipation is another way to avoid inflammation in the colon and diverticulitis complications. You may use over-the-counter laxatives, or we may prescribe medications for chronic constipation.

5. Maintain a healthy weight

Keeping a healthy weight is crucial in complication prevention. People who are overweight or obese are more likely to have acute diverticulitis and dangerous complications.

To learn more about our diverticulitis treatments, call one of our conveniently located offices in Texas or request a consultation using our online booking feature.