8 Diverticulitis Self-Care Tips, Diets, and Home Remedies

Most cases of diverticulitis are uncomplicated and can be treated at home with a change in diet and Tylenol (acetaminophen). Self-care for diverticulitis generally involves following a liquid or low-fiber diet and making lifestyle changes to prevent flare-ups.

Can You Treat Diverticulitis at Home?

In 80% of cases, diverticulitis is considered uncomplicated, meaning there are no complications like an abscess (a pocket of pus) or a fistula (an abnormal connection between two organs).

Uncomplicated diverticulitis can often be managed at home.

1. Liquid Diet

People with diverticulitis symptoms are often advised to follow a liquid diet because complications could occur with a regular diet.

However, some studies suggest a liquid diet might not be necessary. One study found no higher rate of complications in people with diverticulitis who ate a solid diet in the hospital compared to those on a liquid diet.

Some may find relief with a liquid diet. If you have diverticulitis, consult your healthcare provider about whether a liquid diet is right for you and its duration.

2. Adjust Your Fiber Intake

If a liquid diet is recommended, it will be used until symptoms start to get better. This might take about three to five days.

Low-Fiber Diet

Low-fiber foods might be added back into the diet first. It’s usually recommended to start these foods slowly added in over a few days. If symptoms don’t continue to improve or they get worse, check back in with a healthcare provider.

Lower-fiber foods generally include:

• Meats
• Well-cooked vegetables
• Canned or cooked fruits
• Eggs
• Dairy products
• White bread
• Rice
• Pasta

Paying attention to how certain foods affect symptoms is important when adding them back into the diet.

High-Fiber Diet

Once recovered from diverticulitis, you may need to be on a high-fiber diet. Adding fiber to the diet can lead to an increase in bloating and gas in some people. For those who didn’t follow a high-fiber diet before having diverticulitis, adding fiber to meals slowly may help.

Nutritionists recommend eating about 21 grams (g) of fiber a day if you are over 50 and female, and around 30 g a day if you are over 50 and male. Many adults find this goal difficult.

Foods high in fiber include:

• Whole fruits and vegetables
• Nuts
• Seeds
• Whole-wheat breads
• Whole-wheat pasta
• Whole-grain cereals

It’s recommended that people get fiber from foods as much as they can. However, talk to a healthcare provider about a fiber supplement if it’s not possible to eat a high-fiber diet. 

3. Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications

Diverticulitis often causes pain. Tylenol may be recommended for pain relief when treating diverticulitis at home. Other pain medications may be prescribed by a healthcare provider or given by intravenous line (IV) if there’s a need to be treated in the hospital.

The role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Advil or Motrin (ibuprofen) is less clear. NSAIDs can cause digestive problems and a risk of bleeding in some people. 

The research on using NSAIDs for diverticulitis is mixed. One systematic review and meta-analysis has shown a link between NSAID use and risk of complications in diverticular disease. Another smaller study showed that people who took NSAIDs for a short period of time didn’t have any long-term problems.

It’s important to talk about OTC options for pain relief with a healthcare provider. Ask for clear directions on whether acetaminophen and/or ibuprofen should be used. 

4. Probiotics

Probiotics are live bacteria and yeasts that are beneficial for digestive health. Some studies suggest that they may help manage symptoms of diverticulitis, although evidence is limited. Probiotics are available in supplements and fermented foods such as yogurt, kefir, and sauerkraut. You should discuss the use of probiotics with your healthcare provider to determine if they are suitable for you.

5. Vitamin D

Some research has explored whether vitamin D has a role in diverticulitis. The body naturally produces vitamin D when the skin is exposed to sunlight. One study showed that diverticulitis is more common in the winter when there is less sunlight.

Vitamin D is important to gut health and overall health. However, there’s no good evidence for it having a role in acute diverticulitis. It may be helpful in preventing diverticulitis, but this has not been confirmed scientifically.

Getting enough vitamin D is important for everyone. For those who have a concern about their vitamin D levels, talking to a healthcare provider about testing may be helpful.  

6. Apply Heat

Heat is often used to soothe stomach pain from a variety of causes. Some people find using a heating pad on the abdomen helps with diverticular pain. There’s no evidence behind using heat for diverticulitis, but it’s generally a simple and noninvasive method to try.

It’s important to be careful with heat and to use a heating pad according to the instructions. Sleeping with a heating pad is not recommended because it could lead to skin irritation or other problems. 

7. Exercise

Exercise may be helpful in preventing diverticulitis. A study that was done over a period of 18 years showed that men who exercised vigorously had a lower risk of diverticulitis and bleeding.

There aren’t any guidelines as to how much physical activity would be helpful for avoiding a flare-up of diverticulitis. However, research shows that people who didn’t smoke, ate 23 grams of fiber a day, had a normal body mass index (BMI), ate an average amount of red meat, and got about two hours of exercise a week had a lower risk of diverticular disease.

Meeting all those goals is not easy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends 30 minutes of exercise a day, five days a week, for 150 minutes in total. This is considered moderate activity, which raises the heart rate to 55% to 70% of your maximum heart rate.

Rest is usually recommended during an acute flare-up of diverticulitis. After recovering, talk to a healthcare provider about increasing your activity level. 

8. Drink Less Alcohol

Drinking alcohol should be avoided during a flare-up of diverticulitis. Alcohol use disorder may also increase the risk of diverticulitis.

It’s not known how drinking moderate amounts of alcohol affects the risk of diverticular disease or diverticulitis. The CDC recommends that men have two or fewer drinks and that women have one drink or less a day. In short, drinking less alcohol is better than drinking more.

When to Seek Professional Care

People who are having a diverticulitis flare-up should seek care from a healthcare provider. If you’ve had diverticulitis before, you may recognize the signs and symptoms; however, it’s still important to get diagnosed and treated by a trusted professional.

See a healthcare provider if you experience the following:

• Bloating
• Pain
• Constipation
• Diarrhea

Make a follow-up appointment with a healthcare provider about a week after symptoms start. If symptoms get worse or don’t get better a few days after treatment starts, you should call your healthcare provider again.