Why bed rest for diverticulitis?

Bed rest can be a key element in a treatment plan for many conditions, not just diverticulitis. To recover, having essential rest enables your body to strengthen its immune system, alleviate pain and lessen many symptoms associated with that condition. Think about it, when you’re sick at home your body automatically needs more sleep and rest so that it can repair itself! The same goes with diverticulitis. Bed rest equates to better health.

These are a few things why you should bed rest for diverticulitis:

• Alleviates abdominal pain
• Allows the colon to rest 
• Can help prevent future attacks 
• Can help with cramping 

Assure that you pair you bed rest with advice from a doctor, for example while on bed rest you may benefit from using a heating pad on your stomach to help with cramping. Also, to help prevent future attacks you may be advised to add fibre to your diet. You may also be advised to stay on a liquid diet along with antibiotic treatments. So, for bed rest to work, make sure you take on a medical professional’s advice. 

Diverticulitis

What is diverticulitis? Diverticulitis is an infection where your intestines become inflamed as of the formation of pouches known as ‘diverticula’ 

These pouches or ‘diverticula’ are generally not harmful if they appear in the intestine. Having this, it is called diverticulosis. 

However, if these pouches in the intestine become inflamed or infected, then it can become extremely damaging and is called ‘diverticulitis’ 

Symptoms

These vary on the severity of the condition. Some people may not have any symptoms at all. These are a few for diverticulosis: 

• Bloating 
• Cramping, lower part of stomach.
• Blood in stool

For diverticulitis, symptoms include: 

• Abdominal pain and tenderness on the left side
• Bloating or gas
• Vomiting 
• Fever
• Lack of appetite