Diverticulitis is a very common disorder of GIT in which inflammation of the colon occurs. The colon is a part of the large intestine. When it swells, the patient suffers from pain and discomfort.
Why do some patients suffer from lingering pain after diverticulitis?
The main cause of pain after diverticulitis treatment or surgery is the recurrence of infection. But this is not always the case. Your lifestyle affects your recovery from diverticulitis and an unhealthy lifestyle can be one of the causes of pain after diverticulitis. Pain is lingering in nature as it radiates towards the back, hips, or legs.
In this article, you’ll get to know about the main causes of lingering pain after diverticulitis and the ways to get rid of it. So let’s find out the root causes!
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Lingering Pain After Diverticulitis: Causes!
Most of the patients ask, why do I still have pain after diverticulitis? As diverticulitis is an infection or swelling of colon outpouching, pain with diverticulitis is a common condition.
However, Lingering pain after diverticulitis treatment can have a lot of possible reasons. The following can be the major causes if you still feel lingering pain after diverticulitis.
Chronic Infection
It is very less common that you get diverticulitis again after healing from it. But if you had once taken medications for acute diverticulitis, it may develop again.
This will be called chronic diverticulitis. It may cause infection with pus and can make abscesses. This can cause Lingering pain after acute diverticulitis.
Constipation
Constipation is another reason why you feel a lingering pain after diverticulitis. This is because constipation can cause an irritation of the digestive tract and it can interfere with the healing process of the swollen colon. Hence, the inflammation persists and that also causes pain along with fever after diverticulitis.
Exercise
Most of the time, physicians suggest taking complete rest until you recover from diverticulitis. This is e an overactivity that cannot help heal diverticulitis. Especially with strenuous exercise, you may feel a lingering pain after diverticulitis.
Stress
Stress is the other reason why you get lingering pain after diverticulitis surgery. Stress can disturb your digestive system and can cause severe bowel problems, so it can also cause pain and discomfort after healing from diverticulitis or after surgery.
Heartburn or Acid Reflux
Acid Reflux or heartburn can also cause pain after diverticulitis. This is because acid reflux hurts the stomach and then the whole GIT tract can suffer from this condition. So, the acid in the stomach can irritate the colon healing from diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis Back Pain: Hip Pain
Is it normal to have pain after diverticulitis? Yes, as diverticulitis is the swelling that may cause an infection or abscess of the colon, the pain may get referred to the hip and back region. Even if there is no access, diverticulitis pain is radiating in nature. So it can radiate towards the hip, back, legs and groin as well.
Diverticulitis Back Pain
Can diverticulitis pain radiate to the back? This is a common question and the answer is yes. The common complaints of diverticulitis patients are fever, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, and back pain.
Constipation can also be a reason for back pain in diverticulitis patients. So, if your abdominal pain is radiating towards the back, go for a liver enzymes test, stool test, and CT scan to confirm diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis Hip Pain
Almost 10 to 25 percent of diverticulitis patients present with hip pain. The pain mostly radiates from the left abdomen towards the hip region or into the sacroiliac joint. It is most likely due to acute infection and swelling.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome: IBS after Diverticulitis
An irritable bowel syndrome is something that irritates your digestive system. In this condition, the patient’s bowel movements do not occur properly. The IBS patient complains of having nausea, bloating, diarrhea or constipation all the time.
So, can you develop IBS after diverticulitis? Yes, as diverticulitis also irritates the lining of the colon and its outpouching, it can badly affect your digestive system. Hence it is common to get an IBS after diverticulitis. To avoid such conditions, you should modify your diet and lifestyle as soon as you recover from diverticulitis.
Diverticulitis Not Responding to Antibiotics
Sometimes diverticulitis infection becomes much more severe and it does not respond to antibiotics. Or after a chronic Infection with diverticulitis, the bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics.
When diverticulitis becomes severe and the colon becomes badly infected, a patient should go for surgery. But before that, a doctor prescribes broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy to see if a patient can recover without surgery.
How long does Diverticulitis Pain Last After Antibiotics?
Normally, the diverticulitis patient starts to recover within 24 hours after taking antibiotics. It takes almost 4 to 5 days for a diverticulitis patient to heal completely after antibiotic therapy.
If antibiotic therapy doesn’t work, the doctor may go for surgery. But mostly, acute diverticulitis patients recover with a few antibiotic doses.
Why Am I So Tired of Diverticulitis?
Most patients feel tired from diverticulitis and there can be several different reasons for that. Following are the common reasons why you feel tired with diverticulitis.
Nutrients Deficiency
A patient with diverticulitis can not eat properly because of digestive problems. Also, as the colon is infected, most of the food doesn’t absorb properly. It causes nutrient deficiency that can lead to lethargy and tiredness.
Dehydration
Diverticulitis patients face severe dehydration and electrolyte depletion because of digestive problems. This can lead to a feeling of laziness and tiredness.
Inability to Sleep Properly
Because of stress and pain, diverticulitis patients suffer from restlessness. They are unable to sleep. That’s why they mostly feel fatigued.
Anemia
The infected and swollen colon of a diverticulitis patient leads to improper absorption of iron. This can cause anemia or a lack of blood. Hence, the patient feels tired all the time.
Antibiotic Side Effect
Most diverticulitis patients are on antibiotic therapy for a faster recovery. Taking heavy doses of antibiotics can cause lethargy and tiredness. This type of tiredness ends once antibiotic therapy comes to an end.
Can Diverticulitis Pain last for Weeks?
Mostly the people suffering from diverticulitis ask, can diverticulitis pain last for months? Yes, first of all when the diverticulitis is not diagnosed yet, the pain can last until you get proper medication.
After getting treatment, the diverticulitis pain can last for so many days depending on the recovery period. As soon as you’ll recover completely, the pain will start resolving.
How to Get Rid of Lingering Pain after Diverticulitis?
Even after healing from diverticulitis, most patients feel a lingering pain. First, you have to make sure that you have taken your medication properly. After that, if you still feel pain, the following tips can be helpful to get rid of it.
- Sleep on your left side to avoid interfering with the healing process of diverticulitis.
- Avoid heavy weight lifting and exhausting exercises.
- Avoid stress and do some yoga therapy to keep your mind relaxed.
- Take proper bed rest until you heal completely.
- Take your antibiotic doses carefully to avoid the development of antibiotic resistance.
- Have a healthy high-fiber diet to avoid constipation.
- Drink plenty of water to keep yourself well hydrated to avoid lethargy and tiredness.
FAQs
Let’s check out some of the frequently asked questions.
How Long Does Soreness Last After Diverticulitis?
It depends on how fast you heal from diverticulitis. If you’re taking antibiotics, you may hardly feel soreness for 4 to 5 days and then you recover. However, if there is a chronic Infection the soreness may last from days to weeks or months.
What Happens if Diverticulitis Pain Does Not Go Away?
If diverticulitis pain does not go away, it means there is a chronic Infection. You must visit your doctor to sort out the issue. Mostly, the physician requires surgery or broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy if the diverticulitis pain does not go away.
Why Does My Stomach Hurt After Diverticulitis?
This is due to the improper digestion and absorption of food in the colon. As diverticulitis is the inflammation of the colon, the proper absorption of food does not occur here. The food may get collected in the colon for a longer time, which may cause constipation and abdominal pain.
How Long Does It Take for the Colon to Heal After Diverticulitis?
It depends on the severity of the infection. If there is a severe infection of the colon, it may get longer to heal. Normal, Acute diverticulitis can heal within a weak with antibiotics and a healthy diet. In severe cases, it may take months to recover from diverticulitis.
Bottom Line
If you suffer from lingering pain after diverticulitis, it is important to know the cause. It may be due to persistent infection, stress, exercise, dehydration, or any other problem. Whatever the issue, you must consult your doctor as soon as possible.
Remember, you have to take a healthy diet even after healing from diverticulitis. As there are greater chances of developing a chronic Infection. So, diet and lifestyle are the keys to proper recovery from diverticulitis.
