Medications to stop infection and to control symptoms often are used to treat attacks of diverticulitis.

Medication Choices

• Antibiotics (such as metronidazole and ciprofloxacin) are given to treat the infection causing the attack.
• Prescription pain relievers sometimes are needed if nonprescription pain relievers cannot control the pain.

What To Think About

Medications are not used to prevent future attacks of diverticulitis. Prevention depends on increasing the amount of fiber in your diet and practicing healthy bowel habits. For more information, see the Prevention and Home Treatment sections of this topic.