Commonly Prescribed Antibiotics For Diverticulitis And Their Side Effects

If you are living like several people around you then you consume junk food very much and food that can be harmful to your digestive system. Many people above the age of 40 are developing a condition known as diverticulitis which was rare before the 1900's. Generally when you face this condition you go to a doctor who prescribes medicine. In this article I will tell about the commonly prescribed antibiotics for diverticulitis and some of their side effects.

If you are above 40 years of age, you are likely to have some diverticula ( pouches formed on the wall of colon ) which may eventually cause diverticulitis. You can prevent this from happening by just changing your diet to high fiber diet. This will help you to get control over the diverticula.

On the other hand if you are experiencing some pain in the abdominal area, bloating etc. it indicates that you have a mild case of diverticulitis. Some of the prescribed antibiotics for diverticulitis are

1) Ciprofloxacin (Cipro): This antibiotic is commonly used for different treatments like infection of skin, lungs, bones and joints, urinary infections and infectious diarrheas. Some of the side effects observed when taking this antibiotic are nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, rash, headache and rare allergic reactions. One thing to note is that this antibiotic can cause alteration in the bacteria in colon which may result in their overgrowth. This can lead to an inflammation of colon.

2) Metronidazole ( Flagyl): It is used for treating diseases which can occur in the abdomen, liver and pelvis. Generally it is well tolerated when used appropriately. However, some side effects may result. Nausea, headache, loss of appetite are minor side effects. Extreme side effects can be damage of nerves which can result in numbness.

3) Cephalexin (Keflex): Cephalexin is similar to pencillin. It is also prescribed to cure middle ear infections, tonsils, throat, larynx and bronchi infections. Some common side effects can be vomiting, nausea, dizziness, skin rash, fever, abdominal pain and nausea.

4) Doxycycline (Vibramycin): It is also used for treating respiratory tract infections, typhus, chancroid, rocky mountain spotted fever, syphilis and also acne. It is also well tolerated among the masses. Some common side effects that can happen are nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea and vomiting. Sunburn can also occur during the course which can be tackled by reducing exposure to sunlight.

These are four prescribed antibiotics for diverticulitis along with their side effects. Though these side effects are not seen in many but some of you might see them while getting treated. It is better to avoid these problems by taking care of your health from the beginning. You can start a healthy lifestyle today by giving up the junk foods and taking whole food which far beneficial to you.