Symptoms of diverticulitis:
Acute or chronic lower abdominal discomfort (often on the left side)
Bloating
Constant gas
Diarrhea or Constipation
Sometimes fever and chills
Sometimes nausea
In addition, peripheral conditions and even diseases can manifest due to symptomatic and even asymptomatic diverticulitis. Some of these include:
IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Dysbiosis
Gastritis
IBD (Inflamed Bowel Disease)

Acupuncture, botanical medicine and clinical nutrition have the ability to create the perfect ‘healing storm‘ for treatment of diverticulitis. When applied with the guidance of a professional naturopathic doctor, the body can embrace the natural remedy accumulation of these three approaches. Targeting the root cause by curing from within avoids conventional medical efforts which often attempt healing from the outside which, in more cases than not, only ‘band-aids‘ the symptoms rather than completely heals the cause.

Pointing in the Right Direction
Although many other acupuncture points are targeted to reduce pain and move along stagnant energy, Large Intestine (LI) points work well in addressing diverticulitis.

LI-11 is a directly related point used to treat symptoms such as diarrhea, abdominal pain and vomiting. It is located on the lateral (outside) spot near the flexed elbow and is called in Chinese Quchi or Pool at the Crook. It is classified as a He-Sea point where energy collects and goes deep into the body. LI11 is popular for treating rebellious qi (life force) as well as diarrhea.

LI-7 called Wenliu (Warm Flow) works well in reducing intestinal inflammation, abdominal pain and borborygmus (gaseous rumbling). It is located on the mid forearm on the thumb (radial) side. Inflammation is a huge factor in diverticulitis and acupuncture is capable of reducing this response to allow other healing remedies (such as botanical medicine and clinical nutrition) to flourish.

Overall, acupuncture used to treat diverticulitis, can:
Improve immune function which in turn lowers bacterial counts
Increase blood flow to the bowel strengthening mucosa and muscle walls
Expedite bowel healing
Increase stool transit to avoid irritation/inflammation.

Medicinal Mother Nature
As more people realize the power of natural healing the more they realize that decimating such essential gifts as our rainforest is wholly foolish. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, 70% of over 3000 plant compounds found to be active in fighting cancer cells are found in the rainforest.

Botanical medicine is the base for hundreds of pharmaceuticals, however when prescribed and monitored by a naturopathic doctor in its natural state certain conditions, such as diverticulitis, could heal unencumbered by side effects or re-occurrence. The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) reports a list of curative botanical remedies that, according to each individual case, have the potential to reduce and even heal diverticulitis. Some of these include:

Slippery Elm (Ulmus fulva) – Considered a demulcent, which is a soothing film that forms a protective coat over mucosa relieving pain and inflammation.
Cat’s Claw (Uncaria tomentosa) – Excellent bowel anti-inflammatory (must be taken under strict guidance of a professional).
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) – Used for spasms and reducing inflammation (must be taken under strict guidance of a professional).
Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis) – This is a demulcent and an emollient (smooths and relaxes intestinal wall).
Flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) – Great bulk-forming high fiber laxative that softens stools and speeds transport.