Colic causes, treatment. Characteristics of intestinal colic, their causes and treatment. How to relieve intestinal colic at home

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Intestinal colic- this is a sharp cramping abdominal pain, occurring in the navel area or in the lower abdominal cavity. The pain is intense, cramping in nature, when painful attacks are replaced by periods of rest. The duration of the pain itself is usually short - from a few seconds to a minute, but the number and frequency of attacks can vary. Intestinal colic is a symptom of many diseases of the intestines or other organs of the digestive tract.

The essence of intestinal colic and the mechanism of its development

Any colic is a sudden cramping pain in the abdomen. Accordingly, intestinal colic is an attack of sudden cramping pain in the abdomen caused by dysfunction or damage to the intestines.

Currently, there are two main types of intestinal colic - pathological and infantile. Pathological colic is always a sign of intestinal dysfunction, and can develop in adults or children from the age of eight months, regardless of gender. Infantile colic occurs only in infants aged three weeks to six months, and is not a pathology. Thus, when talking about intestinal colic, one should always distinguish whether we are talking about pathology or the infant norm.

Infantile colic is not a disease or a symptom of any pathology, but is a feature of the normal functioning of the body at an early age. Colic in infants is not dangerous because it is not a symptom of the disease and does not lead to the development of any pathology. Currently, the causes of infant colic have not been established, but according to statistics, they develop in 30–70% of all children aged 3 weeks to six months. Presumably, colic is caused by the immaturity of the nervous system and the digestive tract, which during this period is still just setting up its work, “learning” to digest food coming through the mouth, and not through the umbilical cord, as was the case during prenatal development. Infant colic goes away on its own and without a trace without any treatment by the age of 3 – 6 months.

Both infantile and pathological colic are alternating attacks of pain with light intervals. Pain with intestinal colic is usually localized in the navel or lower abdomen, most often on the left side. Attacks of pain occur sharply, unexpectedly, suddenly, without connection with any factors. The pain is usually strong, sharp, forcing a person to take a forced position and wrap his arms around his stomach. The painful sensation usually does not last long - from a few seconds to a minute, after which a light interval occurs. The frequency of pain episodes and their number during one attack of colic may vary. That is, with intestinal colic, a person may suffer from frequent attacks of pain that occur every 5 minutes and last for several hours in total, or experience pain once every half hour.

Pathological colic begins suddenly, usually after eating or before the urge to defecate. The duration of the attack can vary - from several minutes to hours. If you do not take antispasmodic drugs, then an attack of colic usually ends on its own as suddenly as it began. Colic can bother a person at any time, but more often it happens in the evening hours.

Infant colic stops as suddenly as it starts, and does so without any treatment or intervention. As a rule, colic in infants lasts 2–3 hours, less often up to 6 hours, and always begins at approximately the same time. For example, in one child colic may begin at 18-00 and end at 20-00, and in another from 20-00 to 22-00, etc. Infant colic may affect your baby daily or only occasionally. However, with episodic colic, they occur at least 2 to 3 days a week. During an attack of colic, nothing helps the baby; he cries or screams angrily until the painful sensation passes. It is impossible to calm the baby down, since neither rocking, nor feeding, nor other methods help to stop his crying, which parents simply need to endure. As soon as the colic ends, the baby begins to smile and stops crying.

The mechanism of development of both infantile and pathological colic includes a strong effect on the intestinal wall and the nerve endings located in its mesentery. This impact may include the following factors:

Distension of the intestine with expansion of its lumen, as a result of which the organ begins to compress the nerve endings of the abdominal cavity (for example, with bloating, flatulence, overeating, etc.);
Intestinal spasm with a sharp narrowing of its lumen, as a result of which the food bolus cannot move normally (for example, under stress or severe anxiety, consumption of stale, poor-quality or exotic food, gastritis, gastric or duodenal ulcers, helminthiasis, etc.);
Irritation of muscles and nerve endings located in the intestinal wall (for example, in case of poisoning, intestinal infections, influenza and ARVI);
Impaired intestinal motility, as a result of which the intestine either contracts too strongly and painfully, or, on the contrary, is practically paralyzed (for example, with irritable bowel syndrome, enteritis, etc.);
Obstacle to the advancement of the food bolus present in the intestinal lumen (for example, tumor, polyp, obstruction, diverticulum, adhesions after surgery or inflammation, etc.).

Regardless of the specific mechanism of development, intestinal colic is always an acute, sharp, cramping pain in the abdomen, which gives a person discomfort.

Treatment of infant colic is not carried out, because, firstly, there are currently no medications that effectively eliminate this condition, and secondly, this phenomenon is not dangerous and does not harm the baby. Despite the lack of medications that can relieve colic in infants, various means to combat this phenomenon are widely used in everyday life, since parents believe that “something must be done, because the child is not feeling well.” However, all drugs and devices used to eliminate colic (dill water, Espumisan, Disflatil, Lactase-baby, gas tube, etc.) simply reassure parents who feel psychological satisfaction from trying to help the baby, but in no way stop colic. By the age of 3 – 6 months, the infant’s colic goes away on its own, and the parents believe that finally some drug given to the baby last helped relieve him of the discomfort. In reality, infant colic does not need to be treated - you just need to endure this period, not paying attention to the baby’s angry crying.

Pathological colic is treated with various symptomatic drugs that relieve spasms, for example, Spasmomen, No-Shpa, Buscopan, etc. But these drugs only eliminate abdominal pain and do not affect the causes of its occurrence. Therefore, antispasmodic drugs are only symptomatic, which can and should be used to relieve pain, but at the same time, a thorough examination must be carried out in order to identify the cause of colic and begin therapy for this underlying disease.

Causes

Causes of pathological intestinal colic

The following diseases and conditions may be the causes of pathological intestinal colic in children over 8 months of age and adults:

Gastritis;
Peptic ulcer of the stomach or duodenum;
Enterocolitis (inflammation of the small and large intestines);
Pancreatitis;
Hepatitis and other liver diseases;
Acute appendicitis ;
Intestinal infections (cholera, dysentery, salmonellosis);
Food toxic infections (botulism, staphylococcal poisoning, escherichiosis, etc.);
Poisoning with mushrooms or plant poisons (for example, when consuming green potato tubers, berry seeds, etc.);
Poisoning by products of animal origin (meat of poisonous fish, honey from poisonous plants, etc.);
Poisoning by various chemicals and industrial poisons (for example, pesticides, nitrates, etc.);
Poisoning with salts of heavy metals;
Helminthiases (ascariasis, giardiasis, opisthorchiasis, enterobiasis);
Systemic viral infections (influenza, ARVI, parainfluenza, etc.);
Intestinal obstruction caused by the closure of its lumen by a tumor, fecal or gallstones, bezoars (clumps of hair or plant fibers), clumps of helminths or foreign bodies;
Adhesions in the abdominal cavity formed after surgery, peritonitis, radiation therapy or infectious diseases of the pelvic or abdominal organs;
Sedentary lifestyle;
Stress or severe nervous tension (this factor, as a rule, causes colic in impressionable and emotionally sensitive people);
Errors in the diet, such as irregular meals, eating “dry” or “on the go”, overeating, consuming large quantities of yeast dough products, fermented milk and fermented dishes, as well as stale, low-quality products and too cold, hot, smoked, spicy foods or exotic food.

Causes of infant colic

The causes of infant colic are currently not known for certain. But scientists and doctors suggest that the following factors are possible causes of infant colic:

Immaturity of the central nervous system of a child of the first year of life;
Immaturity of the intestine, which does not completely digest the food that enters it, as a result of which gas formation and peristalsis increase;
Accumulation of gases in the intestines;
Lactase deficiency in a child;
Deficiency of enzymes of the digestive system in a child;
Deficiency of hormone-like substances that regulate the functioning of the digestive tract (gastrin, secretin, cholecystokinin);
Lack of stable and mature intestinal microflora;
Swallowing air due to improper feeding technique, greedy sucking or sucking on an empty nipple;
Allergic reaction to infant formula;
Increased anxiety in a nursing mother;
Maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Symptoms

Symptoms of pathological intestinal colic in adults

The only symptom of intestinal colic is a sharp, severe cramping pain in the abdomen. The pain can be localized throughout the abdomen or in its individual areas, most often in the navel area or in the lower left segment near the iliac wing. Pain during intestinal colic can spread to the lower back, groin, genitals or diaphragm area.

With colic, the pain is usually not constant, it occurs in episodic attacks. Such painful attacks are always unexpected, sudden and very strong in severity. An attack of pain can last for a varying period of time - from a few seconds to 1 - 2 minutes, after which a light interval occurs. The duration of light intervals between attacks of pain can also vary - from several minutes to half an hour. The total duration of intestinal colic, when attacks of pain alternate with light intervals, is also variable - from half an hour to 10 - 12 hours.

Against the background of a painful attack of colic, a person tries to find a position in which the pain is not so strong, but this fails. As a result, a person simply instinctively clasps his stomach with his hands and tries to press himself against his legs bent at the knees. During pain, the abdominal wall is tense, and attempts to palpate the intestines and other internal organs are sharply painful. After colic has passed, the person is exhausted, apathetic and indifferent to others.

Intestinal colic goes away as suddenly as it appears. In some cases, colic ends with defecation, and in this situation relief occurs after bowel movement.

As a rule, colic occurs suddenly, against the background of complete health and completely satisfactory health. The onset of colic can be triggered by a heavy meal, stress, emotional stress or physical activity. Most often, colic develops in the evening hours, although it can appear at any time of the day.

Intestinal colic always leads to disruption of gas formation and defecation, as a result of which, some time after the onset of pain or simultaneously with it, a person develops bloating, flatulence (increased gas formation), as well as nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting appear only at the peak of abdominal pain, and during the rest of the colic period these symptoms are absent. Flatulence and bloating appear either simultaneously with colic or some time after its onset. A characteristic feature of flatulence and bloating is that they persist for some period of time after the end of the intestinal colic itself.

Intestinal colic can be combined with other symptoms inherent in a particular disease or condition that caused its development. For example, with gastritis, intestinal colic is combined with nausea and vomiting, heartburn, sour belching, with pancreatitis - with girdle pain throughout the abdomen, diarrhea, uncontrollable vomiting, with intestinal infections - with elevated body temperature and diarrhea. In a stressful situation, intestinal colic is combined with anxiety, rapid heart rate, high blood pressure, etc.

Symptoms of intestinal colic in women

Symptoms of intestinal colic in women are no different from the pathological colic described above, which can occur in any adult, regardless of gender.

Symptoms of intestinal colic in children

In children over 8 months of age Only pathological colic can develop. Moreover, their symptoms are the same as those of adults, with the exception of the localization of sensations. Pain in children almost always localized in the navel area or spread throughout the abdomen. Otherwise, there are no differences from adults in the symptoms of pathological colic in children over 8 months old.

In children younger than 8 months but older than 3 weeks so-called infant colic develops, which is a variant of the norm for them. The symptoms of such colic are described in detail in the subsection below.

Thus, when talking about the symptoms of intestinal colic in children, you must first determine the age of the baby. If he is older than 8 months, he will have symptoms of pathological colic. If the child is younger than 8 months, he will have symptoms of infant colic.

Symptoms of infant colic

Since the newborn cannot speak yet, he cannot say that his stomach hurts, so the only symptom of infant colic is certain behavior of the baby.

Firstly, you need to know that colic can only affect children from the age of 3 weeks to 6 - 8 months. Before three weeks and after 8 months, infants do not experience harmless colic. If a child older than 8 months has a stomach ache, then we are no longer talking about infant colic, but about pathological colic, and in this case you need to call a doctor to diagnose the disease. Therefore, you need to remember that infant colic can and should be diagnosed only in children 3 weeks - 8 months.

Secondly, it should be remembered that colic in newborns usually occurs in the evening, some time after eating or during feeding. Moreover, as a rule, colic in children occurs at the same time of day and has the same duration on different days. For example, a baby’s colic begins at 20-00 and lasts for 2 hours, and this means that every day or every other day from 20-00 to 22-00 he will scream and cry for no reason, suffering from colic.

Infant colic lasts from half an hour to 3 hours (occasionally up to 6 hours), appears at least three times a week and lasts for at least three weeks in total.

When colic develops, the child begins to cry for no reason, twists his legs and tries to press them to his stomach. Any attempts to calm the child down are unsuccessful; he continues to scream and cry, no matter what the parents do (carry him in their arms, roll him in a stroller, rock him in a crib). In this case, the child has no objective reasons for crying - he is not hungry (no more than 3 hours have passed since the last feeding), his diaper or diapers are dry, his body temperature is normal, there are no signs of illness (the throat is not red, the nose is not stuffy, the ear does not hurt, etc.), the room is cool (20 - 24 o C). The only objective symptoms associated with infant colic are a swollen abdomen, a tense anterior abdominal wall and a red face.

The child cries and cannot be calmed by any means until the colic goes away. After this, the baby smiles, becomes happy and calm, in other words, returns to his normal state.

Thus, we can say that the main symptom of colic in a baby is causeless crying, when there are no objective reasons for concern (wet diaper, hunger, cold, fever, etc.), which lasts from half an hour to 3 – 6 hours continuously. At the same time, it is not possible to calm the baby in any way. Therefore, if parents heard the child crying, but did not find objective reasons for this behavior and attempts to calm the child within 15 minutes were unsuccessful, then we are talking about infant colic.

An additional criterion for intestinal colic in infants is good appetite, normal weight gain and development in accordance with age. That is, if a child screams for no reason at least three times a week for some time, and it is not possible to calm him down, but otherwise develops well and gains weight, then he is bothered by intestinal colic and does not suffer from any disease.

Combination of pathological colic with other symptoms

Since intestinal colic itself is a symptom of any disease or condition, it is often combined with other pathological manifestations. Let's consider the most common combinations of intestinal colic with some other pathological symptoms.

Intestinal colic and bloating. Bloating very often accompanies intestinal colic, regardless of the causes of the latter. The fact is that with intestinal colic, the movement of the food bolus through the intestine is disrupted, as a result of which, on the one hand, the process of increased gas formation begins, and on the other, certain parts of the intestine swell from excess contents and gases.

Intestinal colic and flatulence. Flatulence almost always accompanies intestinal colic, regardless of what disease provoked its development. This is due to the fact that with colic, the process of normal digestion of food is disrupted, as well as the passage of the food bolus through the intestine, as a result of which excessive formation of gases begins. Therefore, we can say that flatulence and intestinal colic are related to each other, with the second provoking the first.

Intestinal colic and nausea. Nausea can occur with intestinal colic of any origin at the height of pain. In this case, the nausea is short-term, not accompanied by vomiting and quickly passes after the intensity of the pain decreases. Sometimes nausea, which appears at the peak of pain during intestinal colic, can be accompanied by a single vomiting.

In addition, nausea accompanies intestinal colic if it is caused by a disease characterized by nausea and vomiting, for example, gastritis, hepatitis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis, intestinal infection, poisoning or intestinal obstruction.

Intestinal colic and diarrhea. As a rule, intestinal colic is combined with diarrhea due to intestinal infections and various poisonings, when the body tries to get rid of toxic substances that caused spastic contractions of the intestine and intoxication. In such situations, diarrhea occurs repeatedly.

In more rare cases, intestinal colic may result in a single episode of loose stool in the absence of poisoning or infection. In such situations, diarrhea is provoked by colic itself, as a result of which the intestinal contents are not digested properly, but quickly enter the large intestine, from where they are excreted in a liquid consistency.

Intestinal colic in adults

In adults, intestinal colic is only pathological, and is observed in stressful situations or against the background of various diseases of the digestive tract. In general, colic is not dangerous for an adult, since it goes away on its own and does not entail any serious disturbances in the functioning of the digestive tract. But when colic occurs, it is necessary to remember that the disease that caused the appearance of this symptom may pose a potential danger. Dangerous are colic, combined with vomiting and increasing over time. Other types of intestinal colic are usually harmless and go away on their own after some time.

Treatment of intestinal colic should be comprehensive, aimed primarily at eliminating the causative factor. The colic itself, until the underlying disease has been cured or the cause eliminated, can be treated with antispasmodics so as not to suffer from excruciating pain.

Intestinal colic as a result of gas formation: what foods lead to bloating, what to do with increased gas formation, recommendations from a nutritionist - video

Intestinal colic during pregnancy

Intestinal colic in pregnant women occurs quite often, and although in essence they are classified as pathological, in the vast majority of cases they are not dangerous for either the woman or the fetus, since they are caused by the peculiarities of the intestines during the period of bearing a child. The fact is that during pregnancy, a woman’s body produces a large amount of progesterone, which affects the functioning of the intestines and provokes periodic strong contractions of its wall. And the consequence of such strong contractions is the development of colic. But since colic is caused by the peculiarities of the hormonal balance of a woman’s body, it is not dangerous and does not cause harm.

Intestinal colic during pregnancy can be quite frequent, but always short-lived. After a short painful attack, a clear interval always sets in, and no other symptoms of any pathology appear. Intestinal colic does not increase the tone of the uterus and does not increase the risk of miscarriage or premature birth, and also does not provoke fetal hypoxia. That is why intestinal colic during pregnancy is considered a completely normal phenomenon that does not require treatment. However, if colic is poorly tolerated, then pregnant women can take No-shpu or Papaverine to relieve it. But it is better to avoid taking medications, and to relieve abdominal pain, take a comfortable position and relax.

Safe intestinal colic must be distinguished from pain syndrome, which is a danger signal for a pregnant woman. If intestinal colic or any abdominal pain in a pregnant woman is not accompanied by bloody discharge from the genital tract, increased body temperature, deterioration in general health or severe dizziness, then it is not dangerous. If pain is accompanied by any of these symptoms, then it is a dangerous sign, and in such a situation you should immediately call a doctor.

Intestinal colic in children

Children older than 8 months develop only pathological intestinal colic, and babies younger than 8 months develop infantile colic. Pathological colic is a symptom of a disease, and therefore its appearance requires examination of the child in order to identify pathology and subsequent treatment. Infant colic is a normal variant, and therefore, if it is present, there is no need to examine the baby or apply any therapy.

Pathological colic in children occurs more often than in adults, which is due to the lower resistance of their digestive tract to various negative influences, including unusual or low-quality food. Therefore, the digestive tract of children, more often than that of adults, reacts to unusual, irritating dishes (carbonated water, onions, garlic, etc.) or low-quality food products (products made from yeast dough, too salty or spicy dishes, etc.) with the development of symptoms. poisoning or functional digestive disorders. Therefore, children more often develop intestinal colic precisely because of dietary factors, and not against the background of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract.

Since the most common cause of intestinal colic in children is food, this symptom, as a rule, is not a signal of any serious diseases of the internal organs. As a result, pathological intestinal colic in children, as a rule, needs to be treated and eliminated as food poisoning or overeating.

In general, there are no differences in the course and approaches to the treatment of pathological intestinal colic in children and adults. The main difference between colic in children and those in adults is that in children, the causative factor of the symptom is much more often errors in diet, intolerance to any type of food or poisoning, rather than diseases of the digestive tract.

Intestinal colic in newborns

General characteristics of the phenomenon

Colic in newborn babies is called infant colic because it occurs between the ages of three weeks and eight months. Infant colic does not occur earlier than three weeks and later than eight months of age. And if a child older than 8 months develops colic, then it is pathological, not infantile, and indicates the presence of some disease or digestive disorder. Thus, when talking about colic in newborns, we mean infant colic.

Infant colic is a normal feature of the digestive tract in children and does not harm the baby. According to statistics, colic occurs in 30–70% of newborns in various countries.

Colic in newborns can appear from three weeks of age, and in the vast majority of cases goes away on its own by three months. In rare cases, colic continues until the age of 6 – 8 months.

It is quite easy to identify infant colic because it always meets the following characteristics:

Appear between 3 weeks and 8 months of age;
Occurs at least three times a week or daily;
They always start and end at the same time of day;
Most often develop in the evening hours;
Continues for at least three consecutive weeks;
Develop either during eating or some time after feeding;
Begin and end suddenly, against the background of complete health;
During colic, the child screams, cries, twists his legs, tries to pull them to his stomach;
During colic, a child’s belly is tense, swollen, and passes gas;
There are no objective reasons for crying (the child is not hungry, his diaper or diaper is dry, the temperature in the room is comfortable, there are no signs of any disease - that is, the throat is not red, there is no runny nose, etc.);
Attempts to calm the child by any means do not have an effect; he still cries and screams until the colic ends;
After the colic ends, the child calms down on his own, begins to smile and behave in a normal, familiar way.

Thus, if a baby has no objective reasons for crying, but he persistently screams at least three times a week at the same time, and it is not possible to calm him down by any means, and at the same time he develops normally and gains weight - then this is an infantile condition. colic.

The appearance of colic is a normal feature of children in the first year of life; they do not require treatment, are not dangerous for the baby and do not disrupt its development.

What causes colic in newborns?

Unfortunately, the exact causes of infant colic are not known. However, based on many years of observations, it was found that colic is most often provoked by the following factors:

Accumulation of gases in the intestines;
Overeating (the child eats too much food for him, which he is not able to digest);
Overheating (the child is in a too hot room with dry air);
Lactase deficiency in a child;
Swallowing air due to improper feeding technique, greedy sucking or sucking on an empty nipple;
Allergic reaction to infant formula;
Excessively emotional reaction of the mother to the crying of the child;
Increased anxiety in a nursing mother;
Maternal smoking during pregnancy.

Symptoms of colic in newborns

Infantile colic is manifested by persistent crying and screaming of the child, which begins and ends at the same time of day, appearing at least three times a week. It is impossible to calm him down by any means, although there are no objective reasons for screaming (the baby is not sick, his diapers are dry, he is not hungry, his throat is not red, there is no runny nose, etc.). Screaming and crying begin and end suddenly, and this happens by the hour, since colic goes away at the same time of day. That is, the baby, at least three times a week or more often, begins to cry and scream against the background of complete health for a strictly defined, identical period of time.

During colic, the baby's stomach is tense, he twists his legs, tries to pull them towards his tummy, and he may pass gas. The passage of gas usually brings relief, but the baby does not stop crying until the colic ends.

Unfortunately, there are currently no effective methods and medications for relieving colic in newborns, and numerous drugs used for this purpose only reassure parents, but do not bring relief to the baby. Since colic is not dangerous and does not harm the development of the child, then, in principle, there is no need to treat it. Experienced pediatricians and scientists recommend that parents simply endure the period of colic in the baby - they will go away on their own by three, or maximum by 6-8 months.

At the time of colic, pediatricians advise holding the baby in your arms or trying to soothe him in other ways for 15 minutes. If the child has not calmed down in 15 minutes, and he has no objective reasons for crying, then it is recommended to simply put him in the crib and let him scream. To relieve pain and provide emotional contact with parents, you can massage the tummy.

If the nervous system of the mother or father cannot withstand the child’s crying, then You can try to alleviate the baby’s suffering with the following safe but ineffective means:

Dill water;
Preparations based on simethicone (Espumizan, Disflatil, etc.);
Enterosorbents (Smecta, Enterosgel).

In principle, attempts to give the baby medicine for colic bring relief and reassurance only to parents who feel that they have not abandoned the child and are trying to help him in every possible way. But we must remember that there is currently no truly effective cure for colic in infants.

Intestinal colic - treatment

Treatment in adults

Since intestinal colic in adults is most often a symptom of some disease, for its effective treatment it is necessary to undergo an examination in order to identify the pathology that caused the colic, and to treat this particular disease.

Considering that intestinal colic can be a symptom of a serious disease that requires urgent surgical intervention (for example, intestinal obstruction), then when it develops for the first time, it is necessary to immediately call an ambulance, and until the medical team arrives, do not take any medications or apply a heating pad to the abdomen and do not carry out any actions aimed at reducing the intensity of pain, as this may blur the overall picture and lead to incorrect diagnosis.

If colic does not occur for the first time, and its cause is precisely known, then symptomatic treatment can be carried out aimed at relieving the pain syndrome. For symptomatic treatment of intestinal colic, use either a warm heating pad on the abdominal area or various antispasmodic drugs that can relieve spastic pain:

Preparations of drotaverine hydrochloride (No-Shpa, Drotaverine);
Papaverine preparations (Papaverine, etc.);

If colic occurs in combination with diarrhea, then to relieve it it is recommended to take enterosorbents, such as Smecta, Enterosgel, Polyphepan, Polysorb, Filtrum, etc.

If colic is combined with flatulence and bloating, then to relieve it it is recommended to take antispasmodics simultaneously with drugs containing simethicone (Espumizan, Disflatil, etc.), which reduce gas formation in the intestines. In addition, in case of colic with flatulence and bloating, it is necessary to refuse food for 12 hours, and then follow a diet in which foods that promote gas formation (peas, beans, lentils, corn, cabbage, etc.) are excluded from the diet.

Treatment of intestinal colic in children

Pathological intestinal colic in children is treated according to the same principles and with the same medications as in adults. Infantile colic does not need to be treated, since this condition is a normal variant and not a pathology.

Remedy (medicine) for intestinal colic

Currently, the following medications are used to relieve intestinal colic:

1. Pain relief medications:

Preparations of drotaverine hydrochloride (Bioshpa, No-Shpa, Nosh-Bra, Ple-Spa, Spazmol, Spazmonet, Spazoverin, Spakovin, Drotaverin);
Papaverine preparations (Papaverine);
Preparations containing belladonna extract (Becarbon, Bellalgin, Besalol);
Preparations containing hyoscine butyl bromide (Buscopan).

2. Medicines to reduce gas formation and eliminate flatulence and bloating:

Products with simethicone (Espumizan, Disflatil, Sab simplex, Bobotik, Antiflat Lannacher).

3. Medicines to relieve diarrhea:

Enterosorbents (Smecta, Laktofiltrum, Polysorb, Polyphepan, Filtrum, Enterosgel, etc.).

Treatment of colic in newborns

General principles of treatment of colic in infants

Since, firstly, infant colic is not dangerous for the child and does not harm him, and secondly, there is currently no effective means for stopping it, experienced pediatricians recommend not treating colic in newborns, but simply endure it until they will not pass. However, if parents still want to try to somehow help the baby tolerate colic more easily, then The following medications and non-drug methods can be used:

Products containing simethicone that reduce gas formation (Espumizan, Disflatil, Sab Simplex, Bobotik, Antiflat Lannacher);
Products containing lactase, which promote better absorption of food (Lactase-baby);
Massage the tummy with your fingers;
Warm heating pad on the stomach;
Holding a baby in a prone position on an adult's hand.

It is best to use non-drug methods to combat colic (abdominal massage, a warm heating pad, or holding the baby on the tummy in an adult’s hand), which are guaranteed not to cause any harm to the baby. However, if parents feel uneasy until they try to alleviate the child’s suffering with medication, then they can give the baby dill water, a product with simethicone or lactase, which are also harmless, but can still create additional stress on the child’s internal organs due to the need to remove them from the body. Among medications, according to reviews and observations of parents, Lactase-baby is the most effective in relieving colic, since it helps the baby to better absorb food and, thereby, eliminates the provoking factor of colic.

Anti-colic heating pad for newborns

A warm heating pad placed on the baby's tummy relieves the painful spasms of colic and helps him to cope with this condition more easily. The heating pad should be placed on the stomach when colic begins, and not beforehand - this will not help prevent the appearance of abdominal pain.

For a child, a heating pad should be warm, not hot, so it is very important to choose the right temperature. The optimal temperature of a heating pad is determined as follows: an adult’s wrist is applied to it, and if the skin does not burn, but only feels pleasantly warm for a minute, then this temperature is ideal for a baby. Having set the optimal temperature, you need to wrap the heating pad in a diaper, place it on your own lap and lay the baby on it with his tummy so that his back is on top. You need to hold the baby in this position for 15 to 30 minutes, then transfer him to the crib, and if necessary, after half an hour, put his tummy back on the heating pad.

Applying a heating pad to the stomach of a baby lying on his back is useless, since he will throw it off with active movements of his legs in a few minutes, and attempts to hold it will only lead to increased screaming and crying.

Massage

Massaging the tummy during colic helps relieve the baby’s suffering, and this happens not so much by reducing the intensity of pain, but by emotional and tactile contact between the baby and the adults who love him. Massage can be done at any time, including during colic. In this case, the duration of one massage approach should be 3–7 minutes, after which a break is taken for 10–15 minutes, after which you can start the massage again.

A tummy massage for a newborn is done as follows: the child is placed on his back on his own knees so that his head is at the level of his kneecaps and his legs are thrown back onto the adult’s stomach. The head is supported with the left hand, and the wrist with the right, inserted between the child’s legs, is pressed against the pubis. Next, use the fingers of your right hand to make circular movements clockwise along the baby’s tummy for 3 to 7 minutes. Actually, such stroking movements are a baby abdominal massage.

Medicine for colic in newborns

Unfortunately, there are currently no effective medications that can relieve babies from colic. Therefore, parents try various means that theoretically can be effective, and select the optimal one for this particular child. Today, the following drugs can be used to relieve colic:

Dill water (to give to the baby during colic);
Products containing simethicone that reduce gas formation (Espumizan, Disflatil, Sab Simplex, Bobotik, Antiflat Lannacher);
Products containing lactase that promote better absorption of food (Lactase-baby).

Dill water and products with simethicone are given to the child immediately at the onset of colic, and Lactase-baby is taken before each feeding. According to reviews from parents, Lactase Baby is the most effective at preventing colic, as it helps the baby digest food better, thereby eliminating one of the significant provoking factors for colic.

Colic in newborns: massage techniques, gymnastics and other useful tips - video

Colic in newborns and infants: what it is, its causes and symptoms, what helps with intestinal colic (Dr. Komarovsky) - video

Intestinal colic in newborns and infants: description, reasons, what to do (massage, gas tube, simethicone for a child), advice from a pediatrician - video

Diet for intestinal colic

The diet for intestinal colic is quite simple - you just need to exclude from the diet foods that contribute to gas formation, such as:
Nasedkina A.K. Specialist in research of biomedical problems.

Acute spasmodic pain in the abdomen is more common in young children, but the phenomenon of intestinal colic is also common in adults. In adults, acute pain along the intestines indicates indigestion. The cause of an attack can be more than 20 pathologies. It is important to correctly determine the source of intestinal colic, the symptoms, and treatment in adults is prescribed depending on the disease that caused the attack.

Under the collective name “intestinal colic,” doctors mean several symptoms of acute abdominal pain characteristic of many diseases. Sometimes it has a paroxysmal character, and in other cases it occurs as a spasm of increasing intensity.

The following groups of diseases can cause such symptoms:

Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract leading to incomplete or poor digestion of food: gastritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, cholecystitis. The result of pathology is stagnation, fermentation of food in the intestines.
Irritation of the nerve endings of the intestinal walls, which leads to disruption of blood supply, nutrition of the digestive tract and stagnation of food masses. Pathology occurs as a result of diseases or weaknesses of the nervous and circulatory systems (stress, difficult situations, some diseases of the central nervous system).
Disturbances in the movement of food due to significant one-time physical activity and heavy lifting.
Infectious pathogens that cause stool disorders (salmonella, E. coli, influenza).
Infection with helminths. They interfere with the normal movement of food masses.
Mechanical obstruction as a result of intestinal obstruction: intestinal adhesions, neoplasms, polyps, volvulus.

General symptoms

Doctors call several types of intestinal colic, and with each type, the symptoms will be supplemented by some other manifestations.

The main manifestation of intestinal colic is acute pain in the intestinal area, which is spastic or paroxysmal in nature and can last from several minutes to several days.

The strongest pain sensations are recorded in the navel area; in case of stomach diseases, they can radiate upward, to the epigastric region; in all other cases, the pain radiates downwards. In men, in the groin, in women, in the uterus, bladder.
With prolonged severe pain, cholecystitis, the pain radiates to the back, to the coccyx area. There is a feeling of spasms along the entire intestine.
Intestinal colic is characterized by bloating, the abdomen becomes hard, and palpation causes discomfort.
There is a violation of the stool: constipation or, conversely, severe diarrhea. Blood or mucus may be present in the stool.

Features of symptoms in various pathologies

Depending on the disease that causes intestinal colic, symptoms and treatment in adults will vary significantly.

Additional manifestations include the following:

Type of disease	Additional signs	First aid	Required treatment
For gastritis, cholecystitis	Belching with nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite, pain in the epigastric region even on an empty stomach	Refusal of food, painkillers: Spazmalgon, No-Shpa, Bekarbon	After pain relief, treatment by a gastroenterologist is necessary. This will prevent a recurrence of the attack.
For intestinal obstruction	There is a constant increase in attacks, decreased blood pressure, bloating, loss of strength, rapid general deterioration in condition, vomiting, lack of stool	Apply a cool heating pad to the area of pain. Calling an ambulance	Immediate surgery required
For infectious diseases	Severe diarrhea, increased body temperature and blood pressure, general weakness, signs of intoxication	Using Regidron, Smecta, drinking plenty of fluids, using a cold heating pad on the area of pain	The presence of intestinal colic signals a strong influence of infection on the body. Usually in such cases treatment in the infectious diseases department is required. The patient's condition may threaten his life
For lead poisoning	Gray plaque on gums, teeth, gum ulcers, gray complexion, dizziness	Urgent call for ambulance required	The condition is life-threatening
For appendicitis	The pain takes over the right side, the attacks intensify	Cold heating pad on the area of pain, Urgent call for a doctor	Surgical intervention
For ordinary poisoning	Pale skin, nausea, vomiting, watery diarrhea, signs of intoxication and dehydration: dry skin, rare urination	Drink plenty of fluids, gastric lavage, taking activated charcoal	Treatment at home under the supervision of a doctor
For helminthiasis	Itching in the anus, allergic rash, weight loss with good appetite, teeth grinding during sleep	Warm bath, No-Shpa, Spazmalgon, Bekarbon	Treatment of helminthiasis after pain relief

Doctors distinguish the symptoms of colic based on the location of the pain. Often, colic initially occurs in another area of the peritoneum, but if left untreated, the inflammation spreads to the intestines:

With rectal colic (in the rectum), a false, painful urge to defecate is observed.
With appendicular pain, the pain is localized on the right side and radiates to the iliac region, also on the right side.
With renal colic, severe paroxysmal pain is observed, radiating to the groin and tailbone, nausea, rare urination or its complete absence are noted. Blood pressure decreases, fever occurs up to +39.
With hepatic colic, pain occurs in the right hypochondrium, radiates to the shoulder blade, bitterness is felt in the mouth, nausea and vomiting are possible.
With pancreatic colic, pain initially occurs in the left hypochondrium, and then takes on a girdling character, loose stools and diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are observed.

These types of colic always require urgent medical attention. If you suspect them, you must immediately call an ambulance.

Video - Intestinal colic

Diagnosis and treatment

Among the primary measures for sudden intestinal colic, several simple measures are carried out:

Loosen the patient's clothing.
Place a cool heating pad on your stomach.
They call an ambulance.

If the cause of colic is known, take the drug prescribed by the doctor. In other cases, it is not recommended to give medications to the patient before doctors arrive.

In the treatment of intestinal obstruction, timely and accurate diagnosis is very important. At the initial stage, for pain of moderate intensity, the following tests are performed:

biochemical and clinical blood tests to clarify the presence of inflammation, the amount of bilirubin, liver enzymes, the presence and amount of protein, urea and other components;
urine test to determine the presence of amylase;
stool analysis for occult blood, coprogram to determine the presence of undigested particles in the stool.

If necessary, a number of more studies are prescribed. They do an ultrasound, x-ray, CT scan of the abdominal cavity. Specific studies are carried out: sigmoidoscopy and colonoscopy.

Attention! First of all, the doctor takes measures to relieve pain, and then begins to establish the cause..

In some cases, urgent surgical intervention will be required, in some cases, hospital treatment will be required.

Simple intestinal colic is treated at home after examination by a doctor. In difficult situations they are placed in a hospital.

The following techniques are used in home treatment:

They give sedatives in stressful situations.
In all other cases, it is prescribed to relieve spasms. No-shpu(2 tables). Spasmalgon, Bellalgin, Besalol, Becarbon(1–2 tables) - for spastic pain. Smecta(1 packet per 100 ml of water) - for poisoning.
Place a warm heating pad (up to +40) on the navel and groin area. For cholecystitis - cold.
On the recommendation of a doctor, do a cleansing enema with chamomile or lemon balm (2 tablespoons per 400 ml of water).
Suppositories with belladonna are introduced rectally into the cleansed intestine.

The patient should be provided with rest, rest and diet.

Diet

Diet plays a special role in the treatment of intestinal colic. It is almost always prescribed and has many general rules with some differences in the treatment of various diseases. Diet is an integral part of treatment.

Products	Images	Can	It is forbidden
		Chicken, rabbit, lean beef, chicken egg - only boiled	Pork, fatty meat
		Wheat crackers	Rye bread, fresh baked goods
		Low-fat cottage cheese, kefir	Whole milk, cheese, full-fat dairy products
		Vegetable, unrefined	Animal fats
		Beets, carrots, boiled pumpkin, juices	Cabbage, sweet peppers, legumes, radishes, cucumbers
		Buckwheat, semolina, boiled in water	Millet, oatmeal, pearl barley
		-	Sugar, sweets

Intestinal colic in adults often requires treatment in a hospital; it is very important to detect the disease in the early stages. This will ease the patient’s suffering and make timely treatment effective.

Disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, no matter for what reason, are accompanied by unpleasant sensations in the abdominal area, which are called cramps. They can manifest themselves as a feeling of heaviness, turning into pain, and other extremely uncomfortable conditions.

If we consider spasms as a reaction of the body, this is a spontaneous contraction of the walls of the stomach. This organ has a well-developed muscular system for softening food in order to further transfer it to the next stage of processing in the intestines.

The stomach produces contractile movements independently, and the person does not feel them. But when the organ is exposed to factors not related to digestion, movements resume. Then the contractions bring a feeling of discomfort, because gastric juice is produced, but there is nothing to digest in the stomach.

Spasmodic pain in the abdomen indicates the presence of serious problems in the body that can subsequently lead to surgical intervention.

There are many reasons why patients feel discomfort. These include:

pain on the right or in the navel area - this may indicate inflammation of the appendix;
stagnation of feces in the intestines is accompanied by pain in the left side;
acute pain in the lower back, possible cause: ;
strangulated hernia;
inflammation of adhesive scars, etc.

The above causes of abdominal pain require a medical examination; you should not self-medicate.

Particular attention should be paid to pregnant women. In recent months, cramps in the lower abdomen may indicate that the pregnancy may be terminated. The pain is accompanied by bloody or liquid discharge; immediate hospitalization is required. But often spasms in expectant mothers appear as a result of diseases of the urinary system: pyelonephritis, cystitis, etc.

If discomfort occurs in the abdominal area, a medical examination is required before treatment.

Discomfort in adults may occur due to liver failure and gallbladder dysfunction, for example, cholecystitis. Bile does not move or its outflow is disrupted. As a result of the ongoing inflammatory processes, the muscles of the bile ducts begin to contract, as do the surrounding muscles.

Cholelithiasis can cause abdominal cramps, but then surgical intervention is certainly required; stones in the gall bladder provoke pain.

Similar symptoms appear with dysfunction of the urinary system, or more precisely, caused by urolithiasis. The stones begin to move along the urinary tract, first the lower abdomen hurts, then the pain radiates to the back, to the intestines, to the groin area.

In infants, abdominal pain is caused by a digestive system that is not fully formed, dysbacteriosis, if the mother took antibiotics before giving birth.

An older child may have a stomach ache for the following reasons:

intestinal disorders;
nervous tension at school;
infection;
allergies to certain foods;
inflammatory processes in the urinary system.

Tonic spasms

Tonic pain is characterized by prolonged muscle tension. Such syndromes are accompanied by persistent hypertonicity of the abdominal muscular system, with the development of dense, painful muscle areas called trigger points. The movement of the damaged muscle decreases, it begins to shorten and become denser. When you try to put pressure on the compacted area, pain occurs that spreads to other parts of the human body: in the lower back, arm, leg.

The causes of tonic spasms are associated with injuries, prolonged static muscle tension, and emotional stress.

The danger of tonic pain lies in the fact that with constant pain, a person gets used to constant contractions and stops paying attention. But pain is a protective function of the body, warning of problems with the normal functioning of internal organs. Inattention to such spasms can lead to the development of complex diseases:

the damaged muscle is not provided with sufficient blood flow, which means that blood circulation to nearby organs is impaired;
the body works “idle”, supplying the seal with an increased amount of oxygen and nutrients;
the presence of a damaged area and untreated leads to a negative effect on the psyche, physiology and the body system as a whole;
the muscle in which the disorder occurred does not perform musculoskeletal functions.

Clonic spasms

This is a spontaneous muscle contraction, but occurs in periods (periods of tension and periods of muscle relaxation). The body begins to twitch involuntarily.

The cause of such spasms may be renal failure, dysfunction of the adrenal glands, uremia, or intoxication.

The use of medications to help a patient with an attack of clonic muscle contractions is not recommended. The doctor prescribes medications, taking into account the specific effects of specific drugs on the body of an individual patient. It is permissible to provide first aid before the arrival of doctors: lay him down on a level place, put something soft under his head, try to prevent the person from injuring himself.

Symptoms

Symptomatic phenomena accompanying spasms can be serious. It is worth paying special attention to the signs:

duration of muscle contraction period – more than 60 minutes;
loss of consciousness due to pain;
pale skin;
the person has not urinated for more than 10 hours;
vomit;
diarrhea;
the patient has difficulty breathing;
Pregnant women experience vaginal bleeding;
increased body temperature, a person has a fever;
There is blood in the stool and vomit.

If a woman has pain on the left side, the cause may be an ectopic pregnancy. In this case, an ambulance is called immediately.

Treatment of spasms

The use of medications for spasms can lead to a response from the digestive system. A doctor should prescribe medication.

Drug treatment

Frequent involuntary muscle contractions can lead to more serious illnesses than just pain. To avoid worsening the situation, you can use medications.

To relieve symptoms temporarily, antispasmodics are used, which reduce cell tone in the muscular system of the body. They relieve pain by blocking nerve impulses traveling to the muscles.

The pharmaceutical industry produces medications in the form of tablets, injections, and suppositories.

Tablets for spasms - papaverine. Indicated for pain syndromes in the abdominal region, heart, blood vessels. Can be taken by pregnant women. Does not affect the human central nervous system. Side effect: drowsiness, allergies, possible constipation.

The medicine spasmalgon is available in the form of injections. When administered intramuscularly, muscle relaxation occurs faster.

Folk recipes

Pain in men and women arises from gastrointestinal dysfunction, bad habits, and alcohol abuse. Women experience discomfort during menstruation in the lower abdomen.

Traditional medicine in this case can help without harming other internal organs. Spasmodic plants can relieve symptoms one by one and relieve pain.

Medicinal chamomile

An infusion of this natural remedy can be taken continuously. Brew one tablespoon of the herb, let it brew and take two tablespoons every 2 hours during the day. If pain often bothers you, then take a course for a week.

The patient's menu should include more plant foods. If the pain is associated with the intestines, then it is better to boil, stew or bake vegetables. Also include onions, honey and carrots in your diet. Motherwort, oregano, mint, valerian, and lemon balm can also be mentioned as relievers.

Emergency relief of spasms

The main thing you shouldn’t do if your condition suddenly worsens is to panic. After all, nervous tension will only worsen the situation. It is necessary to immediately consult a doctor, since only a professional can correctly identify the problem and prescribe effective treatment.

If the attack is prolonged, you need to take strong antispasmodic medications or drink a decoction of mint, chamomile, valerian or calamus root. Taking medications is allowed only after consulting a doctor!

Abdominal colic that occurs in an adult is not a problem, but rather a symptom of pathology in the gastrointestinal tract.

Colic is characterized by severe periodic pain, which is provoked by spasms of the large or small intestine.

There are many reasons for the symptoms and only a doctor can diagnose the condition.

Possible causes of colic

Unpleasant sensations in adults are caused by problems in the functioning of the abdominal organs; sometimes treatment can only be carried out using surgical methods. Often colic is caused by an intestinal disorder.

A similar condition can occur during intense physical activity. There are many reasons that cause colic and bloating; treatment can be selected after a thorough diagnosis and testing.

Symptoms

The main symptoms in adults include the following:

Acute pain appears, intense in nature, after some time it becomes spasms. The pain syndrome quickly increases, after which it radiates to the testicles in the male half and to the genitals in the female half. When touching the abdomen, the muscles are relaxed, but there is strong pain. The pain does not go away for a long time, from several hours to several days.
The patient's temperature does not rise, but his general condition worsens. The abdomen increases in size, gases are retained, and diarrhea is possible.
With acute gastritis, additional symptoms are possible in the form of nausea, belching and severe bloating.
Diarrhea often appears, which is accompanied by stomach cramps, and there is mucus in the stool.
Appetite disappears, and weakness appears in the body and muscles.

When colic develops into obstruction, the patient begins to experience wave-like abdominal pain, as well as heaviness throughout the abdominal area, and severe vomiting begins.

After this, gases and stool are retained, bloating appears and blood pressure drops. It is possible that the patient’s orientation in the area is disturbed, the skin is pale, and cold sweat is present.

In such a condition, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance and perform possible surgical intervention. The symptoms can lead to the death of a person.

Types of colic

There are various types of colic in adults that you need to know about:

Rectal. False signals appear to correct the need, accompanied by pain.
Appendicular. Appears during the first time with inflammation of the appendix, the pain increases on the right side.
Lead. Occurs due to lead poisoning. Pain in the form of spasms, sharp, the abdominal area is constantly tense, the temperature rises to 39 degrees, bleeding gums and a gray coating appear.
Renal. Severe pain radiating to the groin area and genitals. When walking, the symptoms become stronger, the temperature rises to 39 degrees, and the pressure drops. With renal colic, in adults, urination becomes difficult, vomiting and nausea appear. Fainting is not excluded if the pathology is acute.
Hepatic. The pain is localized under the ribs on the right, radiating to the shoulder and under the shoulder blade. A bitter taste appears, nausea and vomiting of bile are possible.
Pancreatic. In this condition, adults experience bloating, diarrhea, and vomiting. Initially, the pain syndrome appears in the upper abdomen, after which it develops into girdle pain.

Treatment of colic is carried out using different methods and you need to know how to relieve symptoms at home, using medications and preventing symptoms from appearing with diet.

Treatment and diagnosis

Qualified medical workers are able to quickly identify the real cause in an adult, and then prescribe the correct treatment for the pathology.

To determine the cause, a complete diagnosis of the patient is carried out.

Initially, the doctor collects data about diseases that existed before, for example, the presence of gastritis, ulcers, cholecystitis and other diseases.

The scope of activity is also clarified to determine chemical poisoning. Additionally, symptoms in other family members are studied, because there may be a focus of infectious diseases.

Doctors listen very carefully and study the complaints of patients and the nature of the pain, as well as where they go and where they appear.

After collecting information from the patient, doctors perform palpation to determine the pathological cause.

After this, it is necessary to establish a diagnosis with 100% accuracy; for this, certain studies are used:

Laboratory. Blood, urine, and stool tests are collected.
Instrumental. An ultrasound of the abdominal organs is performed. A sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy or computed tomography is performed.

In each individual case, the patient may be referred for examination to another doctor, for example, a urologist.

Subsequent treatment is carried out based on the cause that causes bloating and colic. If the problem is pathologies of internal organs, then therapy is aimed at treating the diseases.

For food poisoning or intestinal infections, more serious measures are used. Patients are prescribed antibiotics, such as Ciprofloxacin, as well as antiseptic drugs for the intestines.

If acute obstruction is detected, as well as inflammation of the appendix, surgical treatment is necessary.

To relieve pain, doctors often prescribe antispasmodics, for example, Drotaverine, No-shpa. If it is necessary to provide urgent assistance to a person, doctors use an injection of Atropine or Diphenhydramine.

When the abdominal pain goes away, the patient is left in the hospital to monitor the condition, since further treatment is carried out based on the patient’s dynamics.

If the cause is an incorrect diet or lifestyle, then after defecation and the release of gases, a person’s condition will significantly improve.

Intravenous medications are used only for exacerbations. These may include a complex of vitamins and saline solution.

Colic, which occurs during the flu and other colds, is relieved with the help of antispasmodics, absorbents and a vitamin complex.

Quick help at home

At home, while waiting for the doctor to arrive, the patient may need help, but it is prohibited to give enemas and apply heat (heating pads, towels) to the stomach.

All this can hide the real manifestation of the disease, which significantly complicates the diagnosis and can lead to complications if we are talking about inflammation of the appendix or obstruction.

If the cause is ordinary colic, then after consultation with a doctor you can take the following measures:

For frequent stress, sedative pills are used.
It is allowed to consume two No-shpa tablets, which can be washed down with mint decoction. Instead of No-shpa, you can use Smecta powder, which is diluted in 100 ml of water.
If colic is not caused by disease, then using a heating pad on the stomach is allowed. The heat will relax the abdominal muscles and relieve pain.
At the end, you can use an enema containing mint decoction or lemon balm infusion. Typically, the pain will go away after cleansing.
To remove colic, you can drink a decoction based on chamomile or immortelle.

After performing the procedures at home, the patient will need to give up food for half a day.

It is allowed to drink warm tea without sugar with a piece of cracker. For several days you need to limit yourself to food, which can cause gas in the stomach.

Folk remedies for colic

Pumpkin seeds. They must be taken 2 tbsp. in crushed form. Pour a glass of boiling water over the seeds and add 2 tsp. Sahara. You need to drink the product for 5 days.
Tansy flowers. Add 1 tbsp to a glass of boiling water. flowers and after infusion will be used throughout the day. You should drink the infusion for up to 3 days.
Lavender oil. Lavender oil will help with colic. It perfectly relaxes and relieves pain. 5 drops of oil per glass of water is enough.
Wormwood decoction. You will need to add a liter of ordinary water to 100 grams of wormwood and leave for a couple of days. After 2 days, it is necessary to simmer the infusion over low heat for about an hour. The finished mixture is passed through cheesecloth, 400 grams of honey is added and boiled again until the medicine begins to thicken. Take 1 tbsp decoction. 4 times a day.
Ginger tea. A drink is prepared from the root, which needs to be crushed and poured with boiling water. To remove bloating and colic in the abdomen, you will need to drink 3 cups per day. You need to drink hot tea.
Cabbage juice. You should drink fresh juice before meals and dilute it with a small amount of water. To prevent other diseases and strengthen the immune system, beet or carrot juice is added to cabbage juice.

Diet

The essence of the diet is to avoid unhealthy foods such as spicy, fatty, smoked, fried foods. The use of spices, soda, baked goods, and sweets should be reduced.

It is better to replace meat with a dietary type and eat more fish and cereals.

Vegetables can be used, but give preference to steamed ones. In the morning before breakfast you can drink carrot juice or spinach juice.

You need to eat according to a schedule, but make sure you don’t go hungry. A nutritionist can prescribe precise nutrition depending on the condition of the body and the reasons that cause bloating and colic.

Preventive measures

To prevent abdominal colic and bloating from appearing in adults, it is necessary to promptly treat gastrointestinal diseases that occur in a chronic form. From time to time, use drugs that improve digestion.

To prevent colic from appearing for no particular reason, doctors advise:

Move more and lead an active lifestyle. Walk and exercise more often.
Sleep should be complete, the minimum amount of time for sleep is 6 hours, the optimal time is 8 hours.
The diet should contain all balanced foods. It is necessary to use less fried foods, reduce spicy and smoked foods. It is better not to use fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as dairy products.
There is no need to overeat and eat in small portions, 5-6 times a day.

And of course, it is necessary to give up bad habits so as not to provoke colic and other gastrointestinal diseases.

Useful video

Any painful sensations cannot be ignored, which, unfortunately, is abused by many. This applies to intestinal colic in women, the causes of which are very important to establish at the initial stage. This approach will allow you to begin the recovery process as early as possible and avoid the development of complications and critical consequences.

Colic itself is a pain syndrome that occurs in the abdominal area. Depending on the specific location, the syndrome can be renal, hepatic, or intestinal (other types are possible).

The last option is most common in women.

Experts call symptoms of intestinal colic:
Spasm and painful sensations are the most obvious and pronounced symptom.
Referring pain that manifests itself during a long course of the syndrome. In this case, they spread to the lower back, groin area or tailbone. In some situations, it even seems that the pain covers the entire peritoneum.
Bloating, flatulence and attacks of nausea, vomiting, which also form with a prolonged course of the syndrome. This prevents the normal elimination of feces and gases.
Increased blood pressure levels.

Loss of strength, which becomes more pronounced as intestinal colic develops in a woman.

The clinical picture is complemented by stool disorder and an increase in temperature. It should be understood that the symptoms of intestinal colic in women may vary depending on the specific form of pathology (which will be discussed below), her age, and the presence or absence of concomitant gastrointestinal diseases.

Gastritis, ulcers, pancreatic and liver diseases - this is what gastroenterologists will first suspect when colic appears. However, the list of possible options is much more extensive. After all, it can be either an unbalanced diet, or food poisoning, or intestinal infections. In addition, excessive nervous tension and stressful situations can provoke colic in females.

Experts cite poisoning with salts of heavy metals, encounters with helminths, as well as the presence of influenza or ARVI as no less obvious reasons.

The fact is that viral lesions aggravate the functioning of not only the respiratory system, but also the respiratory system, which provokes inflammation of the lymph nodes and other pathologies. Another separate factor in the development of pathology is intestinal obstruction. This is due to a violation of his motor skills, stretching of the loops, as well as the accumulation of feces.

Considering the more than extensive list of possible diseases, it is vital for women to take intestinal colic extremely seriously.

Briefly about the types of colic

Gastroenterologists identify the following types of intestinal colic in females:

Rectal, or rectal. It is associated with a false and extremely painful urge to have a bowel movement.
Appendicular, which is detected in the first hours of the onset of acute appendicitis. The pathology is characterized by increasing severe pain on the right, in the iliac region.
Lead - appears due to lead poisoning. It can be identified by sharp pains reminiscent of contractions, increased temperature, and bleeding.
Vascular, the cause of which is insufficient blood supply to muscle tissue. The most pronounced symptom is acute pain, covering the entire peritoneum.
Diagnosis of disorders

A very important step before treatment is the diagnosis of pathology. Anamnesis is collected, medical history and symptoms are clarified. Next, palpation of the abdomen is necessary, after which the gastroenterologist decides to perform gastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy.

A woman may also need types of testing such as cholecystography, ultrasound, CT and MRI. The list of laboratory diagnostic methods includes stool analysis, general blood analysis and, separately, urine analysis. After this, treatment is prescribed, following which it is recommended to conduct an additional examination. It is this that will allow us to determine the results of the recovery course.

What to do and how to treat intestinal colic in women?

The recovery course can be medicinal or surgical. In the first case, medications are used strictly according to indications and depending on the specific diagnosis. It can be activated carbon, silicon dioxide. Antispasmodics (for example, Spazmolgon, Spasmomen and others that can fight spasms), combined names are also used. Most often they are a combination of an antispasmodic and an anesthetic (Pepsan).

Separately, we are talking about antibiotics (Levomycetin, Kanamycin), which are not recommended to be used independently, because this can adversely affect the functioning of the liver and digestive system.

If such treatment is ineffective and the woman’s condition continues to deteriorate, specialists are forced to resort to surgery. Depending on the cause of the pathology, this may be removal of part of the intestine or some tumor.

In addition, for intestinal colic, diet is a separate part of therapy. It is necessary to remember that:

special attention is paid to fiber, which is present in vegetables, fruits and whole grains;
Apples, carrots, pumpkin and bran are healthy;
the exclusion of fat and refined foods is a prerequisite for nutrition;
natural yoghurts (made from starter cultures) that can be consumed every day will be useful;
It is better to eat in small portions, at the same time.

How to relieve colic at home?

In some cases, a woman may need information on how to independently stop or reduce the symptoms of intestinal colic. First aid consists, first of all, of using one or two No-Shpa tablets. If you are vomiting, you can perform an enema of mint infusion - it will cleanse the intestines.

Next, it is recommended to use Smecta, and if poisoning is suspected, activated carbon or any other sorbent. All these measures in no way eliminate the need to visit a gastroenterologist or call an ambulance.

What could be the consequences?

The consequences of the condition can be numerous, for example, impaired parietal digestion, problematic absorption of useful components, pathologically increased pressure inside the peritoneum - provokes vomiting syndrome. In addition, a woman may develop malnutrition, gastroesophageal reflux, and secondary forms of enzymatic deficiency. We can also talk about dysbiosis, which quite often provokes chronic gastritis or ulcers.

Preventive actions

In order to eliminate the very possibility of colic in the lower abdomen in women, it is strongly recommended to treat any gastrointestinal diseases and prevent helminthic infections. It is equally important to lead an active lifestyle, which includes morning exercises and daily walks in the fresh air.

It is also necessary to ensure adequate sleep and a balanced diet. Another important stage of prevention is the elimination of bad habits, namely alcohol and nicotine addiction. All this will allow a woman to never encounter such an unpleasant condition as colic in the intestinal area.

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