The intestines hurt: from what and what to do with abdominal pains

The intestine is an important part of the digestive system, in which the digestion and assimilation of nutrients necessary for the body is carried out. Problems with the abdomen can be various - from mild to very serious, even life-threatening. In time to seek qualified help, it is important to know what the intestines are hurting. The

The intestine gives people a lot of trouble. In addition to the pain syndrome, patients may develop other symptoms that greatly affect the quality of their life.

Localization and character of pain

The intestine occupies the most part of the abdominal cavity, so when it hurts, the pain syndrome can manifest at any point of the abdomen.

Nevertheless, the localization of the pain doctor can assume what part of the intestine is affected:

• Pain throughout the abdomen can indicate appendicitis, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome. Pain in the lower abdomen is observed with intestinal obstruction, appendicitis.
• If the pain syndrome is localized in the center of the abdomen, this may indicate appendicitis, gastroenteritis.
• With pain in the left ileum, Crohn's disease, intestinal cancer, can be suspected. The causes of pain in the right iliac region can be appendicitis, diverticulitis, hernia.

In determining the cause of what is causing the bowel, information is important not only about the localization of pain, but also about its characteristics:

• The sudden development of pain may indicate a dangerous situation when you should immediately seek medical attention. An example of such a situation is the cessation of blood supply to the intestine.
• Spasmodic pain - caused by contraction and expansion of the intestine. The cause of this pain may be an intestinal obstruction.
• Severe, persistent pain with a sudden onset may be a sign of perforation of a stomach or duodenal ulcer, diverticulitis, appendicitis.
• Pain in appendicitis can first start in the near-buccal region, and as the disease progresses, it moves to the right iliac region.
• Spasms and bloating may indicate flatulence and increased gas production in the intestine.
• Sudden abdominal cramps and diarrhea are a sign of gastroenteritis - a viral or bacterial inflammation of the intestine and stomach.
• If the intestine is constantly aching, it may indicate irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, constipation.

It is interesting that the nervous system of the intestine is arranged in such a way that it does not react to the incision. Pain most often occurs due to stretching or spasm of the bowel. Severe and persistent pain in the intestine can indicate that the pathological process involves the peritoneum - a richly innervated, thin shell that covers the intestine from the outside.

Causes of

Pain in the intestines can be caused by various diseases. However, the main causes are infections, neoplasms, inflammatory processes, intestinal obstruction.

Common causes:

• Dyspepsia is a condition of impaired digestion. Symptoms of dyspepsia may include a feeling of bowel overflow, flatulence, heartburn, nausea and pain in the upper abdomen.
• Constipation is a difficult and very rare bowel movement. In addition to rare and painful defecation, constipation is characterized by the presence of intestinal spasms, worsening of appetite, general malaise, swelling.
• Gastroenteritis is an inflammatory bowel disease of infectious etiology, caused by viruses or bacteria. Symptoms of gastroenteritis include watery diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, bowel spasms, headache, fever.
• Irritable bowel syndrome is a common disease that affects the large intestine. Signs of this disease are pain and abdominal cramps, a sensation of bloating, flatulence, diarrhea or constipation, the presence of mucus in the stool. In most people with irritable bowel syndrome, the disease is chronic with periods of exacerbation and fading.
• Food poisoning is a disease caused by the use of contaminated food. In this case, most often develops gastroenteritis, manifested by nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, spasms and pain in the abdomen, an increase in body temperature.
• Bloating - this condition is a consequence of increased gas formation in the intestine. When stretching the loops of the intestine, excess stomach gas develops abdominal pain.
• Lactose intolerance is a violation of the absorption of lactose in the intestine. Lactose is a natural sugar found in milk and dairy products. If it is not digested, it can cause increased formation of gases, pain and bloating, diarrhea.
• Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the digestive tract. The main symptoms of Crohn's disease are abdominal pain, diarrhea, impaired appetite, fever, weight loss, anemia, and fecal blood.
• Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disease in which a chronic inflammation develops in the intestine and ulcers are formed. Ulcerative colitis is manifested by diarrhea, pain and spasms in the intestines, pain in the rectum, the presence of blood in the stool, weight loss, fatigue, fever.
• Appendicitis is an inflammation of the appendix( appendix).Symptoms include abdominal pain, worsening of appetite, nausea and vomiting, fever.
• Neoplasms of the intestine - these can be benign or malignant tumors. Most often affects the large intestine, which manifests itself in diarrhea or constipation, changes in the consistency of the stool, blood in the feces, constant cramps and abdominal pain, swelling and flatulence, a feeling of incomplete emptying, general weakness and fatigue, inexplicable weight loss.

What should I do?

Patients are wondering what to do if the intestine hurts. In the case of the slightest doubt about the harmlessness of pain in the abdomen, you should immediately consult a doctor.

You should also seek medical help in case of severe or recurrent abdominal pain, when the pain syndrome is combined with:

• with vomiting blood;
• bloody or black stool;
• with dyspnea;
• temperature increase;
• by any signs of dehydration;
• inability to defecate, especially when combined with vomiting;
• abdominal tenderness when touching;
• lasting longer than a few hours.

Often, a person is well aware of what it hurts the intestines. If the nature of pain and its localization have not changed, and the causes of pain syndromes do not pose a threat to the health and life of the patient, he can take certain measures to improve his condition.

Commonly used methods for the treatment of intestinal pain at home:

• consuming less food;
• reception of a small amount of baking soda;
• consumption of lemon or lemon juice;
• refusal from the use of alcohol and smoking.

Some patients report pain relief after use:

• ginger;
• mint;
• licorice root;Chamomile tea
• .

In some patients, these measures can alleviate the symptoms, but if the pain in the intestine continues, medical attention is needed. You can not mindlessly take advertised medications for abdominal pain, because the remedy that could cure all the causes of this problem does not exist.

Before determining the cause of bowel pain, do not take aspirin or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. They can in some diseases worsen the patient's condition, as well as smooth out the clinical picture, because of what the doctor will be difficult to find out, because of what a person has an intestinal pain.

If the patient knows exactly what the cause of his pain in the intestines, and the nature and severity of the symptoms have not changed, he can take lightly acting medications prescribed to him by the doctor in a similar situation, for example, No-shpu with spasms in the abdomen. If this treatment is ineffective, you need to seek medical help.

To reduce the risk of intestinal pain, you need:

• Observe the rules of healthy eating with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
• Regularly exercise.
• Quit smoking.
• Do not abuse alcohol.
• Observe the rules of personal hygiene. Especially this statement concerns the frequent washing of hands, as well as the avoidance of objects or products that can be infected with viruses or bacteria.

In addition, each cause of abdominal pain has its own specific prevention.

Abdominal pain is a common symptom of many diseases of the digestive tract. Some of them are of a functional nature and are not life threatening. Others can cause a severe condition of the patient and even lead to death. That is why any new or changed symptoms of pain in the intestines need attention of the doctor.

Author: Taras Nevelichuk, doctor,
specially for Moizhivot.ru

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