Spastic constipation: symptoms, quick treatment, main causes

Constipation is a difficult and painful bowel movement. Doctors distinguish between several types of constipation: spastic, atonic, spasmodic, functional. All types are deviations from the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. The difference is in the reasons for their appearance. For example, atony is a relaxed state of organs, and spasm is tense.

Spastic constipation ranks second among disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Let's analyze the causes, symptoms and methods of treatment of this disease.

Causes of constipation

Intestinal function is impaired for a number of reasons. The consequence of improper bowel function is spastic constipation. The cause of spasticity is intestinal spasm. The human intestine is made up of muscles that contract, allowing food to move from the top to the bottom. Bowel spasm - This is an involuntary muscle contraction, resulting in cramping pain. There are many diseases against which seizures can appear:

• Acute gastritis.
• Stomach ulcer.
• Pancreatitis
• Viral infections.
• Helminthiasis.
• Tumor.

Spasm refers to the reasons for the violation of tone. Tonus is a state of nerve tissue in which fatigue does not occur. Hypertonicity is called muscle overstrain, due to which the intestine disrupts its own and the work of other digestive organs (esophagus, stomach). Prolonged muscle tension in adults is caused by many factors:

• Neuroses, disorders of the psychoemotional state and stress lead to the fact that the processes of vital activity of the body slow down. The stomach does not digest food thoroughly enough. Food in an unprepared state enters the intestines, which has difficulty pushing through undigested food debris.
• Increased consumption of high-calorie foods and lack of fiber in the diet.
• A sedentary lifestyle leads the body to a loss of physical fitness. The activity of the muscles of the stomach, intestines, and digestive organs decreases.
• Dehydration of the body leads to the fact that the feces become dry and hard. The passage of feces through the intestines is difficult. Lack of water intake leads to intestinal dehydration. The intestines lose their elasticity, which makes it difficult for feces to pass to the end section.
• Diabetes mellitus, obesity, a number of infectious and gynecological diseases can cause muscle disruption.

Pregnant women often complain of difficult bowel movements. The longer the period of bearing the child, the more pressure the uterus exerts on the colon and other digestive organs. The consequence of pressure is the tension of neighboring organs

Children's spastic constipation is a consequence of changes in the intestinal nervous system. This happens, for example, when switching from breastfeeding to artificial formula. The baby's intestines are not ready to digest new types of foods. In older children, problems with the removal of toxins can arise for psychological reasons. Shocks like the first trip to kindergarten or school are stressful.

Complications

If you do not take up the treatment on time, complications begin, for example:

• Inflammation.
• Haemorrhoids.
• Cracked rectum.
• Colon cancer.

The first reason for the appearance of complications is high temperature, as the body's reaction to the beginning inflammatory processes.

To prevent the occurrence of complications, you need to do treatment on time. It is not recommended to self-medicate and start drinking a laxative. In some cases, taking stimulant medications leads to negative consequences.

To choose an effective treatment, you need to correctly identify the disease. The recognition of spastic constipation is facilitated by the knowledge of the main symptoms.

Symptoms of constipation

With spastic constipation, irregular delays in bowel movements are characteristic. During a malfunction of the colon, both normal emptying and liquefied stools are observed. To determine the type of stool retention, you need to know its signs. It should be remembered that daily bowel movements are not necessary. A one-day absence of bowel movements is not a sign of congestion. The main symptom of spastic constipation is regular cramping pains in the lower abdomen, mainly of a spasmodic nature. Other common symptoms suggestive of spastic constipation include:

• Flatulence and bloating.
• Belching.
• Bad taste in the mouth.
• Loss of appetite.
• Weakening of the body and fatigue.
• Insomnia.
• Pale skin, loss of elasticity.

The symptoms of childhood stool retention are specific. Kids scream in pain, cry, tighten their legs, behave capriciously and restlessly. Significant high frequency of bowel movements up to 36 hours, pain and colic in the abdomen, tension during emptying serve as a manifestation of coprostasis. With constipation in infants, feces become hard.

Early pregnant women experience problems with emptying. The main reason for difficult emptying is abdominal discomfort, a feeling of incomplete emptying of the intestines, and a quantitative decrease in stool. For many women, problems persist throughout pregnancy.

Treatment

In the treatment of spastic constipation, the task is to relieve the spasm and free the intestines from stagnant fecal deposits. There are several ways to improve the normal functioning of the digestive system. In order for the measures to be effective, it is necessary to carry out complex treatment.

Drug treatment

The doctor will help to choose the patient's individual treatment by conducting the necessary examinations. The patient is examined by palpation. The doctor probes the intestine, which in a state of spasm resembles a dense tourniquet.

Doctors recommend taking antispasmodics. Antispasmodics relieve painful sensations by acting on the muscles of the internal organs. Anti-inflammatory substances relax the muscles and the pain goes away. These substances include sodium metamizole, pitofenone hydrochloride, fenpiverinium bromide. A popular antispasmodic agent is Dibazol, Papaverin, No-Shpa, Papazol, Drotaverin.

Sedatives cause sedation and reduce emotional stress. As a sedative, doctors recommend herbal remedies: tinctures of valerian, motherwort or mint.

Some hypnotics have a sedative effect. Long-term use of sleeping pills instead of sedatives is not recommended. Known drugs that have a hypnotic effect include ankylosing spondylitis, Validol, Valokordin, Corvalol.

Non-drug treatment

A doctor's consultation is necessary before any treatment, but in simple situations, you can treat spastic constipation on your own.

You can get rid of spastic constipation at home with folk remedies. Herbs and seeds of some plants have a mild laxative effect. Dandelion root infusion is recommended to be consumed three times during the day for a teaspoon to cleanse the intestines. Flax and plantain seeds are effective in combating spastic constipation. It is important to drink the seeds you have eaten with plenty of water. The swollen seeds stimulate the intestines to empty.

The second well-known method that instantly cleans the intestines is a cleansing enema. But this will not relieve the stomach cramps. With spastic constipation, the use of cold solutions is prohibited, since cooling the passageways will only increase stomach upset and increase spasms. The liquid temperature should be 30-35 degrees. You can make an enema solution from mint or lemon balm leaves.

An enriched diet will help you quickly cope with stool retention. Fiber-containing foods improve stomach function. Eating fruits, vegetables, berries will improve the process of food digestion. Sugar-rich foods draw fluid into the intestines, which helps to loosen stools. Do not exclude jams, syrups, honey from the diet. Pickled, pickled vegetables, dairy products that contain organic acids help relieve cramps.

During stool retention, black coffee, chocolate, cheeses, pasta and alcohol are excluded from consumption.

Prophylaxis

In order to prevent spastic constipation, follow simple rules. You should learn to avoid stress, to be distracted from current problems. Distribute meals correctly during your workday. It is better to eat more often, but in small portions. It is not recommended to eat 3 hours before bedtime. You need to drink at least 2 liters of water per day. Go in for sports, keep your body in good shape. A person involved in sports is in good physical shape. His risk of disease is reduced. Protect your health from a young age.