Pain in the intestines can signal the development of various pathologies in the digestive system.
For this reason, when the first unpleasant symptoms occur, it is necessary to pay attention to them and carry out diagnostics.
Intestinal pain: what to do, what diseases it can cause
Bowel pain can occur for the following reasons:
1. Compliance with an unbalanced diet, which led to a violation of digestion and metabolism.
2. Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa, accompanied by the development of colitis, often causes acute pain in the intestine.
3. Inflammation of appendicitis.
4. Various parasitic lesions (ingestion of helminths, roundworms, tapeworm, etc.). Most often, these creatures enter the intestines due to unwashed hands or foods, as well as improper heat treatment of dishes. In addition, the consumption of raw meat, caviar or fish can lead to helminth infections.
5. Autoimmune diseases can interfere with antibody production, leading to ulcerative colitis.
6. Atony of the intestine, which develops as a result of a strong accumulation of food in the intestine.
7. Pancreatitis leads to disruption of food processing. This, in turn, can cause pain in the intestine (most often it happens in the morning before meals).
8. Pain during pregnancy can occur when the intestines are squeezed by the growing uterus (most often this is observed in the third trimester of pregnancy).
9. Thrombosis of the arteries that feed the intestines. In this condition, a person develops necrosis of intestinal tissue, because of which he experiences severe pain.
10. Severe damage to the rectum (crack in the anus, hemorrhoids, proctitis, etc.). Also in this condition, pain can occur during bowel movements.
Intestinal pain: what to do with pains with different localization
For each individual bowel disease, specific pains and places of their manifestation are characteristic.
At the place of localization, they distinguish:
1. Pain in the intestines in the right side can be a sign of inflamed appendicitis.
2. Pain in the lower left side may indicate inflammation of the colon.
3. General soreness in the intestine without a specific localization indicates enterocolitis.
By the nature of their expression, pain in the intestine can be:
• acute (it happens in acute inflammatory diseases);
• dull (occurs with chronic bowel disease);
• cramping (occurs with spasms of the intestinal muscles, as well as with irritation of the intestinal mucosa);
• stitching.
According to their duration, pain in the intestines are:
• short-term (with appendicitis, poisoning or infection);
• prolonged (with chronic diseases and bowel irritation);
• periodic or occurring after a meal (usually such pain indicates a lack of useful enzymes).
Intestinal pain: what to do
If you experience suspicious pain in the intestines, you must consult a doctor who will prescribe such mandatory examinations:
1. Endoscopy of the gastrointestinal tract (allows you to see the condition of the mucous membrane of the stomach and esophagus).
2. General analysis of blood and urine (will provide information on the condition of the kidneys, liver and blood of the patient).
3. X-ray examination (will show various changes in the intestine).
4. Coprogram (study of feces) - will give information on the digestion of food.
5. Bacteriological examination of feces (will help identify the causative agent of infection).
Intestinal pain: what to do, treatment
Bowel treatment is carried out comprehensively. The general methodology includes the following types of therapies:
1. Pathogenetic therapy is aimed at improving digestion with enzymes.
2. Symptomatic treatment is aimed at reducing pain with the help of analgesics (to relieve acute pain and cramping in the intestine).
3. Anti-inflammatory treatment involves the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.
4. Etiotropic therapy is aimed at eliminating the focus of the disease, which provoked its development. At the same time, drugs and general treatment are selected depending on the specific disease. For example, antibiotics are prescribed for infections, immunosuppressors for dysbiosis, and surgery for appendicitis.
Intestinal pain: what to do, tips
In order to get rid of pain in the intestines, you should adhere to such recommendations:
1. Eat more fiber, as it helps to establish the intestines, and also eliminates the problem of constipation. Most fiber is found in cereals, peas, potatoes and bran.
2. Refuse bad habits (smoking and drinking alcohol), as they disrupt the production of gastric juice and increase acidity in the intestines. Very often this leads to the formation of ulcers, colitis and other serious and difficult to cure diseases.
3. Several times a week to consume fermented milk products (kefir, fermented baked milk, cottage cheese). This food contains beneficial bifidobacteria, which contribute to the stable functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, as well as improve digestion. At the same time, it is very important that fermented milk products are fresh, since there are certainly no “live” bacteria in the stale kefir or fermented baked milk.
4. Refuse to eat hard-to-digest food. Such foods include sausages, convenience foods, spicy foods, chocolate, and carbonated drinks. Such foods will upset your digestion and cause bloating. In addition, they may contain harmful dyes and additives, which certainly will not bring any benefits to the body.
5. Avoid stress and nervous strain, as it has long been known that an unsatisfactory mental state of a person can provoke an exacerbation of chronic diseases of the digestive system. The explanation is simple: during stress, a person does not control himself and eats everything he wants, without a clue about what is harmful and what is not. This leads to malfunctions of the stomach and intestines.
Also, with neurosis, the opposite state is also possible - when a person eats nothing at all and his body suffers from an acute shortage of useful trace elements. Because of this, he may experience various gastrointestinal diseases.
6. Lead an active lifestyle, as sports help improve digestion. It is best to do swimming, running, gymnastics or fitness. It is also important that classes are regular.
7. Maintain a stable water balance in the body. To do this, you need to drink at least two liters of pure water per day (not including juices, soups and other liquids). At the same time, it is worth remembering that it is impossible to drink food with water, as this complicates the process of digesting food.
8. Refuse the use of coffee and chocolate, because the caffeine they contain accelerates bowel movement.
9. Minimize the use of milk, as it irritates the stomach and promotes the development of diarrhea.
10. Eat only those dishes that have been thoroughly cooked. It is also better not to purchase dubious meat pies and sandwiches at street outlets, as they may contain dangerous intestinal infections.
11. Avoid overeating.
12. Keep track of what you eat. For this, it is very convenient to keep a food diary. You need to enter all your menu into it. Over time, such records will show which foods cause negative symptoms in the intestines. Their use should be limited.
13. Avoid eating too hot food.
14. Eat foods rich in pectin. These include:
• oranges;
• grapefruits;
• papaya;
• Apple juice.
Also, with frequent pain in the intestines, it is recommended to take enzyme preparations, since Mezim forte, Festal and Pancreatin. They will help stabilize digestion, eliminate pain and normalize stool. Before you start taking them, you should consult your supervisor.
Intestinal pain: what to do and when to see a doctor
You should consult a doctor as soon as possible with the appearance of such symptoms:
• blood in the stool;
• exhaustion of the body;
• sharp weight loss;
• frequent vomiting;
• pathological pains in the intestines that do not go away within two days;
• diarrhea lasting longer than two days;
• severe constipation.
