Functional bowel disturbance: possible causes, symptoms, diagnostic tests, diagnosis, ICD code, treatment and prevention

The intestines in humans perform one of the important functions in the body. Through it, nutrients, water, enter the bloodstream. Problems associated with a violation of its functions in the initial stages of the disease, as a rule, do not attract our attention. Gradually, the disease becomes chronic and makes itself felt manifestations that are hard to miss. What may be the causes of a functional bowel disorder, and how these diseases are diagnosed and treated, we will consider further.

What does pathology mean?

A functional bowel disorder contains several types of intestinal disorders. All of them are united by the main symptom: impaired motor function of the intestine. Disorders usually appear in the middle or lower digestive tract. They are not the result of neoplasms or biochemical disorders.

We list which pathologies include:

• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• The same pathology with constipation.
• Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea.
• Chronic functional pain.
• Fecal incontinence.

A functional “intestinal disorder” belongs to the class of “digestive organs disease”; in the ICD-10 pathology, code K59 is assigned. Consider the most common types of functional disorders.

Irritable bowel syndrome

This disease refers to functional bowel dysfunction (in ICD-10 code K58). With this syndrome, inflammatory processes are absent and the following symptoms are observed:

• Impaired colon motility.
• Bloating.
• Rumbling in the intestines.
• Flatulence.
• The stool changes - then diarrhea, then constipation.
• On examination, pain in the region of the cecum is characteristic.
• Chest pains.
• Headache.
• Heart palpitations.

There may be several types of pain:

• Bursting.
• Crushing.
• Dumb.
• Cramping.
• Intestinal colic.
• Migratory pain.

It is worth noting that pain can intensify as a result of positive or negative emotions, in case of stress, as well as during physical exertion. Sometimes after eating. To reduce the pain syndrome can the discharge of gases, stool. As a rule, with functional disorders, intestinal pain at night falls asleep, but can resume in the morning.

In this case, the following course of the disease is observed:

• After bowel movement comes relief.
• Gasses accumulate, there is a feeling of bloating.
• The chair changes its consistency.
• The frequency and defecation process are disrupted.
• Possible secretion of mucus.

If several symptoms persist for some time, the doctor will diagnose irritable bowel syndrome. Functional bowel dysfunction (ICD-10 distinguishes this pathology) also include constipation. Let us further consider the features of the course of this disorder.

Constipation - disruption of the intestines

According to the international classification, such a functional intestinal disorder according to the ICD-10 code is located under the number K59.0. With constipation, transit slows down and dehydration of feces increases, coprostasis forms. With constipation, there are the following symptoms:

• Bowel movement less than 3 times a week.
• Lack of feeling of complete bowel movement.
• The act of defecation is difficult.
• The chair is hard, dry, fragmented.
• Cramping in the intestines.

Constipation with cramping, as a rule, in the intestine does not have organic changes.

Constipation can be divided by severity:

• Easy. Chair 1 time in 7 days.
• Medium. Chair 1 time in 10 days.
• Heavy. Stool less than 1 time in 10 days.

In the treatment of constipation, the following areas are used:

• Integral Therapy.
• Rehabilitation measures.
• Preventive actions.

The disease is caused by lack of mobility during the day, malnutrition, disorders of the nervous system.

Diarrhea

ICD-10 classifies this disease as a functional violation of the large intestine by the duration and degree of damage to the intestinal mucosa. The disease of an infectious nature relates to A00-A09, non-infectious to K52.9.

This functional disorder is characterized by watery, liquefied, unformed stools. Defecation occurs more often 3 times a day. There is no sense of bowel movement. This disease is also associated with impaired intestinal motility. It can be divided by severity:

• Easy. Stool 5-6 times a day.
• Medium. Stool 6-8 times a day.
• Heavy. Stool more often 8 times a day.

It can turn into a chronic form, but be absent at night. Lasts for 2-4 weeks. The disease may have a relapse. Often, diarrhea is associated with the psychoemotional state of the patient. In severe cases, the body loses a large amount of water, electrolytes, protein, and valuable substances. This may result in death. It should also be noted that diarrhea can be a symptom of a disease that is not related to the gastrointestinal tract.

Common Causes of Functional Disorders

The main reasons can be divided into:

• External Problems of a psychoemotional nature.
• Internal Problems are associated with poor intestinal motor function.

There are several common causes of functional impairment of intestinal activity in adults:

• Improper nutrition.
• Long-term use of antibiotics.
• Dysbacteriosis
• Chronic fatigue.
• Stress.
• Poisoning.
• Infectious diseases.
• Genitourinary problems in women.
• Hormonal disruptions.
• Menses, pregnancy.
• Inadequate water intake.

These reasons are typical for adults. Next, a few words about violations in children.

Causes and symptoms of functional disorders in children

Due to the underdevelopment of the intestinal flora, functional disorders of the intestines in children are not uncommon. The reasons may be the following:

• Inability of the intestines to external conditions.
• Infectious diseases.
• Infection of the body with various bacteria.
• Violation of the psychoemotional state.
• Heavy food.
• Allergic reaction.
• Inadequate blood supply to certain sections of the intestine.
• Intestinal obstruction.

It should be noted that in older children, the causes of functional disorders are similar to those in adults. Small children and infants are much harder to tolerate bowel disease. In this case, you can not do only diet, it is necessary medication and medical advice. Severe diarrhea can lead to the death of the child.

The manifestation of the following symptoms can be noted:

• The child becomes lethargic.
• Complains of abdominal pain.
• Irritability appears.
• Attention is reduced.
• Flatulence.
• Increased stool or lack thereof.
• In feces, mucus or blood.
• The child complains of pain during bowel movements.
• Possible rise in temperature.

In children, functional intestinal disorders can be infectious and non-infectious. Only a pediatrician can determine. If you notice any of the above symptoms, you should see your child as soon as possible.

According to ICD-10, a functional violation of the large intestine in a teenager is most often associated with a violation of the diet, under stress, taking medications, intolerance to a number of products. Such disorders are more common than organic bowel lesions.

Common symptoms

If a person has a functional bowel disorder, the symptoms may be as follows. They are characteristic of many of the above diseases:

• Pain in the abdomen.
• Bloating. Involuntary discharge of gases.
• Lack of stool for several days.
• Diarrhea.
• Frequent burping.
• False urge to defecate.
• The consistency of the stool is liquid or solid and has mucus or blood.

The following symptoms are also possible, which confirm intoxication of the body:

• Headache.
• Weakness.
• Abdominal cramps.
• Nausea.
• Heavy sweating.

What needs to be done and which doctor to seek help from?

What diagnosis is needed?

First of all, it is necessary to go for an examination to a therapist who will determine which specialist you should contact. It can be:

• Gastroenterologist.
• Nutritionist.
• Proctologist.
• Psychotherapist.
• Neurologist.

The following tests may be prescribed for diagnosis:

• General analysis of blood, urine, feces.
• Blood chemistry.
• Examination of feces for occult blood.
• Coprogram.
• Sigmoidoscopy.
• Colonofibroscopy.
• Irrigoscopy.
• X-ray examination.
• Intestinal tissue biopsy.
• CT
• Ultrasonography.

Only after a full examination does the doctor prescribe treatment.

Make a diagnosis

I would like to note that in case of functional bowel disorder, an unspecified diagnosis is made on the basis that the patient has the following symptoms for 3 months:

• Abdominal pain or discomfort.
• Defecation is either too frequent or difficult.
• The consistency of the stool is either watery or condensed.
• The bowel movement is broken.
• There is no sensation of complete bowel movement.
• There is mucus or blood in the stool.
• Flatulence.

Important palpation during examination, should be superficial and deep sliding. You should pay attention to the condition of the skin, to the increased sensitivity of individual areas. If you consider a blood test, as a rule, it does not have pathological abnormalities. An X-ray examination will show signs of colon dyskinesia and possible changes in the small intestine. Irrigoscopy will show a painful and uneven filling of the large intestine. An endoscopic examination will confirm swelling of the mucous membrane, an increase in the secretory activity of the glands. It is also necessary to exclude peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum. The coprogram will show the presence of mucus and excessive fragmentation of feces. Ultrasound reveals the pathology of the gallbladder, pancreas, pelvic organs, osteochondrosis of the lumbar spine and atherosclerotic lesion of the abdominal aorta. After studying feces on a bacteriological analysis, an infectious disease is excluded.

If there are postoperative sutures, it is necessary to consider adhesive disease and functional intestinal pathology.

What treatments are there?

In order for the treatment to be as effective as possible, if a diagnosis of "functional bowel disorder" is made, a set of measures must be taken:

1. To establish a regime of work and rest.
2. Use methods of psychotherapy.
3. Follow the advice of a nutritionist.
4. Take medication.
5. Apply physiotherapeutic procedures.

Now a little more about each of them.

A few rules for the treatment of intestinal diseases:

• Walk outdoors regularly.
• Do exercises. Especially if the work is sedentary.
• To refuse from bad habits.
• Avoid stressful situations.
• To be able to relax, meditate.
• Take a warm bath regularly.
• Do not resort to snacking on junk food.
• Use probiotic products and containing lactic acid bacteria.
• For diarrhea, limit your intake of fresh fruits and vegetables.
• Perform a stomach massage.

Psychotherapy methods help to cure functional bowel disorders that are associated with stressful conditions. So, it is possible to use the following types of psychotherapy in the treatment of:

• Hypnosis.
• Methods of behavioral psychotherapy.
• Abdominal autogenic training.

It should be remembered that with constipation, it is first of all necessary to relax the psyche, and not the intestines.

Nutritionist recommendations:

• Food should be varied.
• Drinking should be plentiful, at least 1.5-2 liters per day.
• Do not eat poorly tolerated foods.
• Do not eat food cold or very hot.
• Do not eat vegetables and fruits in raw form and in large quantities.
• Do not abuse products with essential oils, products from whole milk and containing refractory fats.

Treatment of functional bowel disorders includes the use of the following drugs:

• Antispasmodic drugs: Buscopan, Spasmomen, Dietetep, No-shpa.
• Serotonergic drugs: Ondansetron, Buspirone.
• Carminative drugs: Simethicone, Espumisan.
• Sorbents: Mukofalk, Activated Carbon.
• Antidiarrheal drugs: Linex, Smecta, Loperamide.
• Prebiotics: Lactobacterin, Bifidumbacterin.
• Antidepressants: Tazepam, Relanium, Phenazepam.
• Antipsychotics: Eglonil.
• Antibiotics: Cefix, Rifaximin.
• Laxatives for constipation: Bisacodyl, Senalex, Lactulose.

Prescribing drugs should be the attending physician taking into account the characteristics of the body and the course of the disease.

Physiotherapeutic procedures

Each patient is prescribed physiotherapy individually, depending on functional disorders of the intestine. These may include:

• Bischofite carbon dioxide baths.
• Treatment by interference currents.
• The use of diadynamic currents.
• Reflexology and acupuncture.
• Therapeutic physical training complex.
• Electrophoresis with sulfate magnesia.
• Bowel massage.
• Cryomassage.
• Ozone Therapy
• Swimming.
• Yoga.
• Laser Therapy
• Autogenic exercises.
• Warming compresses.

Good results were noted with the use of mineral waters in the treatment of the gastrointestinal tract. It is worth noting that after undergoing physiotherapeutic procedures, sometimes medical treatment is not required. The work of the intestines is getting better. But all procedures are possible only after a full examination and under the supervision of a doctor.

Prevention of functional bowel disorders

Any disease is easier to prevent than to cure. There are rules for the prevention of bowel disease that everyone should know. We list them:

1. Food should be varied.
2. It is better to eat fractionally, in small portions 5-6 times a day.
3. The menu should include whole grain bread, cereals, bananas, onions, bran, containing a large amount of fiber.
4. Exclude gas-forming foods from your diet if you are prone to flatulence.
5. Use natural laxative products: plums, lactic acid products, bran.
6. To live an active lifestyle.
7. Control your weight. Obesity leads to diseases of the digestive system.
8. To refuse from bad habits.

By following these simple rules, you can avoid a disease such as a functional bowel disorder.