Pain in the intestine is always an abnormal condition that signals the occurrence of sometimes very serious problems in the body. Everyone who experienced pain in the abdomen must have tried to understand what was behind this symptom. How to get rid of pain, is it necessary to immediately seek medical help, and what can be eaten in such cases?
Today we will try to give answers to all these questions.
A bit of anatomy
Pain in the intestines of the lower abdomen, which we will talk about in this article, is most often caused by problems associated with the functioning of the colon.
In anatomy, this is the name of the lower part of the digestive tract, starting from the bauginium flap (which separates the small and large intestines) and ending with the anus. The length of this part of the intestine is about two meters, and it is here that water is absorbed and the feces are processed from the gruel.
Impaired functioning of this part of the intestine and the appearance of pain in the lower abdomen can be caused by a large number of all kinds of diseases. We will only talk about a few of them.
Symptoms of acute intestinal ischemia
In patients with atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, vein lesions, etc., patency of blood vessels penetrating the walls of the colon may be difficult. As a result of this, an inflammatory process called "ischemic colitis" develops.
In its acute form, the patient feels severe cramping pains below in the intestine or in its lateral areas. Over time, they become spilled and less pronounced. In addition, the pathology is manifested by loss of appetite, nausea, rumbling and bloating, stool disorders (constipation, diarrhea), pain in the abdomen when feeling. With the development of a heart attack of the mucous membrane of the intestinal walls in the stool, blood may appear.
How does acute appendicitis manifest?
If you have a bowel pain in the lower abdomen on the right, then this may be a symptom of appendicitis.
It usually begins with the occurrence of spilled pain in the stomach, and after a while the pain drops lower, concentrating on the right side, sometimes giving (radiating) to the right leg.
It must be remembered that this symptom with appendicitis can sometimes subside. This is caused by the death of the nerve cells of the appendix.
Usually the pain intensifies when walking, coughing and trying to roll over on the other side in bed. Below the abdomen, tension increases. And this is a signal for immediate medical attention!
In addition to this symptom, appendicitis can be accompanied by nausea, vomiting (usually no more than 2 times), impaired appetite, fever (up to 38 ° C), sometimes with loose stools, frequent urination and high blood pressure.
What else can cause pain in the large intestine?
If the intestine hurts in the lower left abdomen, then this is a signal of problems with the lower part of the colon. Most often, such phenomena are found with existing inflammatory diseases, such as, for example, diverticulitis.
This disease occurs during the inflammatory process in places of pathological protrusions of the colon (the so-called diverticulum). Usually these protrusions do not manifest themselves in any way, but with stagnation of food and feces or dysbiosis, inflammation begins to develop. It is accompanied by sharp intestinal pain, fever, diarrhea and the appearance of blood in the stool.
Untreated diverticulitis can acquire a chronic course, which will be accompanied by the above symptoms constantly. In addition, the disease can be an impetus for the development of obstruction of the colon.
What is colon obstruction
This disease is caused by a violation of the movement of contents through the intestines. And the symptoms are cramping pains in the intestines in the lower abdomen, bloating (outwardly this is expressed by noticeable asymmetry), repeated vomiting, impaired appetite and a delay or lack of stool.
But it is pain that is in this case the main symptom. It can occur at any time, suddenly, not correlated with food intake and without any precursors. As a rule, pain attacks are repeated every 15 minutes. On the second or third day of the development of the disease, the pain may stop. But this should alert, because more often it is evidence of the cessation of intestinal motility and the threat of intoxication. Urgently see a doctor!
What is ulcerative colitis?
With a genetic predisposition, allergic reactions, individual intolerance to certain products and the presence of chronic stresses, a person may develop ulcerative colitis. It is accompanied by a dull aching pain, localized in the lower abdomen or on the left.
In addition to pain in the intestines in the lower abdomen, pathology is accompanied by impurities of blood and pus in the bowel movements, diarrhea, false urge to defecate, decreased appetite, fever (sometimes up to 39 ° C), general weakness and, in severe cases, weight loss.
Because of the danger of developing benign and malignant neoplasms in the intestine during the disease, this disease requires mandatory medical intervention.
Bowel pain - symptoms of tumor processes
Among the tumor neoplasms that appear in the intestine, polyps (benign tumors) or
colon cancer are most often found
.In cases of the development of such pathologies, abdominal pain is not pronounced. At the beginning of the development of diseases, mild pain may occur periodically without a clear localization. But in the process of proliferation, the tumor can block the intestinal lumen, leading to its obstruction and, accordingly, causing symptoms of this disease.
If the patient has persistent constipation that is not related to eating, which is difficult to correct with diet or medication, then he may be suspected of developing a cancerous tumor. In addition, blood impurities that appear in the feces can serve as an additional alarming sign.
The development of malignant tumors is also indicated by weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue and weight loss in a patient. All this requires immediate examination and observation by specialists.
Irritable bowel syndrome
Chronic pain in the intestines in the lower abdomen, which are transformed from the lungs into intolerable, occur at any time and intensify after eating, are symptoms of a fairly common disease. It is called "irritable bowel syndrome" (IBS). Interestingly, with this disease, no organic disorders are detected.
A feature of pain in IBS is that they disappear at night, during sleep, but can occur as soon as a person wakes up. They are usually accompanied by bloating, flatulence and stool disorders (constipation or diarrhea, and sometimes one or the other). The sensations of incomplete emptying, a “lump in the throat” when swallowing, the identification of an impurity of mucus in the feces, as well as muscle pain and nausea are also frequent.
If you adhere to the correct treatment, then you can completely get rid of this disease. A doctor will prescribe it for you. But do not forget about proper nutrition, which will restore the intestinal flora and its contractility.
Diet for intestinal pain
If pain is accompanied by constipation, then, first of all, it is necessary to reduce the intake of laxatives, so as not to "wean" the intestines to work independently. By the way, the same applies to drugs for diarrhea. First, you should try to use natural remedies and switch to medical treatment only if there is no result.
Fiber is universal in this case, which, increasing the volume of intestinal contents, at the same time softens it and makes it possible to increase emptying with constipation and normalize peristalsis with diarrhea.
A diet for pain in the intestines and impaired functioning should contain fiber-rich foods (although they can also cause side effects such as flatulence and bloating), or nutritional supplements based on it (for example, methyl cellulose and isfagul husks) .
The diseased intestine also needs pectin, which contains dietary fiber. As a rule, we are talking about papaya fruits, grapefruits and oranges.
It is also necessary to pay attention to the sufficient use of water. If you are concerned about regular pain in the lower intestines, then you need to take up to eight glasses of water at room temperature during the day. This will help to increase the volume of feces and allow them to move more intensively.
Eliminate dairy products and wheat flour and cereals from consumption, as they often cause pain.
How to treat bowel pain
Naturally, with frequent painful symptoms, a mandatory examination by a specialist is necessary. Only he is able to determine their true cause and select appropriate therapy for the patient.
For bowel pain, usually treatment primarily aimed at reducing it. For this, antispasmodics, analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs are used.
With diarrhea, it is impossible to do without antidiarrheal drugs, both medicinal and phytochemicals, for example, a decoction of blueberries and cherry fruits, rhizomes of the cinquefoil or alder fruit.
Medicines with a laxative effect help cope with constipation. At the same time, it is advisable to use tools that can not only normalize intestinal motility, but also improve its microflora.
Conclusion
When experiencing pain in the intestines, in no case do self-diagnosis and self-medication. You can harm your health and miss a moment that allows you to safely get rid of the painful symptom and the disease behind it. Only a specialist will help you with this. Be healthy!