A prolonged absence of stool, which is often accompanied by flatulence, can develop in a person unexpectedly and absolutely at any time, so the natural question that arises in a similar situation is how to deal with bloating and constipation, what diseases can be their cause and what diet should be followed?
Today, medicine knows a lot of pathological factors that can provoke this symptomatology. Therefore, if constipation and bloating cause significant discomfort, you should think about visiting a doctor who will help you find out the cause of this process and prescribe the appropriate therapy.
Basic concepts
This condition is called flatulence in medical practice. This is an excess of liquid, gases and solid substances in the intestinal lumen. This symptom can accompany a number of diseases and pathological conditions, as well as occur in somatically healthy people. The gas composition of the internal intestinal environment is very diverse: the main volumes are nitrogen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen. In addition, the presence of oxygen, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, etc. is noted.
Where do the gases come from?
According to various sources, from 20 to 70% of the gas volume is swallowed during food intake, part diffuses from the blood, while the remaining mass is formed due to the enzymatic activity of microbes in the intestinal lumen. It is believed that the volume of gases that are the product of normal microflora activity in the small and stomach does not exceed 20%, while in the large intestine these gases are almost endogenous in 75–100% of cases.
What is constipation?
Constipation - the absence of bowel movements lasting several days. Or a condition in which defecation is difficult. As a rule, such problems arise as a result of various disorders of the digestive system.
The causes of this pathological condition
If a person has everything in order with health, then bloating and constipation are not considered pathologies, and they are not dangerous. The fact is that certain foods can cause excessive gas formation. This, for example, kvass, beer, brown bread, yeast. In addition, the cause of this condition may be lactose deficiency, indigestion and overeating, excessive use of soda or products that are poorly compatible with each other. The cause of flatulence and constipation can be a quick meal, when, together with insufficiently chewed particles of food, a person swallows air. Constipation and bloating with colitis often occur.
If the situation continues for some time - the result of an unbalanced diet, then the condition is normalized through careful adjustment of the menu and the use of dairy products. However, with improper functioning of the intestine, when constipation becomes regular and accompanied by bloating, severe pain, this may indicate the development of quite serious pathologies.
Consider the common causes of constipation and bloating.
General provoking factors of this disease
With constipation, feces become hard and accumulate in large quantities in the lumen of the colon. They prevent the removal of gases from the intestines. Often, constipation and flatulence have common causes, and they include:
- Inadequate fluid intake.
- Improper nutrition.
- Not enough fiber in food.
- The use of easily digestible food that helps to reduce muscle tone.
- Taking certain medications.
- Frequent stressful situations and excessive psychological stress.
- Sedentary lifestyle.
- Bad habits.
What diseases can cause bloating and constipation?
The diseases that cause constipation and flatulence are the following:
- dysbiosis;
- helminthiasis;
- intestinal infections;
- gastritis;
- colitis;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- chronic pancreatitis.
In addition, such a pathological phenomenon may be the main manifestation of such a life-threatening condition as intestinal obstruction. It should be noted that with this pathology, the process of removing gases is significantly more difficult.
Constant bloating, which is accompanied by constipation, is also observed with inflammation of the pancreas, which develops due to a violation of the functions of the digestive juices and the process of digestion of food.
Allergic reactions
In addition to the above factors, excessive gas formation can also provoke allergic reactions, in which there are rashes and redness on the skin, a runny nose. In this situation, the elimination of contact with allergens is considered paramount in the treatment of flatulence. Abdominal pain, bloating and constipation are very unpleasant.
Symptoms of a pathological condition
Whatever the provoking factor of the occurrence of bloating and constipation, their presence is an occasion to consult a doctor. Symptoms that are characteristic of this condition are as follows:
- heaviness in the stomach;
- belching, hiccups;
- feeling of fullness;
- rumbling, heartburn, intestinal colic;
- lack of appetite;
- sleep disturbance;
- cramping pains;
- soreness and discomfort in the abdomen;
- pain in the heart, tachycardia.
The manifestation of the disease in children
It is believed that constipation and bloating in children in the first months of life are the main cause of crying, restless behavior and refusal to eat (in 70% of cases). A similar condition in a child has a physiological explanation: enzymatic systems at the time of birth are functioning in order to provide lactotrophic nutrition. They are inferior in relation to other products, so the baby’s digestion is keenly responsive to errors in the mother’s nutrition. In children, the muscle layers of the digestive tube are not well formed, which causes imperfections in peristalsis. The cardiac section and the bottom of the stomach are less developed than the pyloric section. In children, functional dysbiosis, decreased acidity of the stomach, varying degrees of maturity of the sections of the large intestine, excessive permeability of the intestinal epithelium, etc. are also noted in children. Flatulence and constipation in a baby are indicated by such signs:
- lack of bowel movement for more than a day;
- episodes of anxiety that occur after feeding, causeless and stopping spontaneously or after applying heat to the abdomen;
- crying periods occur systematically, sometimes at the same time or at equal intervals after feeding;
- the abdomen is swollen, hard to the touch;
- with anxiety, the child pulls his legs to his stomach.
Prevention of constipation and flatulence in newborns consists in the correct feeding technique. What is the danger of constipation, accompanied by flatulence?
Prolonged constipation with bloating can lead to the development of such pathologies:
- anal fissures;
- swelling of hemorrhoidal nodes, accompanied by bleeding from the rectum;
- diverticulosis of the colon;
- the formation of inflammatory processes in the rectum and sigmoid colon (proctosigmoiditis, secondary colitis);
- hepatitis and biliary tract disease;
- paraproctitis.
If feces stagnate in the blind section of the intestine, this can trigger the occurrence of reflux enteritis, in which feces enter the small intestine and the development of enteritis is observed at the same time.
Elongation and expansion of the intestine
Often flatulence and constipation are a prerequisite for lengthening and expansion of the rectum, which significantly complicates the clinical picture of the disease itself and its treatment. However, the most dangerous for humans is the formation of malignant tumors in the intestines, the presence of which is indicated by bloody impurities in the feces, rapid weight loss and prolonged poor health.
So what to do with constipation and bloating?
Diagnosis and treatment
Diagnosis and therapy of this pathology should be carried out by a doctor who will conduct studies to exclude the presence of such diseases:
- liver pathology;
- dysbiosis;
- neurosis;
- helminthic invasion;
- hemorrhoids.
The treatment of constipation that occurs in combination with flatulence involves:
- diet correction;
- increased motor activity;
- the use of laxatives and other medicines;
- use of alternative medicine methods;
- special gymnastics.
An important point in the elimination of this pathological condition is the restoration of intestinal microflora and directly the process of excessive gas formation. Treatment of bloating and constipation is usually carried out comprehensively.
Medicines to eliminate pathology
The main categories of drugs for eliminating flatulence and constipation are:
- laxatives;
- adsorbents;
- enzyme agents;
- defoamers;
- local antispasmodics;
- prokinetics.
- pro and prebiotics.
What pills for constipation and bloating are prescribed? The most well-known laxative medicines include: Bisacodyl, Senadexin, Glycelax, Guttalax, castor oil.
Doctors prescribe Enterosgel, Lactofiltrum, Smecta, activated carbon, Polysorb, Filtrum-STI as adsorbents.
Enzymatic, Mezim, Pakreatin, Panzinorm, Festal, Creon, Mikrazim enter the category of enzyme products.
Defoamers or carminative drugs are prescribed to remove excess gases from the intestines, and the most popular medicines in this group are: Simethicone, Espumisan, Pepsan-R, Simikol.
Prokinetics are pills that enhance intestinal motility and help with constipation, bloating and flatulence. Among them are such drugs: Motilak, Motilium, Passasix, Trimedat, Gastricumel, Ganaton, Aviollant.
Pro- and prebiotics stimulate the growth of normal flora in the large intestine. Among such funds, it should be noted: Dufalac, Lactusan, Normase, Maxilac, Bifilong, Bifinorm, Acipol, Atzilact, Bifidin, Linex, Bifiform.
It should be noted that drugs with a laxative effect are often prescribed for constipation with a chronic course. But do not forget that salt laxatives are contraindicated in acute constipation. In this case, preference is best given to medicines with herbal components.
Diet for constipation and bloating
Compliance with the correct diet in pathology is extremely important. First of all, you must comply with the rules of the combination of products. Cocoa, coffee and chocolate are reduced to a minimum.
The basic nutritional rules for the pathology under consideration also include:
- Eating food and drinks at room temperature. Tea can be drunk one hour after eating.
- The inclusion in the diet of dairy products, vegetables, fruits (fiber contained in them activates peristalsis).
- A day you need to drink at least 2 liters of still water. Fruit drinks, unsweetened compotes, juices diluted with water, and green tea are also allowed.
- Exclusion of episodes of overeating, thorough chewing of food. The last appointment - no later than 3 hours before going to bed.
What else does the diet suggest for constipation and bloating? Such products normalize the intestinal function: sauerkraut, celery, chicory. Flaxseed decoction is very useful. The frequency of flatulence decreases if you include spicy herbs in your diet: thyme, dill, sage, mint, fennel. The amount of sugar and salt should be strictly limited.
It is recommended to boil or cook food for a couple. Fried foods and baked products until crisp are excluded from the diet.
Doctors recommend that patients give up bad eating habits: snacking on the go, fasting, talking with food. You should also follow a diet that will set the digestive tract to work at a specific time, which will help to stabilize the amount of enzymes and digestive juices secreted during this.
With constipation and flatulence, it is important to exclude puree food and minced meat from the diet - so the intestines will always be in good shape and will be faster cleaned of toxins.
In the morning it is recommended to drink a glass of warm water with lemon juice. For breakfast, it is best to eat fruit or vegetable salad, boiled porridge or dairy products.
We examined the causes and treatment of constipation and bloating. These are very unpleasant symptoms, which should be eliminated as soon as possible. Self-medication, however, is not worth it - seek professional help.