Anyone who has cramp-like abdominal pain is most likely to have an intestinal colic. The complaint may indicate numerous gastrointestinal health problems, not all of which are of concern, but some of which require urgent medical attention. Any accompanying symptoms are often decisive when assessing abdominal cramps.
Table of Contents
- Painful spasms of the intestinal muscles
- What is an intestinal colic?
- Development of cramp pain in the intestinal area
- Causes of intestinal colic
- Intestinal colic due to indigestion
- Diet and colic
- Colic as a warning sign of intestinal inflammation
- Gastrointestinal infections cause colic
- diagnosis
- Treatment for intestinal colic
- Medication
- Nutritional measures
- Herbal pharmacy
- Home remedies and self-help for intestinal colic
What is an intestinal colic?
The term “colic” is derived from the Latin word colicus, which translates as “to affect the colon”. With regard to the different forms of colic, however, the name is very misleading. Because in addition to the gastrointestinal tract, colic can also develop in other abdominal organs, including that
- Kidney,
- Bile,
- Pancreas,
- Bladder,
- uterus
- and vas deferens.
Colic usually develops in the colon. This is part of the large intestine and is located between the appendix and rectum. (Image: Henrie / fotolia.com)
Most often, however, the cramp-like pain actually occurs in the colon (colon). It is located in the middle of the large intestine (intestinum crassum), between the appendix (caecum) and rectum (rectum) and is largely responsible for the absorption of water and electrolytes from the food pulp. Muscle contractions play an extremely important role in this digestive process, because only through an appropriate contraction behavior of the intestinal muscles, also known as intestinal peristalsis , can the intestinal contents in the colon be carefully filtered.
Development of cramp pain in the intestinal area
An intestinal colic now arises when the natural contraction movements of the intestinal muscles are disturbed. This always happens when resistance or blockages interfere with the muscular activity of the intestine. The pain that occurs with such a colic differs from ordinary abdominal pain in that it has a labor-like to cramp-like character.
Responsible for the cramps in this regard is the fact that the intestinal muscles in colic emit pain stimuli at shock wave-like intervals. It also happens that colic pain usually alternates with phases of complete freedom from pain, from which an intensifying pain develops at intervals. The resulting painful spikes of colic can become almost unbearable for patients before they abruptly subside.
Causes of intestinal colic
Painful cramps in the intestinal muscles can be caused by various causes. Possible triggers of intestinal colic are, for example
- Flatulence,
- chronic constipation,
- Intestinal blockages (e.g. due to foreign bodies or ulcers),
- inflammatory bowel disease,
- Radiation colitis,
- Food intolerance,
- Allergies,
- Poisoning,
- Stress,
- Biliary problems,
- an inflamed stomach(gastritis)
- or gastrointestinal inflammation (gastroenteritis).
Intestinal colic due to indigestion
Abdominal pain, such as that associated with a short-term bloat , usually does not cause colic. The situation is different with chronic digestive complaints, which actually put a heavy strain on the intestinal peristalsis. For example, the permanent accumulation of gas in a gas addiction (meteorism) can impair the natural movements of the intestinal muscles through abnormal masses in the intestine.
The same applies to chronic constipation (constipation), which clogs the muscles of the intestine through space-consuming blockages. In this context, blockages of foreign bodies (e.g. from swallowed objects) should also be mentioned as a possible cause of colic as a result of digestive problems.
When it comes to diarrhea in connection with intestinal colic, it is rarely the indigestion itself, but rather the underlying diarrhea that is responsible for the colic. Inflammation or infections of the intestine can very often be identified as the cause of both the diarrhea and the colic.
People who often eat very high-fat foods have an increased risk of indigestion. (Image: exclusive-design / fotolia.com)
Diet and colic
Nutritional aspects play a major role in numerous digestive complaints. In particular, the permanent consumption of high-fat foods promotes not only severe flatulence and constipation, but also an increased risk of colic. And in two ways. Basically, to digest fat, bile acid has to be produced in the liver, which is then released to the intestine via the bile ducts. Increased bile production as a result of a fatty diet therefore also leads to an increased level of bile acid in the intestine and in the bile itself. Because of the strong acid content, inflammatory irritation states often occur in both digestive organs, which then manifest themselves as biliary or intestinal colic.
Caution, risk of confusion: If colic occurs due to gallstones , this is often incorrectly interpreted as intestinal colic. The situation is similar with menstrual problems in the area of the uterus, which can also cause cramping abdominal pain!
Dietary intestinal colic can also be triggered by food intolerance. This also includes not only food allergies such as lactose intolerance (lactose intolerance) or intolerance to food additives such as glutamate, but also food poisoning.
A poisoning (intoxication) on the one hand by verzehrter bioburden foods about to arise for instance by bacteria or parasites. On the other hand, residues of environmental pollutants in food, for example from spraying agents or industrial waste, can be considered as triggers of colic-causing food poisoning.
Speaking of poisoning: intoxications from direct consumption or other absorption of toxic substances in the body is of course also a conceivable reason for intestinal colic. There are countless sources of poisoning in this regard, from cleaning agents and metal poisons to pollutants in the air.
Colic as a warning sign of intestinal inflammation
Intestinal colic are particularly dangerous as a signal of inflammatory bowel diseases. These can occur in numerous forms, with colon inflammation (colitis) being one of the most common causes of colic. It can arise from a number of different causes and can be either acute or chronic.
Such inflammations mostly affect the intestinal mucosa (mucosa). The sensitive protective lining of the intestine is equipped with a large number of fine muscles, nerves, blood vessels and enzyme glands and is responsible for the absorption of nutrient components from food.
Warning: colic can indicate an inflammatory bowel disease. (Image: absolutimages / fotolia.com)
Inflammation of the intestinal mucosa can already affect the muscle functionality of the intestine, but usually only causes slight abdominal pain at the beginning. Severe colic usually only occurs when inflammatory processes have already partially broken down the intestinal mucosa and spread to the underlying intestinal walls. They also have numerous muscle, nerve and vascular structures which, in contrast to the absorbing intestinal mucosa, are directly involved in the development of intestinal peristalsis.
Intestinal colic in the course of intestinal inflammation therefore always indicate an advanced course of the disease and appear particularly during the digestive process or after eating. If the chronic inflammation of the intestine is still not treated, intestinal bleeding can also occur. Other accompanying symptoms of an intestinal inflammation are
- Flatulence,
- diarrhea
- and stool incontinence.
A possible form of colon inflammation is ulcerative colitis . The chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa is usually favored by an interaction of three influencing factors, namely
- genetic weaknesses of the intestinal flora,
- Infection in the area of the intestinal flora
- and intestinal weakening environmental influences.
A certain amount of bacteria in the intestine is actually normal. Various microorganisms, including eukaryotes, Escherichia coli bacteria and some types of streptococci, naturally occur in the intestinal flora and are involved in the decomposition process of food. In the case of health complaints such as the influence of stress or congenital weaknesses in the intestines, the composition of intestinal bacteria and the like is seriously compromised. There is an overpopulation of the microorganisms, which in turn leads to infection-related inflammation.
In addition to stress, environmental factors in ulcerative colitis also include unfavorable eating habits and hygiene standards. Spicy food that irritates the intestinal mucosa due to its aggressive components, as well as food contaminated with germs, increase the risk of disturbed intestinal flora and thus the risk of inflammation. In the worst case, an initial intestinal inflammation will result in a gastrointestinal ulcer, which is also favored by stress.
Another very well-known, chronic inflammatory colitis variant is Crohn’s disease . Similar to ulcerative colitis, it is favored by the combined influence of genetic and environmental factors, which contribute to a weakened intestinal flora and thus to an increased risk of inflammation of the intestinal mucosa.
In addition, in the treatment of colon cancer, radiation colitis is a serious complication during treatment. In addition to the therapeutic radiation of tumors, this colon inflammation can also result from radioactive work or living environments.
Gastrointestinal infections cause colic
More rarely, inflammation of the stomach (gastritis) or inflammation of the small intestine (enteritis) leads to intestinal colic. Here, too, inflammation of the mucous membranes plays a crucial role in the development of muscle cramps. There is an increased risk of colic if both forms of inflammation occur in combination as gastrointestinal inflammation (gastroenteritis). The disease is also known colloquially as a gastrointestinal infection or gastrointestinal flu because it is mainly caused by infectious agents.
Gastrointestinal inflammation can be caused, for example, by Campylobacter bacteria. (Image: Kateryna_Kon / fotolia.com)
The list of pathogens that can lead to gastroenteritis is long. From viruses to bacteria to parasites and unicellular organisms, many causes are conceivable. the most common pathogens include:
- Campylobacter
- Clostridium
- Enterococci
- Escherichia coli
- Salmonella
- Shigellen
- Staphylococci
- Streptococci
- Yersinia
- Adenoviruses
- Noroviruses
- Rotavirus
- Amoebas
- Giardia
A gastrointestinal infection can be triggered in various ways. While some infectious agents get into the gastrointestinal tract via contaminated food in the course of food poisoning , other germs are more likely to be transmitted through contact-related smear infection or droplet infection . However, the infection variants have in common that poor hygiene (e.g. when processing food or in everyday life) plays an important role.
What irritates the intestine in gastrointestinal infections up to colic are the toxic excretion products of the infectious agents. Once in the intestine, most of them feed on the nutrients present in the intestine or porridge. Your breakdown products then lead to toxic toxins that attack the intestinal mucosa and intestinal walls. The incubation period until the onset of the first symptoms can take between 4 hours and 2 days, depending on the type and route of transmission of the pathogen. However, the symptoms are almost always the same and include, in addition to intestinal colic, loss of appetite, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting .
Warning: The severe diarrhea caused by a gastrointestinal infection can cause serious dehydration due to fluid loss!
diagnosis
In addition to the standard patient survey, in which existing symptoms and possible previous illnesses are discussed, an imaging examination is primarily carried out to diagnose intestinal colic. Among other things, ultrasound and X-ray examinations are conceivable. MRI and CT can also be used. Doctors also often perform a colonoscopy for a more precise assessment of the condition of the intestinal mucosa and walls. Laboratory tests, for example in the form of blood tests or stool samples to determine infectious agents and intestinal bleeding, are also added if there is a specific suspicion.
Treatment for intestinal colic
Apart from the disease-oriented treatment, which often requires medicinal treatment of the underlying disease in intestinal colic, numerous measures can be taken to relieve the painful cramps. Natural medicine offers an abundance of reliable herbs. Alternative medical therapies and dietary changes can also help.
Medication
Gastrointestinal infections must always be treated with antibiotics to be able to permanently treat intestinal colic. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic preparations are also usually prescribed to prevent the antispasmodic stimuli to the intestinal muscles.
Nutritional measures
Patients with intestinal colic should refrain from bloating, stuffing and spicy dishes. Additives should also be avoided, which applies to soft drinks in addition to ready-made food. In addition, drinks such as coffee, black tea and alcohol are considered to promote colic. Instead, it makes sense to use water and unsweetened teas.
In this context, drinking enough is particularly important if, in addition to colic, symptoms of diarrhea are also noted. Here, the heavy loss of fluid must be compensated for by at least 2 to 3 l of fluid intake per day to prevent internal dehydration , which can quickly become threatening, especially in young patients.
What is important is an intestinal-friendly diet with low-fat meat or fish, mild side dishes and steamed vegetables. (Image: rainbow33 / fotolia.com)
In the case of intestinal colic, easy-to-digest soups and sauces, vegetable purees and oatmeal are primarily suitable for a gentle and intestinal-friendly diet. Low-fat meat such as chicken or turkey breast, low-fat steamed fish and crabs can also be tolerated, depending on the individual case and the underlying disease.
Rice, noodles and gently cooked vegetables (e.g. potatoes, fennel or carrots) are good side dishes. Oil has to be used very sparingly in the preparation of all of the foods mentioned, so that the already overloaded digestive tract is not burdened with excessive fat digestion.
Be careful when choosing fruit and vegetables! Although vegetables are always a good choice, a distinction must be made here between easily digestible and flatulent vegetables, particularly in the case of intestinal colic. Cabbage and legumes are unsuitable in this regard. In the area of fruit varieties, citrus fruits and other fruits with a high acid content (e.g. kiwis) could make colic worse. Fruit variants such as bananas or floury apples are therefore preferred.
If a food allergy is involved in the intestinal cramps, an allergy test is recommended to find out which food components trigger the cramp symptoms. Milk, soy and cereal products are often critical in this context.
Good to know: Dairy products may be a hindrance to calming the intestines if you are lactose intolerant. However, especially in childhood, probiotic yogurts always help successfully in the treatment of colic and other intestinal diseases. Since microbiotic foods bring the intestinal flora back into balance, they have been recommended in the past for numerous digestive complaints such as flatulence, constipation or irritable bowel syndrome. In 2017, a study also provided specific recommendations for probiotics in the treatment of intestinal diseases.
Herbal pharmacy
Various herbs are particularly useful for intestinal colic, because nature has a large number of medicinal plant helpers against gastrointestinal complaints. Starting with culinary herbs such as anise, dill and cumin over tea herbs like barberry , yellow gentian, St. John’s wort , chamomile, and plantain , to heilungsförderndem grains such as oats or flaxseed, there are many options to relieve colic.
Oats and flaxseed can not only be boiled into mucus, which is known to have pain and antispasmodic effects. Also as an additive for mild yogurts (if dairy products are tolerated), the cereals are a wonderful nutritional supplement as part of a colic-related diet.
Tip: Some people also have a beneficial herbal bath or warm belly wrap with herbal additives to help with colic colic.
Home remedies and self-help for intestinal colic
In the area of traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture is also used to combat intestinal colic . This applies in particular to cases of intestinal colic in which stress plays a major role. In general, everyday and mental stress should be kept as low as possible or carefully reduced during therapy. Calm and orderly daily planning and regular breaks are just as important here as targeted relaxation methods , such as yoga , meditation or sound therapy.
Regular walks in the fresh air can also provide additional relaxation. Anyone who continues to suffer from mental stress is also advised to undergo conversation therapy and relaxation therapy under professional guidance.
