Pain in the abdomen is recognized by doctors as one of the most difficult to bear by a person, and it is second only to toothache. But in the meantime, we all face this unpleasant disease.
Most often, the cause of pain is a spasm of the stomach - involuntary contractions of its muscles caused by internal disturbances in the body or external negative factors. Spasm can vary in severity and duration (from 2 minutes to 1-2 hours) depending on the underlying cause.
Symptoms and causes of spasms. Methods for their elimination.
Main symptoms:
- sharp sharp pain;
- nausea;
- vomit;
- pale skin color;
- cold sweat;
- general weakness.
Doctors share two main types of spasms: manifested before and after eating. If the pain was not preceded by eating, then their cause may be:
Nervous stomach cramps.
Very often, during stress, involuntary contractions of the muscles of the whole body can be observed. This also applies to the stomach muscles. Interestingly, women are more likely to suffer from such cramps, since they have a more susceptible nervous system and a weak stomach (sometimes simply depleted by regular diets).
If in an emotionally tense situation you feel an attack of sharp pain in the abdomen, the best solution is to lie down and relax. When this is not possible, try to simply switch to positive thoughts.
By eliminating the main cause of spasm - nervous overexcitation - you will get rid of its main symptoms. Of the medicines in such a situation, it is most rational to take No-shpu.
Important: nervous stomach cramps can be a sign of gastritis, so if they are repeated regularly, you should visit a doctor and undergo a gastroenteroscopy.
Alcohol, smoking and unhealthy diet.
Some people report cramps from alcohol, even from a small amount of it. This may indicate functional dyspepsia or ulcerative lesions of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract. Our bad habits cause such a state: frequent smoking and alcohol abuse, unhealthy diet.
Treatment must be appropriate. If a problem is found, it is worth reconsidering your rhythm and lifestyle, adjusting the menu, and giving up cigarettes and alcohol.
The second option is a protective reaction of the body, which is trying to prevent alcohol intoxication. Similar manifestations are observed in people who drink extremely rarely, after the first two or three sips. Once in the esophagus, alcohol irritates the mucous membrane, causing spasms. Such pain does not require medical treatment and goes away on its own after a short time.
Starvation.
A large interval between meals leads to a reflex release of gastric juice into the cavity of the stomach, which begins to irritate its walls. To avoid spasms, it is enough to follow the regimen.
If you are on a diet or simply do not have the opportunity to have lunch on time, eat a small piece of dark bread. It will not allow spasms to intensify and prevent their recurrence.
Much more often, stomach cramps occur immediately or shortly after eating. In this case, they are called:
Binge eating.
Having received excess food, your stomach cannot always cope with it. Sometimes gastric secretion is not enough for proper digestion, and unprocessed foods enter the intestines. As a result, you feel spasms throughout the gastrointestinal tract, nausea, and vomiting.
So the body tries to cleanse itself of excess, unnecessary or too spicy food. Eliminate spasms will help drugs aimed at improving the functioning of the stomach and increasing the secretion of bile. The simplest and most inexpensive of them is Pancreatin.
Spasms from antibiotics.
Everyone is familiar with this phenomenon, since the main cause is dysbacteriosis due to antibiotics. It is these drugs that are now treating all sorts of diseases, not even complex ones and not requiring such radical measures.
In addition, they are often used in farming in order to reduce the loss of livestock and poultry. As a result, each of us is stable with food or drugs receives his dose. But antibiotics kill not only pathogenic bacteria, but also those necessary for the body to function normally.
As a result, our stomach is simply not able to fully digest food, and after eating we feel heaviness, nausea and cramps. Treatment in this situation may be the restoration of microflora by taking special preparations, introducing yogurt with live cultures into the diet (preferably home-made).
Food poisoning.
Stale food containing pathogens can also cause stomach cramps. Its use leads to increased secretion of mucus from its walls and involuntary peristalsis.
Almost always, poisoning is accompanied by profuse vomiting. The first measures in the elimination of spasms is the complete cleansing of the stomach (lavage). If you have eaten recently, it will be enough to drink 1.5-2 liters of warm water with potassium permanganate (pale pink, by no means bright) and induce vomiting.
If a lot of time has passed since lunch, an enema may be required.
Methods of emergency elimination of spasm.
Sometimes the pain in the stomach is so severe that it requires urgent measures to eliminate it. This is especially pronounced at night, when the body is at rest and completely relaxed.
By the way, spasms that appear at this particular time of day deserve the most attention. Due to the absence of irritating factors, involuntary muscle contractions always indicate serious disturbances in the functioning of your organs. Therefore, night cramps are a good reason to visit the clinic.
Acute conditions with spasms are usually relieved with the help of drug treatment. The most popular over-the-counter drugs that do not require special instructions are No-shpa, Almagel and Spazgan.
Physicians also include Papaverine, a rather powerful antispasmodic, which is available in three forms: suppositories, tablets and an injection solution, among the inexpensive, effective and safe means.
The type of drug can be chosen depending on your convenience. But it should be borne in mind that the injection gives the fastest result, since the reagent enters directly into the blood. A candle acts a little longer and about 30-40 minutes you will have to wait for the effect of the pill.
Diet for stomach cramps.
Preventive measures to prevent recurrent stomach cramps always come down to the "three pillars": increasing physical activity, giving up bad habits and diet. At the same time, the success of the event by 80% depends on the right diet and menu.
Pain in the abdomen, especially when it lasts more than a minute, makes a person think about what needs to be done to get rid of it. This can be done easily at home, but on one condition that the cause of the spasm is not serious and does not require the prompt intervention of doctors.
The cause of the spasm may be excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.
Most often, stomach cramps appear as a response to some external stimulus. A person does not always attach importance to what he eats, what lifestyle he leads. And so the body at some point itself has to react to this in order to warn a person. The main reasons that can provoke a spasm include:
- Frequent and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Some believe that such an effect can only appear after taking high-strength drinks, but in fact, one glass of wine or champagne will be enough for a weak stomach with gastritis.
- Smoking. Tobacco smoke can provoke muscle spasm only because at a certain moment they receive the oxygen they need, but an admixture of smoke and nicotine, which negatively affects all cells, causing them to respond
- Food poisoning, especially acute ones, when a person vomited several times. In this case, the stomach will hurt (spasm will appear) for two reasons. First, despite the intoxication and general malaise, food must enter it, and since this does not happen, the weakened stomach contracts. Secondly, after repeated vomiting, provoked by specific urges, the muscles will be tense, and therefore, with any movement (especially sharp), a spasm may appear. In addition, it will appear while drinking water or eating food in the first few days after poisoning.
- Overeating, during which the stomach simply cannot cope with the food that enters it, and therefore may respond ambiguously to overload
- A large number of spices in the dish, which provoke excessive production of acid
- Taking certain medications that can provoke a stomach response, as a rule, these can be Analgin, Baralgin
- Stress or strong nervous tension, during which the body can react in any way to the general tension
- Consumption of carbonated drinks. Those people who drink any carbonated drink every day (be it Coca-Cola or just lemonade) put their stomach in great danger, because the substances that make up their composition not only corrode it, but also provoke severe spasms
- Starvation, especially for those who follow diets and eat nothing at all once a week
- Infections that have entered the body. Most often, during a spasm when an infection enters the body, a person vomits
Depending on what caused the spasm, the treatment will also depend, because if you approach all the causes in the same way, you can only make things worse.
Symptoms of stomach cramps
A spasm of the stomach is manifested in severe pain, which can be either acute or dull.
As a rule, stomach cramps are accompanied by a number of symptoms, each of which directly indicates serious problems in the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms of stomach cramps include:
- Severe pain that can be either sharp or dull. It all depends on how strong the spasm is. Moreover, in most cases, such pain makes a person bend over, because in this position the unpleasant sensation passes much faster, and it is easier to endure an attack.
- Spasm of other muscles, which may appear if the pain is severe and unbearable. At the same time, a person in the literal sense of the word can neither straighten nor bend
- Constant feeling of nausea, which may not even go away if the spasm itself has stopped
- Vomiting that appears if the pain is severe and spasm too. This is the response of the body, with the help of which it tries to get rid of discomfort.
- Dizziness, which appears as a reaction of the body to severe pain. The pain threshold for each person is different, and someone can easily endure it, while someone immediately loses consciousness
In any case, when the above symptoms appear, it is urgent to start taking some measures to stop the attack so that the situation does not worsen.
Dangerous symptoms
There are a number of symptoms that may appear as concomitant during a stomach spasm, and in which it is necessary either to call the attending physician or immediately an ambulance:
- The pain gets stronger every minute and the person lost consciousness
- The attack lasts for several hours, and the pain does not decrease
- Started vaginal bleeding. This is especially dangerous if the woman is pregnant.
- If, in addition to pain in the stomach, there is pain in the scrotum (in men)
- If, in addition to frequent vomiting, a person has difficulty breathing
- If there is blood in the vomit
- The feces became black. This indicates the onset of bleeding in the intestines.
- The pain began to give in the neck, chest and shoulders
- The body temperature rose sharply and a fever began
- If the patient's skin is pale
- If there has been no urination for ten hours
In addition, you need to call an ambulance or consult a doctor even when the stomach is swollen and there are problems with the toilet.
Basic principles
Pain medications can be used to relieve pain.
To get rid of this unpleasant symptom as quickly as possible, you need to follow a few principles:
- First, relieve the pain by taking pain medication, unless the stomach cramp is accompanied by other symptoms such as vomiting blood, black stools, etc.
- Secondly, restore the level of fluid in the body and in the cells. To relax the muscle fibers that provoke this spasm, you need to drink as much water as possible, and preferably either Essentuki mineral water without gases, or if it is not possible to go to the store, put a teaspoon of any salt in a liter of boiled water
- Third, take all necessary antiemetic measures. This must be done in order to preserve the fluid in the body as much as possible, since with frequent vomiting, even more severe dehydration occurs.
- Fourth, observe the diet, namely, on the first day, refuse to eat at all (especially if the spasm was strong). Only sweet tea is allowed
- Fifth, observe bed rest, because the body must recover from an attack, especially if it was accompanied by a large loss of fluid (vomiting was present)
If you follow the above principles, you can easily get rid of the spasm, and also quickly recover from it.
Spasm of the stomach. What to do?
NO-ShPA - a drug for relieving muscle spasm.
In the event that a person is sure that the spasm is not caused by some serious disease, it can be removed independently by doing the following:
- Drink a glass of warm, preferably boiled water. Warm water can help relax tense muscles
- Take a warm bath, but only if there is no weakness and dizziness. Otherwise, this action can only harm
- Attach a bottle of warm water to the stomach, but also only if there is complete confidence in the harmlessness of the spasm
- Take a pill No-shpa (or Drotaverine), which will help relieve muscle spasm and reduce pain within half an hour
- Take an antacid if heartburn is added to the spasm
- Exclude from the diet spicy foods that easily provoke a spasm
It should be noted that in no case should aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs be taken to reduce pain, as they can provoke an even stronger attack.
spasm treatment
Pancreatin - helps to speed up the process of digestion of food.
Despite the fact that to date no clear causes of spasms have been identified, doctors are trying to take all possible preventive and therapeutic measures in order to make life easier for the patient and make it better. Before starting treatment, doctors need to conduct a complete diagnosis of why spam arose and what provoked it.
- Under stress and during severe nervous tension, it is recommended to take a No-shpa tablet, as well as any sedative drug that will help bring the nervous system back to normal and calm the nerve endings a little, which is also very important. Usually, in this case, it will be enough to give a person valerian
- In case of poisoning, it is necessary to completely unload the stomach and start eating gradually. In addition, after the vomiting has stopped, and about two hours have passed, a person should be given sweet tea to drink in order to replenish not only the water balance, but also raise the blood sugar level. When dehydrated, the body experiences a strong load and it needs help to cope with it.
- With gastritis and ulcers. Due to the fact that during gastritis and ulcers, the gastric mucosa, and indeed, the whole of it, is most vulnerable. And therefore, any negative impact on it can provoke a spasm. To prevent this from happening, a person with problems with the gastrointestinal tract needs to completely exclude from the diet those foods that can provoke a new attack in the future, and also begin to treat the original problem, that is, gastritis or an ulcer. To do this, you need to kill a bacterium such as Helicobacter, which is the cause of the development of these diseases.
- When fasting, you need to eat urgently. But you need to do this carefully and start with small portions, because the stomach can react ambiguously to food.
- When overeating, it is urgent to empty the stomach, artificially inducing vomiting, so as not to overload it more. And then take a Pancreatin tablet so that food remains are digested faster, and a No-shpa tablet to relieve spasm
In any case, the treatment will depend solely on what caused the spasm. Because the one-time removal of the symptom does not eliminate the problem itself, with the exception of overeating. If a spasm occurs in the stomach, you need to pay attention to what caused it. And if the pain appeared only once, then special measures are not necessary. But if spasms began to appear constantly, then it is better to visit a specialist who will conduct a series of studies and establish the exact cause, and only then prescribe the correct and effective treatment.
About the cause of abdominal pain, tell the video:
Spasm of the stomach is characterized by the development of specific pains that make you bend
Cramping in the stomach is the development of severe pain of a compressive nature in the region of the upper half of the abdomen - on the left or in the center, forcing a person to take a bent position. This is not a disease, but a symptom of many diseases and conditions, among which there are both those that require immediate treatment, and those that develop as a result of stress factors. This applies to adults, but pregnant women and children under 14 have some peculiarities. Additional symptoms will help to distinguish the main types of conditions accompanied by stomach cramps.
When do stomach cramps develop?
Depending on the causes, stomach cramps are conditionally divided into organic and functional.
Organic spasms
They can be a sign of acute and chronic diseases of the digestive system, namely:
- be a symptom of gastroduodenitis or gastritis;
- be a manifestation of erosive or ulcerative changes in the mucous membrane of the stomach or duodenum;
- patients themselves often call intestinal or pancreatic colic a spasm of the stomach.
In addition to spasms, a person always notes the presence of other, additional signs of the disease.
Warning! Only a doctor should deal with the diagnosis of diseases when the stomach hurts with cramps. Self-medication is unacceptable, since the consequences of these pathologies are dangerous - from conditions requiring surgical intervention to oncological diseases.
Spasms of a functional nature
This is the name of a symptom that develops in conditions in which there is no damage to any of the membranes of the stomach and duodenum, there are no foreign bodies in the esophagus, or stones in the pancreatic ducts. Such spasms develop due to disorders or the work of the nerves going to different parts of the stomach, or receptor cells that have not correctly processed the received commands.
The causes of such spasms are:
- some medications;
- smoking;
- stress, neurosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia: this is how a stomach spasm occurs on a nervous basis;
- food allergies;
- abuse of black tea or coffee;
- malnutrition;
- poisoning;
- hypothermia.
How do stomach cramps manifest?
If it is the stomach that hurts, it is felt in the epigastric region
The symptoms of stomach cramps are as follows:
- dull pain "in the pit of the stomach", slightly to the left or to the right;
- it becomes easier if you take a bent position;
- urge to vomit.
Differential Diagnosis
Warning! Below we give the main symptoms that stomach cramps are accompanied by various diseases. The description is made for informational purposes and does not aim to recommend a person to do without medical help.
- Pain and cramps in the stomach are typical for such diseases:
- acute appendicitis: in the initial period, pains are observed precisely in the epigastric region, then they migrate to the right (less often - left) lower abdomen; there may be one or two vomiting, the general condition is disturbed;
- acute gastritis: more often develops after accidental or intentional eating of spicy foods, acids, alkalis; accompanied by nausea, vomiting, which do not alleviate the condition;
- intestinal colic: in addition to spasms in the stomach area, there is an urge to defecate, after which it becomes easier, the general condition does not suffer;
- irritable bowel syndrome: pain and spasms are not so strong, after a bowel movement a person feels almost normal; the stool is slimy, the abdomen is often swollen. There are no violations of the general condition;
- biliary colic may have similar symptoms. It develops most often after eating fatty or fried foods; it is characterized by spasms, which are more localized in the right hypochondrium, but can also be given "by spoon". Accompanied by colic bitterness in the mouth, bitter belching, vomiting that does not bring relief, irradiation of pain in the right shoulder blade, shoulder; the temperature rises to low numbers;
- nonspecific ulcerative colitis: spasms and pains are more localized in the lower abdomen, accompanied by the urge to defecate (this can occur several - up to 10 - times a day), mucus and blood are found in the stool.
- Severe cramps in the stomach are characteristic of acute pancreatitis or pancreatic colic, which develops as a result of eating spicy food or alcohol (due to this, the production of pancreatic juice sharply increases), blockage of the gland duct by a stone. Pain and spasms in this case are very strong, they radiate to the back, shoulder blades and collarbone (more often the left one), nausea and vomiting also develop, which does not bring relief. With pancreatitis, the temperature is slightly elevated, with colic, it remains within the normal range.
- Cramps in the stomach after eating are characteristic of stomach ulcers. They are quite painful, develop after eating spicy dishes, very hot or very cold food, pass after a while on their own, do not depend on the act of defecation. In addition to spasms, there are also heartburn, belching (usually sour).
- Stomach cramps and diarrhea can be observed:
- with irritable bowel syndrome (its symptoms are described above);
- with intestinal infection or poisoning with bacterial toxins. In this case, the stool first has a fecal character, then it can become slimy, with greenery, streaked with blood; the temperature may rise and the general condition changes;
- acute pancreatitis is manifested by both diarrhea and spasms. Spasms are very strong, forcing a person to take a forced position, accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The chair has a fecal character.
- Nervous stomach spasm often develops after stress, an exciting or unpleasant event that occurred on an empty stomach in an emotional and suspicious person. The attack lasts up to several hours, while not wanting to eat.
When do abdominal cramps occur during pregnancy?
Stomach cramps during pregnancy develop due to such reasons:
- compression of the stomach by the pregnant uterus - in the last months of pregnancy; accompanied by heartburn immediately after eating;
- at the beginning of pregnancy, spasms in the epigastric region can be caused by an increase in the level of progesterone, which, in addition to its effect on the uterus, also has an effect on the gastric mucosa;
- stress;
- toxicosis.
Do not confuse stomach cramps with contraction of the uterine muscles, which indicates a threat of pregnancy. Symptoms of the premature end of the "interesting period" or false contractions are felt in the lower abdomen, resembling cramps during menstruation.
During pregnancy, all those dangerous conditions that lead to the development of stomach cramps can develop, as in the "non-pregnant" state. Gastritis, pancreatitis, poisoning, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, appendicitis - all this can also occur in a woman who is expecting a baby.
When can spasms develop in a child?
Stomach cramps in a child under one year old can be a symptom of such conditions:
- Insufficient amount in the intestines of the child of the lactase enzyme, which takes an active part in the breakdown of milk and unadapted milk mixtures. In this case, there will be bloating, loose stools, poor weight gain. Bloating is observed after feeding the child.
- Dysbacteriosis is a condition that develops after a child or a nursing mother takes antibacterial drugs. It is characterized by cramps, bloating, a different character of the stool - from liquid to solid; mucus and blood may be observed in the stool.
- Pylorospasm or pyloric stenosis is a temporary or permanent sphincter muscle located on the border of the stomach and duodenum 12. It usually develops in children 1.5-3 months of age, characterized by vomiting, regurgitation, anxiety of the child. Since food does not pass well or does not enter the intestines at all, signs of dehydration are observed.
When a baby's stomach hurts up to a year, he cannot calm down, cries, presses his legs to his stomach
In older children, the causes of spastic sensations in the stomach can be:
- vegetative-vascular dystonia;
- helminthic invasion;
- appendicitis;
- biliary colic;
- pancreatic colic;
- irritable bowel syndrome.
Diagnosis of conditions accompanied by spastic pain in the stomach
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In order to understand what exactly causes stomach cramps, you need to consult a general practitioner, gastroenterologist and neurologist, who may prescribe one or more of the following studies:
- general blood analysis;
- FEGDS with a test for the presence of Helicobacter pylori, some pharmacological tests;
- Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
- coprogram;
- determination of certain enzymes in the feces, depending on the preliminary medical diagnosis;
- bacteriological examination of feces;
- laparoscopy.
The stomach as an organ plays a huge role in the life of the human body. Along with the heart, it can be called a kind of engine - by processing food, it provides energy support to the whole organism, giving it the strength to function.
But, like any organ, the stomach is subject to various diseases or just temporary functional disorders. One such disorder is colic.
What is stomach colic
Gastric colic occurs due to disruption of the digestive tract.
Gastric colic is not a disease as such. They only indicate a violation of the functioning of individual organs of the gastrointestinal tract or the very mechanism of digestive processes.
Colic can be identified not as a single symptom, but as a complex of conditions that can manifest themselves singly and in various combinations.
The colic itself is spasmodic in nature. They are sharp contractions of the muscles of the stomach, which are accompanied by severe pain, general weakness.
Sometimes nausea and vomiting are added to these symptoms. The pain is usually so severe that the person involuntarily assumes the “embryo” position, pulling his knees up to his stomach and wrapping his hands around his stomach.
Gastric colic can last for various times. In one case, spasms are possible for several minutes, in the other, this condition may not go away for several hours. Pain in this case can have a diverse character:
- periodic (paroxysmal) - between the moments of occurrence of pain there are states of rest;
- cramping;
- cutting;
- stabbing.
The level of pain can also be different:
- mild pain;
- moderate;
- strongly pronounced.
Usually gastric colic is accompanied by a pronounced disturbing pain. In this case, most likely, there is some kind of functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. If the pain is weak, aching, on the contrary, it may indicate a serious lesion of one or more organs.
With colic in the stomach, pain can be felt not only in its area. It can irradiate to other organs and parts of the body, that is, it will seem that it is not the stomach that hurts, but, for example, the lower back. Reverse irradiation is also possible.
Because of this, determining the cause of colic is much more difficult. In addition, with a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, there are no physical changes or mechanical damage to the tissues and organs of the system, which also increases the complexity of determining the causes of spasms.
Why do stomach cramps occur?
Improper nutrition can cause colic in the abdomen.
All causes of stomach cramps can be divided into two large groups depending on the nature of the origin of colic.
Functional spasms are explained by a disorder of metabolic processes and the activity of the nervous system. Hence, among the factors causing the occurrence of colic, we can distinguish:
- malnutrition (unbalanced diet, insufficient fluid intake, eating habits - talking while eating, snacking on the go, skipping mandatory meals, overeating);
- frequent stressful situations;
- bad habits: use, alcohol and drugs, smoking;
- taking certain medications;
- chemical intoxication (work in conditions of hazardous industries, disturbed environmental ecology);
- allergic reactions;
- poisoning of various etiologies (food, alcohol);
- mechanical impact (consequences of operations on the digestive tract);
- a consequence of past illnesses;
- climate change and eating exotic foods;
- hypothermia.
Gastric colic of organic origin is provoked by damage to the organs of the gastrointestinal tract:
- erosion processes;
- gastritis;
- gastroduodenitis;
- ulcerative inflammation.
Depending on the sources of colic, the treatment program prescribed by the specialist will depend.
First aid
If you find colic in the abdomen, you must contact a medical facility.
At the first attack, it is necessary to take a comfortable position, relieve the pressure of clothing on the abdomen, you can drink an anesthetic. Among the recommendations can be found taking a warm bath, warm drink.
If the attack does not go away or recurs, you need to call a doctor. In any case, after an attack of colic, even a single one, you need to contact a specialist to find out the causes of spasms and determine further actions - what and how to treat.
Doctors do not recommend taking any action before their arrival, because by eliminating the symptoms, it is possible to complicate the process of finding out the causes of their occurrence, as well as warn against the use of painkillers and thermal procedures. In this case, it is better to apply a cold compress.
In order to determine the necessary therapeutic procedures, it is necessary to carry out a minimum diagnosis, which is done in any medical institution.
Diagnosis of the disease
A blood test will help determine the cause of colic in the abdomen.
When a patient is admitted with complaints of colic, first of all, the gastroenterologist collects and analyzes the anamnesis of the disease and the life of the person who applied, as well as the anamnesis of the life of his family. To do this, the doctor may ask the following questions:
- duration and nature of pain.
- The presence of problems with bowel movements (constipation, bleeding).
- The occurrence of nausea and vomiting, fever.
- The fact of taking painkillers and the presence of a positive effect from taking them.
- The patient's lifestyle, his eating habits.
- The presence in the past and present of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the patient and his family members.
- Further, if this is the primary appointment, the doctor examines the patient, performs percussion (palpation and tapping) of the abdomen and, especially carefully, the epigastric region (a section of the anterior abdominal wall corresponding to the projection of the stomach onto this wall).
The patient is then sent for lab testing. You may need:
- general analysis of blood and urine;
- blood chemistry;
- analysis of feces for occult blood;
- routine fecal analysis - coprogram.
To clarify the picture of the disease, the patient undergoes the necessary instrumental diagnostic procedures:
- An ultrasound examination of the abdominal region allows you to assess the general condition of the organs.
- X-ray examination does not give an accurate picture of the state of the tissues and organs of the abdominal cavity, but allows you to see the presence and distribution of gases and liquids in the picture. Based on this information, some conclusions can be drawn about the pathologies that occur in the studied area of the patient's body.
- Computed tomography is the most accurate and informative method of instrumental diagnostics. On a computed tomogram, the image of the organs is visualized in a three-dimensional projection. Images of individual organs are not superimposed on each other, unlike an x-ray. Each organ is visible in section, its shape, size, and condition of tissues can be assessed. Computed tomography allows you to determine the presence of foreign bodies in the studied part of the body, pathological changes in cells and tissues of organs.
Based on the data obtained during the examination of the patient, his doctor draws up a treatment program. It should be remembered that therapeutic procedures (including maintenance therapy) can stretch for quite a long time.
In this case, you need to periodically visit your treating specialist so that he can evaluate the effectiveness of the prescribed therapy and, if necessary, adjust the treatment.
General principles of treatment and preventive measures
No-shpa - to eliminate colic.
If during the examination of the patient diseases of the abdominal organs were revealed, then they are treated first.
Colic, as an accompanying symptom, can go away by itself. It is possible to prescribe painkillers to alleviate the patient's condition.
If the etiology of gastric colic is not clarified or it is established that their cause is a functional violation of the gastrointestinal tract, complex therapy is prescribed. It does not include a therapeutic diet, lifestyle changes if necessary, and drug treatment.
The diet includes the rejection of heavy foods, foods that cause flatulence and bloating: complex dishes, smoked meats, pickles, spices, animal fats, legumes, cabbage, sweet fruits, strong tea and coffee, carbonated drinks.
Dishes need to be steamed, boiled or stewed. Food is consumed in small portions, divided into 5-6 meals. It is advisable to adhere to a certain regimen - eat at about the same time. Dishes are eaten warm. Food needs to be chewed thoroughly.
A sufficient amount of liquid should be consumed per day (up to 2 liters), mainly clean water. Lifestyle should be quite mobile. It is recommended to take walks in the fresh air more often, to do simple physical exercises. Drug therapy covers several areas:
- Removal of pain (antispasmodics - No-Shpa, Drotaverine).
- Stress relief (antidepressants - Amitriptyline).
- Stimulation of digestion (prokinetics - Domperidone).
- Normalization of secretion (H2-antihistamines - famotidine).
As an aid, you can take decoctions from medicinal plants. Calamus root, chamomile flowers and angelica grass are mixed in equal proportions. 3 art. l. the mixture is poured with boiling water, brought to a boil, cooled and filtered. The decoction is drunk half a cup before meals.
Another option: chamomile flowers, valerian root and snake knotweed root in a ratio of 3: 4: 4 are mixed, poured with boiling water at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. mixture in a glass of water and insist in a thermos for 6 hours. Drink the infusion before meals in a glass 2 times a day. Lavender, oregano, motherwort also have a therapeutic effect. They are brewed with boiling water and taken before meals several times a day.
As a prevention of gastric colic, it is recommended to simply lead a healthy lifestyle: give up bad habits, move more, eat right and fully, and avoid stressful situations.
Knowing the symptoms of gastric colic and the principles of first aid, a person, faced with this situation, will not be at a loss and will do everything possible to alleviate the condition. It is important to remember that in any case, consultation with a specialist is necessary, even if there was no need to call an ambulance.
About colic in the stomach will tell the video:
Spasms of the stomach of a neurogenic nature (nerve spasms) is one of the most common pathologies of the human gastrointestinal tract. Sometimes people call spasm of the intestinal muscles colic, but colic is a collective concept that includes a large number of pathologies, while spasm is the pathology itself, manifested in the form of gastric colic.
Gastric spasm most often has a neurogenic origin and is associated with dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system.
Medical certificate
Spasm is unmotivated, i.e. a muscle contraction that arose without the will of a person. Most often, the term is applied to the contraction of the smooth muscles of the internal organs, which has no regulation from the brain, i.e. central nervous system. Spasm, or in other words a spasm, leads to a significant dysfunction of the organ. If we are talking about the stomach, then its digestive and evacuation functions are disturbed, which causes stagnation of gastric contents and hyperinflation of the stomach with gases. In addition, spasm of smooth muscles leads to excessive contraction of the organ and impaired blood flow in it. This causes hypoxia and ischemia of the walls of the stomach, which just causes intense pain and severe discomfort.
In practical medicine, it is important to distinguish spasms. So, they can be of two types:
- Clonic - muscle contractions occur synchronously and necessarily alternate with phases of relaxation. Such spasms have increasing intensity and differ in the frequency of occurrence of a pain attack.
- Tonic - contraction of the smooth muscles of the stomach occurs once for a relatively long period of time, which leads to the appearance of aching dull pain of a permanent nature, as well as severe discomfort.
Causes of spasm formation
- Strong psycho-emotional experience or shock.
- Systematic stress, i.e. on a nervous basis.
- The use of energy drinks and substances in large quantities.
- Smoking strong tobacco.
- The use of excessively cold or, conversely, hot food, as well as solid foods.
- Rapid activation and physical activity immediately after a meal.
All of the above factors, both individually and in combination, can affect spasm formation in the stomach and adjacent organs.
The mechanism of spasm formation is the same, regardless of the cause or influencing factor. The main component of the occurrence of spasm is the active influence of the sympathetic nervous system, which leads to an increase in the contractile activity of the muscle tissue of the stomach and, accordingly, excitation of sensitive nerve endings responsible for the appearance of pain.
Manifestations of nerve spasm
A strong and intense spasm of the stomach leads to tension in the anterior abdominal wall of the abdomen, which makes the sick person take a forced position. Most often, this position is called the fetal position, when a person is bent and his knees are as close to his stomach as possible. This posture limits the movement and friction of organs against each other, thereby reducing irritation of sensitive nerve endings, and reduces pain. The spasm can move, leading to similar symptoms in the small intestine over time.
When eating unprocessed coarse food, a person prone to spasm formation exposes the gastric mucosa to unnecessary trauma, thereby leading to the activation of the sympathetic nervous system. The same can be said about the use of food in conditions that are not intended for this, for example, when walking, while solving any important tasks or in haste.
Stomach spasm leads to accompanying symptoms, such as:
- Marked discomfort.
- Pain sensations of varying intensity.
- Heaviness in the upper abdomen.
- Press tension.
- Nausea.
There may also be symptoms that are not related to the digestive system, however, are closely related to the autonomic nervous system. These symptoms include:
- Pulse increase.
- Hyperhidrosis of the upper extremities.
- Feeling hot.
Medical tactics
Treatment of neurogenic colic consists in symptomatic therapy. It must be necessarily complex and directed at all links in the pathogenesis of neurogenic spasm of the upper gastrointestinal tract. For this you need:
- Get rid of the factors that provoke the development of spasm. To do this, you should begin to follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle, adhere to a rational and balanced diet, and avoid stressful situations.
- In the presence of increased excitability of the nervous system, it is worth excluding the use of foods such as chocolate, coffee-based drinks, strong tea and a variety of spices. All these products provoke irritation of the autonomic nervous system and increase the risk of spasms.
- Compliance with a therapeutic diet. In addition to eliminating predisposing factors, it is very important to properly replace unnecessary foods. To do this, it is worth adhering to a simple concept - to properly culinary food processing. Eat food warm, you can use boiled or steamed foods for eating. Do not be afraid of taking dairy products, but sour-milk products should be abandoned. As drinks, preference should be given to infusions of herbs and mucous products, such as jelly.
- Diet. In order not to overload the stomach and not lead to an increased risk of irritation of its walls, it is worth observing the interval between meals. Its use should be fractional, i.e. with small time intervals. The optimal would be - every 2-4 hours, which means 6-8 times a day. It is important to note that in this case, portions of food eaten should not exceed 200-300 grams. Such a volume of food products is physiological and corresponds to the normal size of the stomach, i.e. does not lead to its overstretching and unnecessary irritation.
But what if the spasm is already there? In order to stop the spasm and, accordingly, the pain attack, it is worth acting in accordance with the following algorithm:
- Take two essential drugs. 1 - antispasmodic drug, for example, Papaverine or No-Shpa. 2 - analgesic, for example, Analgin or Ketorol. Medicines will not begin to act immediately, it can take from 20 to 40 minutes before their effect begins, so you have to be patient.
- To reduce the discomfort and pain of gastric colic, take a comfortable position and try not to move. Bend the body and bring the legs to the stomach, in this position the intensity of pain is the least.
Important! You should not apply cold or a heating pad, as well as self-induce vomiting. These manipulations are not justified and proven, which means that they can lead to increased pain and, accordingly, an increase in stomach spasm.
Functional and organic disorders of the digestive tract are accompanied by pain. Such changes are a spasm of the muscles of the stomach, which is caused by an involuntary contraction of the smooth muscles of the organ.
Causes of spasm in the stomach
A tummy tuck can happen for a number of reasons. The provoking factors that cause spasm in the stomach, in most cases, reflect problems from the digestive tract.
They occur during meals, after meals and are presented:
- Changes that occur on the basis of nerves, due to stress, overwork, psycho-emotional stress.
- Violation of the diet, the use of low-quality products.
- After alcohol in large quantities.
- Constant tobacco smoking.
- Acute poisoning with poor-quality food or chemicals.
- Long-term drug therapy with hormones, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, sulfa drugs.
In diseases from other organs, convulsive muscle contractions in the upper abdomen can also be observed. Possible causes of adverse symptoms:
- Formation of thrombi in the vessels of the mesentery.
- The presence of stones in the gallbladder, kidneys, accompanied by discomfort in the right hypochondrium, pain radiating to the back.
- Inflammatory processes of the chest organs - pleurisy, pneumonia.
- - cause spasms behind the sternum and throat area.
- Pathology of the heart.
- Problems with the spine, infringement of nerve fibers.
Causes of stomach muscle spasm in adults
There are situations when the stomach periodically grabs for no apparent reason. Spontaneous contractions of smooth muscles occur in some adults and are not associated with an organic lesion of the digestive system. Until the end, the mechanism for the onset of symptoms has not been established. Experts believe that spasm of the stomach muscles in this case is associated with psychosomatic factors in individuals with vegetative-vascular dystonia (VVD) and impaired nervous regulation of the organ.
A common cause of pathology in adults is the use of alcohol. At the same time, two links appear in the pathogenesis - organic damage to the organ and alcohol intoxication, leading to impaired function of the nerves innervating the stomach.
Classification
A differentiated approach allows you to determine the source of pathological changes. Gastric spasm is classified according to several criteria. Depending on the course of the disease, muscle contractions are:
- total - due to severe lesions of the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract;
- regional - consist in the involvement in the process of a certain part of the stomach, more often the upper section.
Due to the occurrence of spasms are divided into:
- primary or organic, which are caused by a disease of the stomach;
- secondary - as a result of concomitant pathology from other organs;
- functional, arising against the background of short-term exposure to negative factors, for example, on nervous grounds, when taking medications, from drinking cold water, changing body position.
Symptoms of stomach spasm
Signs of trouble in the digestive organs are accompanied by symptoms of stomach spasm, which come to the fore. Manifestations of smooth muscle spasms in the stomach are presented:
- Pain of a sharp or aching nature, especially at night.
- Periodically occurring nausea and vomiting, which often does not bring relief.
Organic pathology of the stomach and neighboring organs is accompanied by symptoms:
- behind the sternum, especially when lying down.
- Belching of air, eaten food.
- Putrid odor from the mouth.
- Impaired motor function of the gastrointestinal tract, which is manifested by constipation or diarrhea.
- Increased gas formation with an increase in the abdomen.
- Change in taste preferences.
- Decreased appetite or aversion to familiar foods.
- Sleep disturbance due to spastic muscle contraction.
- The appearance of pathological impurities in the feces.
- Asthenic syndrome.
Symptoms may occur spontaneously and worsen over time. This indicates the progression of the disease and requires specialist advice. It should be noted dangerous situations when the stomach cramps.
Warning signs:
- sharp increasing pain in the upper abdomen;
- the appearance of heavy breathing;
- difficulty in swallowing;
- periodic loss of consciousness;
- bleeding from the genital tract in women not associated with menstruation;
- pain radiating to the scrotum;
- the appearance of blood in the feces;
- rises in temperature to high numbers, especially with chills;
- pronounced thirst;
- no urination for more than 10 hours.
Attention! The appearance of one or more dangerous symptoms, especially without a cause, is a threatening condition that requires urgent action.
Severe stomach cramps during pregnancy
Expectant mothers usually face manifestations of abdominal discomfort. Unpleasant symptoms are associated with a change in hormonal status, and disturb a woman in the first and third trimester. During pregnancy, the body produces an increased amount of progesterone. The hormone is essential for the normal development of the fetus. The steroid relaxes the smooth muscles of the internal organs, including the sphincters. Therefore, when carrying a child, its effect on the mother's body is the cause of:
- nausea;
- feeling of heaviness in the stomach;
- heartburn;
- flatulence of the stomach and intestines.
Often in the first twelve weeks, severe stomach cramps in pregnant women precede morning vomiting. In the later stages, muscle contractions in the epigastric region can be caused by excessive food intake. The symptoms are short-lived and are not symptoms of the disease.
It is important! If muscle contractions recur periodically, intensify over time and are accompanied by spotting, as with menstruation, you should immediately contact a gynecologist. At a later date, seizures may indicate the onset of labor.
How to relieve stomach cramps during pregnancy
Pain in the abdomen should alert a pregnant woman. Normal symptoms include muscle contractions in the last months of gestation. These are single spasms of a moderate nature that pass on their own, are not accompanied by tingling in the suprapubic region or loss of consciousness. Medications can help relieve an attack.
Important! Before using medications, you should consult a gynecologist. The specialist will conduct an examination, determine the cause of the pain and advise a medicine for stomach cramps.
Pregnant women are prescribed antispasmodics in tablets and suppositories. Recommend diet and semi-bed rest.
Diagnosis for stomach cramps
To determine why it occurs, you need to contact a general practitioner or gastroenterologist, conduct a diagnosis. The specialist will find out the complaints, anamnesis, conduct an examination and determine a plan for an additional examination.
If necessary, appoint:
- General clinical and biochemical analysis of blood.
- Urinalysis: general and according to Nechiporenko.
- Fibrogastroesophagoduodenoscopy () with histological examination.
- Identification of specific pathogens that cause inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
- Ultrasound examination of internal organs.
- X-ray procedures, including CT and.
- Diagnostic laparoscopy.
Treatment of stomach spasm
Help with convulsive contractions in the upper abdomen includes diet, drug therapy and folk remedies. With a spasm of the stomach, the treatment is determined by a specialist based on an objective examination and diagnostic data. Options for medicinal substances and the duration of use are individual.
Medicines for stomach cramps
The main drugs for pain relief are antispasmodics. The medicine for stomach cramps helps to quickly eliminate unpleasant symptoms and alleviate the condition. Tablets can be taken once to stop the attack. In more severe cases, the specialist prescribes a course of treatment according to the protocol for treating the underlying disease. The most commonly used drugs are listed in the table below.
Table 1. Drugs for treatment
| Drug group | Application scheme |
| Non-selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors - no-shpa | Take orally 2-3 times a day before meals or intramuscularly to relieve spasm |
| Sodium channel blockers - duspatalin |
1 capsule 2 times a day with plenty of water |
| Calcium channel blockers - dicetel | 1 tablet 3 times a day or 2 tablets 2 times a day with meals |
| Nonselective M-cholinolytics - platifillin | 1 ampoule 2 times a day intramuscularly |
| Selective M-cholinolytics - riabal | 1 tablet 3-4 times a day after meals or intramuscularly with the same multiplicity |
Analgesics are second line drugs. They can be prescribed as additional drugs to eliminate pain. Preference is given to the safest substances. These include non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs:
- ibuprofen;
- paracetamol;
- analgin or metamizole sodium.
Attention! Drugs from the group of NSAIDs have an ulcerogenic effect. In inflammatory diseases of the stomach, they can not be used.
What to do with stomach cramps at home: first aid
Cramps can take you by surprise at any time of the day. Therefore, it is important to know: how to relieve severe stomach cramps at home. If the attacks are repeated, you need to have No-shpu, Papaverine in your home medicine cabinet. If the pain occurs in the upper part of the stomach, periodically seizes and releases, but is not accompanied by nausea, changes in pulse and blood pressure, you can take an antispasmodic or inject the drug once.
Good to know! Normal BP numbersfrom 100/60 to 140/90 mm. rt. Art., normal pulse - 60-90 beats per minute.
When, against the background of a stomach spasm, the pulse and pressure indicators are changed, you should consult a doctor immediately.
If vomiting and diarrhea occur against the background of discomfort, then it is better to quickly drink activated charcoal or use another sorbent. Such first aid is suitable for loose stools in a nursing mother or a pregnant woman.
If there is a feeling of fullness in the abdomen, the best remedy is preparations based on simethicone.
How to relieve stomach spasm on nervous grounds
Emotionally labile people often experience recurrent abdominal pain caused by stressful factors. Sedatives help relieve stomach cramps at home. Medicines based on plant extracts of valerian, peony, motherwort, passionflower have a good effect. In severe situations, a doctor may prescribe prescription chemicals.
Additionally, special exercises for relaxation, breathing exercises are recommended. In addition to yoga, vocal lessons, staying on the banks of water bodies, listening to the sounds of nature, the sounds of a baby's beating heart help to relax well.
For the treatment of stomach spasm, alternative methods of unconventional effects on the body are used. For example, in Chinese medicine, for pain in the abdomen, the Zhong-Wan point is massaged. It is located in the midline of the abdomen, 13 cm above the navel.
Diet for nerve spasms
Proper nutrition plays an important role in eliminating the symptoms associated with emotional stress. Patients often ask the question: what can you eat with stomach cramps?
The diet consists in adherence to the regimen and quality control of the diet. Experts recommend not to overeat and not starve when stressed, do not eat before bed. Exclude products that have a stimulating effect:
- alcoholic drinks;
- coffee;
- strong tea;
- alcohol;
- chocolate.
Allowed to eat:
- vegetable dishes;
- cereals;
- mashed potatoes;
- soups;
- lean meat;
- fish;
- fruit.
Folk remedies for stomach cramps
There is an alternative direction for the treatment of abdominal pain. Most folk remedies for stomach cramps are natural herbal extracts that allow you to get rid of symptoms without pills. The most effective recipes are presented in the table.
Table 2. Treatment with folk remedies
| Folk remedy | Preparation and regimen |
| Chamomile tea | 1 teaspoon of dry grass is poured with a glass of boiling water. Drink 100 ml 3 times a day |
| St. John's wort decoction, cudweed, centaury |
Combine the herbs in equal proportions, add 1 tablespoon of the mixture to 200 ml of boiling water. After insisting, take a decoction of no more than 300 ml per day |
| Gooseberry decoction | Berries pour 300 ml of hot water and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Drink a glass 3 times a day |
| Tincture of calendula | To relieve spasm, dissolve 50 drops in 50 ml of water. |
| Mint tea | A tablespoon of dry or frozen mint is poured with boiling water, insisted. Taken 3-4 times a day |
Stomach cramps cannot be ignored. This is a symptom for which you need to see a doctor. Timely diagnosis and competent treatment will help to quickly find the cause and eliminate the problem.
We work and he works with us, we rest and he stays awake. It works even when we are sleeping. Do you know who this tireless worker is? This is our stomach. To maintain a normal digestive process, he is forced to constantly be in a rhythmic movement, which is called peristalsis. Increased peristalsis caused by impaired digestive function can lead to convulsive contractions of the stomach muscles. They are accompanied by unpleasant sensations of nausea, accompanied by stomach cramps and vomiting. This is what we are going to talk about today.
People in the modern world live in such a rhythm that there is absolutely no time left for their own health. Adults have no time to deal with health, because they have work and many unresolved pressing problems. Children have a school, sports sections, circles. All life has become a continuous stress: chronic lack of sleep, abnormal nutrition, lack of proper rest. Here is a far from complete list of factors that negatively affect the body as a whole and the state of the stomach in particular.
From a physiological point of view, abdominal cramps and nausea are organic and functional in nature. Pain of an organic nature occurs in people of mature age as a result of serious diseases of the digestive tract. Functional spasms, on the contrary, are characteristic of a younger age category. They arise due to disorders in the functioning of the nervous system or metabolism.
Organic spasms
The causes of stomach cramps of this nature are diseases that cause dysfunction of the digestive organs. These include:
- stomach or duodenal ulcer;
- erosion;
- gastritis or gastroduodenitis.
Functional spasms
They are individual for each patient. The main factors provoking disorders of the functional type include:
- long-term medication;
- poisoning;
- mental stress;
- mechanical impact;
- smoking;
- the use of products containing caffeine;
- irregular meals, eating before bed, frequent overeating;
- hypothermia of the body for a long time.
Here you can add functional neuroses on the basis of a depressive state, vegetovascular dystonia, increased emotionality.
A fairly common cause of stomach cramps and vomiting of bile is dysfunction of the gallbladder or biliary tract. This is due to the abundant reflux of stagnant bile into the stomach, mainly after eating fatty, spicy or salty foods, due to overeating or under the influence of physical exertion immediately after eating.
The patient has increased peristalsis of the stomach, bouts of nausea, ending in emetic discharge of yellow-green color. For a short time after the release of the stomach in such an extraordinary way, the patient may feel a slight improvement in his condition.
The main symptoms of stomach cramps
Convulsive spasms in the abdomen are manifested by acute attacks of dull pain in the stomach with nausea and cold sweat. Often such pains are accompanied by a sharp contraction of the abdominal muscles and do not give the opportunity to straighten up. In this case, abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea or constipation are rarely separated. The vomiting center of the brain, being excited, provokes nausea, and vomiting is its logical conclusion and at the same time causes spasm in the stomach.
Although this is an optional logical chain, such troubles with the body can manifest themselves separately. Nausea and stomach cramps usually occur when a person is hungry and may be short-lived or last for several hours. In this state, the patient has a desire to lie down and shrink in the fetal position. Despite the feeling of hunger, there can be no talk of any food.
When should you see a doctor?
Cramps in the stomach, vomiting indicate a serious illness if they are accompanied by such symptoms:
- the intensity of pain of an unbearable nature;
- long-term bouts of pain;
- vaginal bleeding in women and scrotal pain in men;
- difficulty breathing;
- blood inclusions in the vomit;
- dark feces;
- a state of fever and the release of cold clammy sweat;
- pale appearance;
- prolonged lack of urination;
- constipation and bloating.
Vomiting, abdominal cramps in children most often occur in the first year after birth, when the formation and development of the stomach and intestines occurs. Therefore, the process of feeding a baby requires special care. At the age of 4 months and up to 2 years, intestinal obstruction is extremely rare, accompanied by acute pain in the abdomen, vomiting and diarrhea with mucus and blood. Such cases require immediate medical attention.
In schoolchildren, spasms and colic may occur due to possible violations in the functioning of the liver or overstrain of the abdominal muscles.
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