Spasm is a painful sensation caused by a convulsive contraction of the muscles of the arms and legs, stomach, intestines, blood vessels, etc. As a result of spasm, the lumen of the hollow organs is temporarily narrowed. Approximately 60% of all visits to a doctor are caused by spastic pain.
Causes of abdominal cramps
Spasms can occur either alone or accompany existing diseases. Their reasons may be:
- inaccuracies in the diet (acute, heavy, acidic food);
- worms;
- constipation;
- adhesions in the abdominal cavity;
- nervous excitement;
- poisoning, etc.
By the way, it is noticed that different kinds of emotions can be accompanied by spasms of certain muscle groups. So, for example, muscle spasm of the abdomen can be observed with anxiety and sudden fright.
In gynecology, the concept of spasmodic menstrual pain, which occurs at the beginning of menstruation, is considered. The pain is accompanied by nausea, chills, spasms in the abdomen. It often happens in women under 25 years of age and ceases to bother after the birth of the first child.
Hepatic and renal colic may also manifest as abdominal cramps, including very severe ones. Intestinal colic can occur with diabetes mellitus, with violations of fat metabolism, with lead poisoning, porphyrin disease. A terrible disease, which can be spastic pain, is acute appendicitis. They arise because of painful contractions of the appendix, which reacts to the overlap of the lumen. This situation is very dangerous for life and requires emergency surgical care.
In men, spasms in the lower abdomen can talk about problems with the genitourinary system, the prostate gland, and therefore require close attention and examination from the urologist.
Severe spasms and abdominal pain can accompany mechanical intestinal obstruction as a manifestation of a reflex response to occlusion of the lumen of the intestine. In addition, spasms of the muscular wall of the gut may themselves cause intestinal obstruction. The causes of such spasms can be lesions of the brain and spinal cord (including metastases of malignant tumors), hysteria, etc.
Symptoms of cramping in the abdomen
The clinic of intestinal colic (spasm of the intestine) can be similar to the clinic of acute inflammatory processes in the abdomen, hernia. But there are significant differences. First of all, cramping in the abdomen is manifested by a strong grasping pain. Most often, the pain is localized around the navel. Relief comes at a pressure on this area. Therefore, the patient bends, lies on his stomach or skates in pain. And, for example, with inflammatory diseases of the intestine or abdominal cavity, the pain can be so intense that a person not only does not allow to touch the stomach, but even is afraid to take a breath.
Spasms can be accompanied by constipation. At the same time there are frequent unsuccessful desires to the act of defecation. Periodically, spasmodic pain recedes, almost to full relief, i.e. characterized by painless gaps. Fever, as a rule, is not observed. With a hernia, a tumor-like formation is observed.
Thus, intestinal colic is characterized by:
- severe cramping pain with periods of full well-being;
- pressure on the stomach brings relief;
- body temperature is normal;
- constipation with frequent urge to the toilet;
- the abdomen is soft, participates in the act of breathing.
Treatment
To remove intestinal colic it is possible spasmolytic and anaesthetising preparations: no-spy, papaverine, spasmalgon, baralgin. However, one must remember that severe abdominal cramps can be a manifestation of serious diseases. Ignoring this possibility can lead to serious consequences, including death. Therefore, any pain and spasms in the abdomen require a doctor, preferably before taking analgesics, so as not to erase the clinical picture and not complicate the diagnosis.