home Analyzes Nervous spasm of the gastric muscles symptoms. Stomach pain with cramps. Stomach cramps and nausea

Nervous spasm of the gastric muscles symptoms. Stomach pain with cramps. Stomach cramps and nausea

We work, and he works with us, we rest, and he continues to stay awake. It works even when we sleep. Do you know who this tireless worker is? This is our stomach. To maintain the normal digestive process, it 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, which are accompanied by stomach cramps and vomiting. This is what we will 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 take care of their health, because they have work and many unresolved pressing problems. Children have school, sports clubs, clubs. My whole life has turned into sheer stress: chronic lack of sleep, abnormal nutrition, lack of proper rest. This is not a complete list of factors that negatively affect the body in general and the condition 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 consequence of serious diseases of the digestive tract. Functional spasms, on the contrary, are characteristic of the younger age group. They arise due to disturbances 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 in nature for each patient. The main factors provoking functional disorders include:

long-term use of medications;
poisoning;
mental stress;
mechanical impacts;
smoking;
consumption of products containing caffeine;
irregular meals, eating before bed, frequent cases of overeating;
hypothermia of the body for a long time.

Here you can also add functional neuroses due to depression, vegetative-vascular dystonia, and increased emotionality.

A fairly common cause of stomach cramps and bile vomiting is dysfunction of the gallbladder or biliary tract. This occurs 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 activity immediately after eating.

The patient experiences increased gastric motility, attacks of nausea, ending with yellow-green vomit. For a short time after emptying the stomach in this extraordinary way, the patient may feel a slight improvement in his condition.

Main signs of stomach cramps

Convulsive spasms in the abdominal area are manifested by acute attacks of dull pain in the stomach with nausea and cold sweat. Often such pain is accompanied by a sharp contraction of the abdominal muscles and makes it impossible to straighten up. However, abdominal cramps, nausea, and diarrhea or constipation are rarely separated. The vomiting center of the brain, when excited, provokes nausea, and vomiting is its logical conclusion and at the same time causes a 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 several hours. In this state, the patient has a desire to lie down and curl up in the fetal position. Despite the feeling of hunger, there can be no talk of any food.

When should you see a doctor?

Stomach cramps and vomiting indicate a serious illness if they are accompanied by the following symptoms:

the intensity of pain is unbearable;
long-term attacks of pain;
vaginal bleeding in women and pain in the scrotum in men;
difficulty breathing;
blood inclusions in the vomit;
dark stool;
fever and cold, sticky sweat;
pale appearance;
prolonged absence of urination;
constipation and bloating.

Vomiting and 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, accompanied by acute abdominal pain, vomiting and diarrhea with mucus and blood, is extremely rare. Such cases require immediate medical attention.

In schoolchildren, spasms and colic may occur due to possible disturbances in the functioning of the liver or overstrain of the abdominal muscles.

One of the most common symptoms of stomach diseases is cramps. These are strong contractions of smooth muscles that are accompanied by pain. Most often, this condition is provoked by gastrointestinal pathologies, but there may be other reasons.

Typically, stomach cramps can be easily relieved with medications. Surgical intervention is used extremely rarely.

Spasms are convulsive contractions of the muscle layer. It consists of smooth fibers and serves as a response to irritation of the mucous membrane or a reaction to gastrointestinal pathologies. The stomach muscles are different from the skeletal muscles and are controlled by the nervous system. Normally, the work of the gastrointestinal tract is not felt, but due to a number of reasons a person feels discomfort and pain.

Spasms can appear in any part of the stomach, more often in the antrum or near the pylorus. These sections are reduced due to various diseases (for example, ulcers, appendicitis, pathologies of the pancreas and gall bladder). Functional spasms most often appear in people under 40 years of age.

Gastrospasms can be limited, total or partial. In the latter case, the disorders are mainly reflexive and indicate dyspepsia. Limited spasms often occur due to previous gastric diseases (tuberculous granuloma, ulcerative scarring, etc.).

Causes of stomach cramps

When stomach cramps are observed, the reasons may be different. They are divided into functional and organic. The first group includes those associated with the emotional state, lifestyle, and environmental situation:

Cramps can appear due to a feeling of hunger when a person does not eat for a long time. This is especially felt with stomach ulcers. Functional disorders largely depend on the individuality of the organism - for example, excessive emotionality, etc.

Organic causes include changes in tissues and diseases. Such spasms often occur in adulthood. The causes of disorders are:

Exacerbation of pancreatitis or the appearance of colic in the stomach. They are usually triggered by fatty foods or alcohol.
Violation of hydrochloric acid production.
Diverticulitis.
Cholecystitis.
Gastritis, especially in the acute stage. In severe cases of the disease, spasms may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
Erosive lesions of the gastric mucosa.
Thrombosis.
Colitis.
Cancerous neoplasms.
Impaired blood supply to the stomach.
Hepatitis.
Irritable bowel syndrome.
Polyps.
Peptic ulcer, exacerbation of which is provoked by alcohol or food.
Gastroduodenitis.

The nature of the spasms can be determined by administering Atropine or Dibazol to the patient. If the disorder remains after these drugs, the causes of spasms are organic. Sometimes spasms occur due to diabetes, pathologies of the abdominal organs, and reproductive system (in women).

Manifestations of stomach cramps and accompanying symptoms

Spasms are always accompanied by pain, chills, and belching. The sensations intensify progressively. The general condition worsens, tension in the abdominal muscles appears. The pain is most often cramping and localized in the stomach area. They may radiate to the navel or lower back, accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and general weakness.

Pain occurs due to compression of blood vessels, as a result of which blood enters this area of tissue in insufficient quantities. The sensation may be tingling or last for many hours. If the spasms are sharp, they are often accompanied by diarrhea, diarrhea, dizziness, and weakness. If the contraction affects the abdominal muscles, the condition is alleviated only in a lying position, when the knees are pulled up to the chin. This helps reduce tension.

Stomach cramps in pregnant women

Cramps during pregnancy are common. The sensations are mild, not strong and go away on their own. Cramps occur due to an increase in the size of the uterus. At the same time, ligaments and muscles are stretched, blood circulation increases. Spasms appear in the lower abdomen - on either side or both.

Sometimes they can be a sign of disease or abnormal structure of organs. For example, when the uterus is bent, it is located closer to the top of the bladder. As a result, after the egg has implanted and the fetus has developed, there is a lot of pressure on it.

Spasms also appear due to increased progesterone levels. However, in this case, sensations appear only at the beginning of pregnancy. Spasms almost always accompany toxicosis. With it, a woman sometimes goes hungry for some time until the attack ends. This provokes the appearance of negative symptoms.

Diagnosis of diseases accompanied by stomach spasms

A gastroenterologist diagnoses the appearance of spasms. He listens to the patient's complaints, performs a visual examination, palpation, and percussion of the abdominal cavity. Determines the nature of the disorder and its causes. For example:

Negative sensations appear 15-30 minutes after experiencing stress, neurosis, or eating. The pain begins to subside after the stomach contents are emptied.
With a peptic ulcer, sensations appear half an hour after a meal. At the same time, nausea and vomiting occur. The pain disappears after digestion of food - after about 1.5 hours.
With pancreatitis, negative sensations occur immediately after eating. The location of the pain is in the area of the left hypochondrium. The sensations are overwhelming.
With irritable bowel contractions appear 60 minutes after a meal. At the same time, severe gas formation is observed, the abdominal muscles tense, and diarrhea occurs. The pain goes away after bowel movement.
Dyskinesia and inflammation of the gallbladder are accompanied by contractions in the right hypochondrium.
If the cause is gastroduodenitis, then spasms occur 1.5 hours after a meal. At the same time, the person feels heaviness and distension in the abdomen. Pain occurs in the epigastrium, navel area.
Acute food poisoning is accompanied by cramps, chills, and diarrhea. The pain is paroxysmal in nature. A person’s temperature rises, and there may be impurities of pus, mucus and blood in the stool.

If necessary, the gastroenterologist may prescribe FEGDS, Ultrasound, CT, MRI, radiography. The patient takes a general blood and urine test. Feces are checked and blood biochemistry is done.

When to see a doctor

If you have cramps, you can simply call a doctor or make an appointment. However, there are a number of alarming symptoms when urgent help is needed:

In these cases, it is necessary to call an ambulance. Before the doctor arrives, it is not recommended to take any medications; it is advisable not to consume food or water.

First aid for stomach cramps

Partial help can be provided independently, especially if there are no alarming symptoms. For a while you need to give up food and water, take a comfortable position in which the pain becomes less (usually “curl”). It is not recommended to take analgesic drugs. This can make it difficult to determine the cause of the cramping. If they appear, you should avoid putting pressure on the navel or abdomen. If there are no dangerous symptoms, then you can use the following assistance algorithm:

Check your pulse. During an attack of pain it should be 100 beats/min.
Measure blood pressure. It should not be less than 100/60 and more than 140/90.
Measure the temperature (up to 37.3 degrees is allowed).

If all indicators are normal, then you need to take a lying position and put a warm heating pad on your stomach. You can take an antispasmodic. If you have gastritis, take the tablets previously prescribed by your doctor.

Treatment of stomach cramps

Treatment of spasms can be carried out in two ways - medication or folk remedies. More often, the sensations are relieved by complex therapy. However, the basis of therapy is medications (including painkillers), if spasms are caused by diseases.

When the sensations are temporary and appear due to functional reasons, you can limit yourself to traditional medicine. In case of serious pathologies (for example, oncology), spasms can only be eliminated through surgery.

Drugs

Antispasmodics are mainly used for treatment. They eliminate symptoms.

"Papaverine" is produced in tablets and suppositories. However, it has many side effects, so it is rarely used. All of the listed drugs or painkillers should not be taken during an exacerbation until the cause of the symptoms is identified.

Useful video

You can learn why spasms occur in this video.

ethnoscience

If you sometimes experience stomach cramps, what should you do at home? You can relieve symptoms using traditional methods. Chamomile tea is very effective. It simultaneously calms and is an antidepressant, restores the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, and relaxes the muscles. To relieve spasms, take 1 tbsp. l. plants and brewed in 200 ml of boiling water. The tea is infused for half an hour, then drunk little by little throughout the day. You can add mint or honey to this drink.

A collection of immortelle and chamomile is more effective. It relieves spasms, pain and inflammation. Take 1 tbsp. l. chamomile and 1.5 tbsp. l. immortelle. The collection is poured with 250 ml of boiling water and left for half an hour. Then drink it three times. The duration of such treatment is three weeks.

Nutrition and prevention

When cramps occur, you must follow proper nutrition. At least for a while, you need to give up fatty, spicy, smoked and baked goods. You can't drink alcohol. It is important to give up bad habits. Foods that cause gas formation, coffee, and strong tea are excluded from the diet.

This diet is also suitable for preventing spasms. Other recommendations to prevent negative symptoms:

you need to eat some, but little by little (5 times a day);
do breathing exercises;
follow a diet and, if you are obese, try to reduce your weight to normal;
to live an active lifestyle;
give the body physical activity (except strength exercises);
food only needs to be boiled, stewed or baked.

If all recommendations are followed, the risk of spasms is significantly reduced. However, if symptoms recur frequently, you should consult a gastroenterologist. Only he will be able to establish the nature of the spasms in the stomach, choose the causes and treatment correctly. Self-therapy is unacceptable, as it can cause even greater complications.

Abdominal pain, 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 prompt medical intervention.

The cause of spasm may be excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Most often, stomach cramps appear as a response to some external irritant. A person does not always attach importance to what he eats or what lifestyle he leads. And therefore, at a certain moment the body itself has to react to this in order to warn the person. The main reasons that can provoke a spasm include:

Frequent and excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages. Some believe that this effect can only appear after drinking 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 spasms only because at a certain moment they do not 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 vomits several times. In this case, the stomach will hurt (spasm will appear) for two reasons. Firstly, despite intoxication and general malaise, food must be supplied to 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 sudden), 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 entering it, and therefore may react ambiguously to overload
A large number of spices in the dish, which provoke excessive acid production
Taking certain medications that can provoke a stomach response, as a rule, these can be Analgin, Baralgin
Stress or severe nervous tension, during which the body can react in any way to general tension
Drinking carbonated drinks. Those people who drink any carbonated drink every day (be it Coca-Cola or just lemonade) expose their stomach to great danger, because the substances in their composition not only corrode it, but also provoke severe cramps
Fasting, 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 causes the spasm, the treatment will depend, because if you approach all causes the same, you can only make things worse.

Symptoms of stomach cramps

Stomach spasm manifests itself in severe pain, which can be either sharp or dull.

As a rule, stomach spasms are accompanied by a number of symptoms, each of which directly indicates serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The main symptoms of stomach spasms include:

Severe pain that can be either sharp or dull. It all depends on how severe the spasm is. Moreover, in most cases, such pain forces a person to 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. In this case, a person literally can neither straighten nor bend
A constant feeling of nausea, which may not even go away if the spasm itself has stopped
Vomiting, which appears if the pain is severe and the spasm is also severe. This is the body’s response by which it tries to get rid of discomfort.
Dizziness, which appears as a reaction of the body to severe pain. Each person’s pain threshold is different, and some people tolerate it with ease, while others immediately lose consciousness

In any case, when the symptoms described above appear, it is necessary to urgently begin to take 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 concomitants during a stomach spasm, and in which it is necessary to either call your doctor or immediately an ambulance:

The pain becomes stronger every minute and the person loses consciousness
The attack lasts several hours, and the pain does not decrease
Vaginal bleeding began. 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 stool turned black. This indicates that bleeding has begun in the intestines.
The pain began to radiate to the neck, chest and shoulders
Body temperature rose sharply and fever began
If the patient's skin turns pale
If you have not urinated for ten hours

In addition, you need to call an ambulance or consult a doctor even when your stomach is swollen and there are problems with the toilet.

Basic principles

Painkillers can be used to relieve pain.

To get rid of this unpleasant symptom as quickly as possible, you need to follow several principles:

First, relieve the pain, namely, take a painkiller, unless the stomach spasm is accompanied by other symptoms, such as vomiting blood, black stool, etc.
Secondly, restore fluid levels in the body and cells. To relax the muscle fibers that provoke this spasm, you need to drink as much water as possible, preferably either Essentuki mineral water without gases, or if you can’t go to the store, put a teaspoon of any salt in a liter of boiled water
Thirdly, take all necessary antiemetic measures. This must be done in order to preserve the drunk fluid in the body as much as possible, since frequent vomiting causes even more severe dehydration.
Fourthly, follow a dietary regime, namely, on the first day, refuse to eat at all (especially if the spasm was severe). Only sweet tea is allowed
Fifthly, maintain bed rest, because the body must recover from the 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.

Stomach spasm. What to do?

NO-SPA is a drug for relieving muscle spasms.

If a person is absolutely sure that the spasm is not caused by some serious disease, it can be relieved independently by doing the following:

Drink a glass of warm, preferably boiled water. Warm water will help relax tense muscles
Take a warm bath, but only if there is no weakness or dizziness. Otherwise, this action can only harm
Apply a bottle of warm water to the stomach, but also only if you are completely sure that the spasm is harmless
Take a No-shpa (or Drotaverine) tablet, which will help relieve muscle spasms and reduce pain within half an hour
Take an antacid if heartburn is added to the spasm
Eliminate spicy foods from your diet, which can easily provoke spasms.

It should be noted that in no case should you take aspirin and anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce pain, as they can provoke an even more severe attack.

Spasm treatment

Pancreatin - helps speed up the process of food digestion.

Despite the fact that today no clear causes of spasms have been identified, doctors are trying to take all possible preventive and therapeutic measures in order to make the patient’s life easier and make it better. Before starting treatment, doctors need to conduct a full diagnosis of why spam occurred and what provoked it.

When stressed and during times of severe nervous tension, it is recommended to take a No-shpa tablet, as well as any sedative 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 the person valerian
In case of poisoning, it is necessary to completely unload the stomach and begin to eat gradually. In addition, after the vomiting has stopped and about two hours have passed, the person should be given sweet tea to drink in order to replenish not only the water balance, but also to raise the blood sugar level. When dehydrated, the body experiences severe stress and needs help to cope with it.
For gastritis and ulcers. Due to the fact that during gastritis and ulcers, the gastric mucosa, and indeed the entire stomach, 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 must completely exclude from the diet those foods that could provoke a new attack in the future, and also begin to treat the original problem, that is, gastritis or ulcers. To do this, you need to kill a bacterium such as Helicobacter, which is the cause of the development of these diseases
When you are hungry, you need to eat immediately. But you need to do this carefully and start with small portions, because the stomach can react ambiguously to food
When overeating, it is necessary to urgently empty the stomach, artificially inducing vomiting, so as not to overload it more. And then take a Pancreatin tablet so that leftover food is digested faster, and a No-shpa tablet to relieve spasms

In any case, treatment will depend solely on what caused the spasm. Because relieving a symptom at once does not eliminate the problem itself, with the exception of overeating. If a stomach spasm occurs, you need to pay attention to what caused it. And if the pain appeared only once, then there is no need to take special measures. But if spasms begin 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.

The following video will tell you about the cause of abdominal pain:

Stomach spasms are characterized by the development of specific pains that force you to bend over.

Spasms in the stomach are the development of severe pain of a compressive nature in 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, including 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 years old have some special features. Additional symptoms will help distinguish the main types of conditions accompanied by stomach cramps.

When do stomach cramps develop?

Depending on the causes, stomach cramps are conventionally 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 stomach spasm.

In addition to spasms, a person always notes the presence of other, additional signs of the disease.

Warning! Only a doctor should diagnose 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 cancer.

Functional spasms

This is the name of a symptom that develops in conditions in which there is no damage to any of the linings of the stomach and duodenum, there are no foreign bodies in the esophagus, or stones in the pancreatic ducts. Such spasms develop due to disturbances or the functioning of nerves going to different parts of the stomach, or receptor cells that incorrectly processed the received commands.

The causes of such spasms are:

some medications;
smoking;
stress, neuroses, vegetative-vascular dystonia: this is how a stomach spasm occurs due to nervousness;
food allergies;
abuse of black tea or coffee;
poor nutrition;
poisoning;
hypothermia.

How do stomach cramps manifest?

If it is the stomach that hurts, it is felt in the epigastric region

Symptoms of stomach cramps are as follows:

dull pain “in the pit of the stomach”, a little to the left or to the right;
it becomes easier if you take a bent position;
urge to vomit.

Differential diagnosis

Warning! Below we present the main symptoms that accompany stomach cramps in various diseases. The description is made for informational purposes and does not aim to recommend that a person do without medical help.

When do abdominal cramps occur in pregnant women?

Stomach cramps during pregnancy develop due to the following 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, reminiscent of menstrual cramps.

During pregnancy, all those dangerous conditions can develop that lead to the development of stomach cramps, as in the “non-pregnant” state. Gastritis, pancreatitis, poisoning, peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis, appendicitis - all this can occur in a woman expecting a child.

When can a child develop spasms?

Stomach cramps in a child under one year old can be a symptom of the following conditions:

There is an insufficient amount of lactase enzyme in the child’s intestines, which takes an active part in the breakdown of milk and unadapted milk formulas. In this case, you will experience bloating, loose stools, and poor weight gain. Bloating occurs after feeding the baby.
Dysbacteriosis is a condition that develops after a child or nursing mother takes antibacterial drugs. Characterized by cramps, bloating, different types of stool - from liquid to hard; There may be mucus and blood in the stool.
Pylorospasm or pyloric stenosis is a temporary or permanent sphincter muscle located at the border of the stomach and duodenum. It usually develops in children 1.5-3 months of age, characterized by vomiting, regurgitation, and restlessness of the child. Since food passes poorly or does not enter the intestines at all, signs of dehydration are observed.

When a baby under one year old has a stomach ache, he cannot calm down, cries, presses his legs to his stomach

In older children, the causes of cramping sensations in the stomach can be:

Diagnosis of conditions accompanied by spasmodic pain in the stomach

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In order to understand the exact cause of stomach cramps, you need to consult with a therapist, 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, conducting some pharmacological tests;
Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
coprogram;
determination of certain enzymes in stool, depending on the preliminary medical diagnosis;
bacteriological examination of stool;
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 entire body, giving it strength to function.

But, like any organ, the stomach is susceptible to various diseases or simply temporary functional disorders. One such disorder is colic.

What are stomach colics?

Stomach colic occurs due to disruption of the gastrointestinal tract.

Stomach colic is not a disease as such. They only indicate a disruption in the functioning of individual organs of the gastrointestinal tract or the mechanism of digestive processes itself.

Colic can be identified not as a separate symptom, but as a complex of conditions that can appear individually and in various combinations.

The colic itself is spasmodic in nature. They represent sharp contractions of the stomach muscles, which are accompanied by severe pain and general weakness.

Sometimes these symptoms are accompanied by nausea and vomiting. The pain is usually so severe that the person involuntarily assumes the “fetal” position, pulling his knees to his stomach and clasping his stomach with his hands.

Stomach colic can last for varying periods of time. In one case, spasms are possible for several minutes, in another, this condition may not go away for several hours. The pain can be of various types:

periodic (paroxysmal) – between the moments of the onset of pain there are states of rest;
cramping;
cutting;
piercing.

The level of pain may also vary:

mild pain;
moderate;
strongly expressed.

Typically, stomach colic is accompanied by pronounced, disturbing pain. In this case, most likely, there is some kind of functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. If the pain is weak and aching, it, on the contrary, may indicate serious damage to one or more organs.

With colic in the stomach, pain can be felt not only in its area. It can radiate 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.

This makes determining the cause of colic much more difficult. In addition, with a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, no physical changes or mechanical damage to the tissues and organs of the system occur, which also increases the difficulty of determining the causes of spasms.

Why do stomach cramps occur?

Poor nutrition can cause abdominal cramps.

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 colic, we can distinguish:

unhealthy diet (unbalanced diet, insufficient fluid intake, eating habits - talking while eating, snacking on the go, skipping mandatory meals, overeating);
frequent stressful situations;
bad habits: consumption of alcohol and drugs, smoking;
taking certain medications;
chemical intoxication (work in hazardous industrial conditions, disturbed ecology of the environment);
allergic reactions;
poisoning of various etiologies (food, alcohol);
mechanical impact (consequences of operations on the gastrointestinal tract);
consequence of previous diseases;
climate change and eating exotic foods;
hypothermia.

Stomach colic of organic origin is provoked by damage to the gastrointestinal tract:

erosion processes;
gastritis;
gastroduodenitis;
ulcerative inflammation.

Depending on the sources of colic, the treatment program prescribed by a specialist will depend.

First aid

If colic is detected in the abdomen, you must contact a medical facility.

At the first attack, you need to take a comfortable position, relieve pressure with clothing on the abdominal area, and you can drink a painkiller. Recommendations include taking a warm bath and drinking warm drinks.

If the attack does not go away or recurs, you must call a doctor. In any case, after an attack of colic, even a single one, it is necessary to consult a specialist to find out the causes of the spasms and determine further actions - what and how to treat.

Doctors do not recommend taking any action before their arrival, since by eliminating the symptoms, you can complicate the process of finding out the causes of their occurrence, just as they 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 abdominal colic.

When admitting a patient with complaints of colic, first of all, the gastroenterologist collects and analyzes the medical history and life history of the patient himself, as well as the life history of his family. To do this, the doctor may ask the following questions:

Duration and nature of pain.
Having problems with bowel movements (constipation, bleeding).
The occurrence of nausea and vomiting, increased body temperature.
The fact of taking painkillers and the positive effect of taking them.
The patient's lifestyle and eating habits.
Past and present presence of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract in the patient and his family members.
Next, if this is a primary appointment, the doctor examines the patient, performs percussion (palpation and tapping) of the abdominal area and, especially carefully, the epigastric region (the area of the anterior abdominal wall corresponding to the projection of the stomach onto this wall).

The patient is then sent for laboratory tests. You may need:

general blood and urine analysis;
blood chemistry;
stool occult blood test;
a routine stool test is a coprogram.

To clarify the picture of the disease, the patient undergoes the necessary instrumental diagnostic procedures:

Ultrasound examination of the abdominal area allows you to assess the general condition of the organs.
An X-ray examination does not provide an accurate picture of the condition of the tissues and organs of the abdominal cavity, but allows one to see the presence and distribution of gases and liquids in the image. Based on this information, some conclusions can be drawn about the pathologies occurring in the area of the patient’s body being studied.
Computed tomography is the most accurate and informative method of instrumental diagnostics. On a computed tomogram, the image of 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 cross-section, you can evaluate its shape, size, and condition of the tissues. 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 attending physician draws up a treatment program. It should be remembered that therapeutic procedures (including maintenance therapy) can last for quite a long time.

In this case, you need to periodically visit your treating specialist so that he can assess 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 are revealed, then their treatment is carried out first.

Colic, as an accompanying symptom, may go away on its own. It is possible to prescribe painkillers to alleviate the patient's condition.

If the etiology of gastric colic is not clear or it is established that their cause is a functional disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, complex therapy is prescribed. This does not include a therapeutic diet, lifestyle modification if necessary, and drug treatment.

The diet includes avoiding 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 regime - eat at approximately the same time. Dishes are eaten warm. Food must be chewed thoroughly.

You need to drink a sufficient amount of liquid per day (up to 2 liters), mainly clean water. The lifestyle should be quite active. It is recommended to take walks in the fresh air more often and do simple physical exercises. Drug therapy covers several areas:

Relief of pain (antispasmodics - No-Shpa, Drotaverine).
Relieving tension (antidepressants - Amitriptyline).
Stimulation of digestion (prokinetics - Domperidone).
Normalization of secretion (H2-antihistamines - famotidine).

As an aid, you can take decoctions of medicinal plants. Calamus root, chamomile flowers and angelica herb are mixed in equal proportions. 3 tbsp. l. The mixture is poured with boiling water, brought to a boil, cooled and filtered. Drink half a glass of the decoction before meals.

Another option: chamomile flowers, valerian root and 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 infused in a thermos for 6 hours. Drink a glass of the infusion before meals 2 times a day. Lavender, oregano, and motherwort also have a healing effect. They are brewed with boiling water and taken before meals several times a day.

To prevent stomach colic, it is recommended to simply lead a healthy lifestyle: give up bad habits, move more, eat properly and nutritiously, and avoid stressful situations.

Knowing the symptoms of stomach colic and the principles of first aid, a person faced with this situation will not be confused 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 you did not call an ambulance.

This video will tell you about abdominal colic:

Stomach cramps and nausea - the causes of this condition often lie in a malfunction of the digestive system. Such unpleasant sensations can last from several minutes to several hours. Spasms cause severe pain. Why this happens, how to help yourself or a loved one, you should find out about this in advance.

Typically, stomach cramps cause painful sensations in the epigastric region. The pain is paroxysmal in nature. A person has to find a body position in which the pain subsides somewhat. This is the so-called “fetal position”, with the knees pulled up to the stomach. In this position, physiological relaxation of the abdominal muscles occurs, and pain decreases somewhat. Cramps are sometimes accompanied by nausea and vomiting

They arise, as a rule, in response to provoking actions: violations in diet, nutrition, as a result of nervous stress. If spasms recur regularly, then it is necessary to look for the cause of these conditions, since the appearance of these symptoms indicates the presence of pathological changes in the gastrointestinal tract. It is best to seek medical help from a gastroenterologist, or, in his absence, from a general practitioner or family doctor.

After the examination, the doctor will order the following laboratory and instrumental examinations:

general blood test with leukocyte formula;
biochemical blood test (protein, lipid, carbohydrate metabolism, liver tests);
stool analysis for worm eggs and coprogram;
ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs;
endoscopic examination of the stomach and duodenum, possibly with a biopsy;
X-ray of the stomach, if necessary;
urease breath test for Helicobacter pylori.

After all, a correct diagnosis will allow you to prescribe adequate treatment.

What caused

If you suffer from stomach cramps or nausea, the reasons can be very different. Basically, they provoke this condition:

functional disorders of the stomach or intestines (functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome or isolated functional abdominal pain);
stomach diseases: gastritis and gastroduodenitis;
peptic ulcer of the stomach and duodenum;
pyloric stenosis and disease of the operated stomach;
with other gastrointestinal diseases (cholecystitis and biliary dyskinesia, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis or intestinal diseases), cramping pain can radiate to the upper abdomen;
neurotic disorders can manifest themselves with the above symptoms.

Factors that provoke nausea and stomach cramps, causing disturbances in neurohumoral regulation during functional changes or exacerbation of existing chronic gastrointestinal diseases:

Thus, spasms in the stomach can also occur in moments of emotional overexcitation, especially in unbalanced natures, with neuroses, anxiety-depressive syndrome, and sometimes with vegetative-vascular dystonia. Spasmodic pain in the stomach, nausea, vomiting (these are so-called stomach and intestinal colic, or popularly known as cramps) can be a manifestation of dangerous diseases or their complications. Among them: stomach and duodenal ulcers and their possible complications: perforation or perforation, penetration, bleeding, acute and exacerbation of chronic pancreatitis; cholelithiasis and others.

Most often, organic pathology occurs in older people. And among young people (16-30 years old), stomach cramps are mainly of a functional nature and are associated with eating disorders, bad habits, and consumption of low-quality products.

What else are hidden in spasms?

By the nature of the pain, you can roughly determine what kind of problem is hidden behind the periodically occurring spasms of the digestive organ. If these spasms are also accompanied by problems with bowel movements and increased frequency, then one may suspect:

pancreatitis;
intestinal infection;
enterovirus infection;
irritable bowel syndrome.

If there is cramping pain in the lower abdomen, usually on the right, then appendicitis can be assumed. There are other diseases that cause spasms:

acute or exacerbation of gastritis or gastroduodenitis;
cholecystitis;
ulcerative colitis;
oncological diseases.

The timing of the spasms can also tell a lot. As a rule, pain is associated with eating. If before eating - “hungry”, or 2 hours after eating, “night” - all these are characteristics of pain with an ulcer of the duodenal bulb. Pain immediately or some time after eating occurs with gastritis. Intense spasmodic pain with pancreatitis or gallstones appears 2-3 hours after fatty, fried foods, or drinking alcohol in the upper abdomen, more on the left or right, respectively.

That is, the location of the spasms is also important. When making a diagnosis, this factor must be taken into account. If the patient complains of painful spasms near the navel, then the cause of the pain is damage to the small intestine, most often the duodenum. Contractions localized below the navel are caused by pathology of the large intestine.

Many expectant mothers know this condition when they feel nauseous and spasmodic pain takes over the entire stomach. Sometimes he vomits. This happens for the following reasons:

toxicosis;
hormonal changes with high levels of progesterone (in the first half of pregnancy);
spasms and heartburn at the slightest violation in the diet, in the presence of fetal pressure on the stomach in the last weeks of pregnancy.

It is not recommended for mothers to take any measures on their own for stomach cramps, as this can negatively affect the child. It is better to consult your doctor.

Origin

Sometimes spasms of the digestive organ appear as if out of nowhere. Their appearance is so unexpected that it is difficult for the patient to predict them. Such spastic manifestations occur on an empty stomach, and after eating, during calm or active activities.

The reasons for the development of stomach cramps, as you already understand, are varied. As a rule, they are a consequence of impaired motor function of the stomach. And this is also taken into account when prescribing treatment.

What to do

When a dull or aching pain in the stomach begins to manifest itself as spasms, spasms in this case indicate a worsening of the pathological process. If they are observed for a long time, do not go away on their own, but increase (more often and more intensely), are accompanied by weakness, fever, vomiting, tachycardia, dizziness, increased bowel movements, jaundiced color of the skin and whites of the eyes - it’s time to urgently seek medical help so as not to skip the condition of “acute abdomen” and its complications – peritonitis. Sudden complications of a peptic ulcer, a stone in progress with cholelithiasis, acute gastritis, cholecystitis, pancreatitis - these are precisely the conditions that require urgent emergency care: surgery or, at best, intensive care. If the cause of everything is stress, the main task is to calm down. Breathing exercises help well - take a deep breath and exhale slowly in a ratio of 1:1.5 or 1:2. You can use herbal preparations: Bulgarian valerian in a dose of at least 100 mg, Sedariston, Sedavit, Anantavati, Novopassit. For better treatment effectiveness, you can add belladonna preparations that have an analgesic effect: Bellastesin, Besalol.

If you have gastrointestinal diseases, you should not self-medicate. A consultation with a doctor will help you understand the situation, undergo the necessary examinations to clarify the diagnosis and receive treatment. And to alleviate the condition during a spasm, antispasmodics are recommended. They exist precisely to relieve spasms. But it is worth emphasizing that such drugs eliminate only the symptom, and do not remove the cause of the disease. To get rid of pain, take medications such as:

No-spa and Drotaverine - take no more than 80 grams per day. The drugs relax the muscles of the internal organs. But they also lower blood pressure and cause drowsiness;
Papaverine - it is used less frequently, as it has many side effects;
Duspatalin, Mebeverine, Sparex are modern drugs narrowly aimed at relaxing the gastric muscles;
Buscopan is an anticholinergic, or more precisely, an M-anticholinergic blocker. Acts quickly, relieves spasms and pain. But it is not recommended for pregnant women;
Meteospasmil. As the name suggests, it relieves gas and also relieves cramps.

But you should know that antispasmodics as painkillers are not recommended to be taken when the spasms are very strong, and are also accompanied by severe nausea, fever, and so on. You should seek emergency help and also visit a gastroenterologist.

Important! You can avoid the problem by seeing a doctor, conducting a thorough examination and taking adequate measures.

The answer to the question of how to relieve stomach spasms largely depends on the symptoms. When did the spasm occur, what kind exactly, what were the reasons? Let's look at all the important points and ways to fix the problem.

The first step is to determine the cause (more about them below).

The reasons are not always clear; spastic pain can be confused with pain due to poisoning, appendicitis, menstruation, diverticulitis, from which the measures described in the article will not bring relief. It is not always easy to determine the location of pain (irradiation). In addition, the severity of the pain is not always directly related to the level of the problem: very weak, barely noticeable contractions may indicate rectal cancer, and the accumulation of gases in the intestines causes severe pain.

If unpleasant symptoms appear, you should definitely consult a doctor to identify the root cause. Involuntary and seemingly causeless nocturnal contractions of the stomach muscles should be taken especially seriously - the appearance of such indicates significant disturbances in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.

In case of an unexpected attack at home, when there is no time to find out the reasons, immediate help is required and there is no time to think about how to relieve the pain, the safest and most reliable thing is to drink clean water, refuse food for the next few hours, try to relax and rest, taking a horizontal position , perhaps take medicine for stomach cramps (more about them below in the “Emergency” section).

Elimination of cramps that appear before meals

Cramps and pain can appear both before and after meals. Reasons for contractions of the gastrointestinal tract muscles before eating:

Stress and nervous overexcitation. A common cause of discomfort in women. How to relieve spasm? In this case, relaxing the whole body helps. Preparations: . If the ligament “emotionally difficult situation – pain in the gastrointestinal tract” regularly appears, you should contact a gastroenterologist; this may be a symptom of incipient gastritis. The duration of “emotional” contractions of the gastrointestinal muscles can be several minutes, or maybe several hours. To relieve pain, you can put on a heating pad and take a warm drink - they will allow the tight muscles to relax.
Overzealous dieting. Illiterate fasting can lead to the fact that the gastrointestinal tract, unaccustomed to long periods without food, contracts reflexively. If it’s just a matter of diet and fasting, you should eat something small and neutral, and then follow the eating regimen, and at the appointed time, even if you need to stick to the diet, eat, for example, a small piece of black bread.

After drinking alcohol

They are worth considering separately.

Some patients experience stomach pain and cramping from even small amounts of alcoholic drinks.

The reason is possibly functional dyspepsia or an ulcer of the walls of the gastrointestinal tract (if the patient drinks alcohol regularly, smokes or eats poorly), or the body’s reaction to alcohol intoxication (if the patient, on the contrary, drinks alcohol extremely rarely). In the first case, you can get rid of negative feelings only with the help of long-term treatment, in the second, it is enough to wait - the symptoms will go away on their own.

After meal

The most common time for stomach cramps to occur is immediately after eating, or after a short time. Causes:

Binge eating. The body is trying to get rid of excess stress. The gastrointestinal tract organs cannot cope with the resulting volume, and undigested food becomes an “extra burden”, causing vomiting, nausea and convulsive contractions of the stomach muscles. Treatment: drugs that improve the secretion of gastric juice. For example, panzinorm, mexaza, .
Food poisoning. Poor quality food causes increased mucus production in the walls of the gastrointestinal tract and involuntary contractions - this is how the body tries to cleanse itself of pathogenic bacteria. Vomiting in this case is useful and desirable. If it does not occur involuntarily, you should induce it artificially - drink 1.5-2 liters of water (warm), you can add potassium permanganate to get a very pale pink tint of water, then tickle your throat with your fingers. If you suspect this reason, and it is too late to induce vomiting (too much time has passed since eating), you should do an enema.
After taking medications. Mainly, antibiotics that destroy the natural microflora of the gastrointestinal tract. “Sterile” organs are not able to digest the incoming food, and the same picture is repeated as in the case of overeating. Treatment is very different. It is necessary to take drugs that restore microflora. Anti-spasm tablets in this case: Baktisubtil, Bifiform, Linex, Acipol, Lactobacterin and many others. Typically, such drugs are selected by the attending physician who has prescribed a course of antibiotics.

Pyloric spasm

Spasm of the pylorus of the stomach or pylorospasm is a contraction and clamping of the muscles of the lower part of the organ, where it exits into the small intestine. There is an elastic sphincter in this place. In this case, there are the following characteristic symptoms:

Full, tight, hard stomach when palpated.
Stitching pain after eating, feels like colic.
Frequent nausea, bad breath, and with regular spasms of the pylorus, the patient loses weight.
A couple of hours after a painful attack, the patient releases a large amount of almost clear urine.

Spasm of the pylorus is treated with complex measures. After the diagnosis is made (an X-ray with contrast is performed), the following measures are prescribed, mainly, you will have to reconsider your diet:

Spicy, irritating foods and foods high in fiber are excluded from the menu. Only light meals at moderate temperatures, scalding hot or icy foods are prohibited.
Patients with vomiting and severe dehydration are given saline solution orally or intravenously.
To successfully get rid of the symptoms of pyloric spasm, careful adherence to the daily regimen and nutrition, balanced exercise and rest, light physical therapy, and massage are required.
For the treatment of severe cases, drugs are prescribed: atropine, drotaverine.
The patient undergoes physiotherapy (electrophoresis, warming paraffin applications on the abdomen).

Emergency help

Sometimes emergency help may be required at home, the pain is so severe. Medicines that can be used quickly:

– suspension and tablets. With severe pain syndrome – A.
Spazgan – tablets and solution for intravenous administration.
- pills.
– tablets, suppositories, injection solution.

The fastest relief will come from an injection of the drug, a suppository will take effect in 20 minutes, medicine for stomach cramps in the form of tablets will have an effect in 30-40 minutes.

Diet for cramps

To prevent the occurrence of repeated spastic contractions of the stomach in the future, in addition to a gastroenterological examination, you should:

Move more.
To refuse from bad habits.
Review your diet.

Products that you should avoid eating are all products that are mechanically, thermally or chemically capable of overloading the gastrointestinal tract:

Heavy, fatty, spicy food. Steaming is preferable.
Products containing large amounts of coarse fiber.
Carbonated drinks.
Pastries, pies, pies.
Fatty, thick meat and mushroom broths, mushrooms.
Sour, pickled and pickled vegetables and fruits – they increase acidity.

Drinking excessively is prohibited. And of course, you should follow the general rules of a healthy diet: no stale foods (sometimes harmless bread bought yesterday can become a source of pathogenic microorganisms), normal (3-4 hours) intervals between meals, fasting days (they are arranged once a week, eating only light meals during the day), moderation in diet (avoid overeating, and if bouts of “gluttony” are regular, you should think about the possible psychological underpinnings of this phenomenon), no food that is too hot or too cold.

The dietary regime is observed for at least 2 months.

Most common reasons

Among the reasons include functional stomach disorders (aerophagia, pylorospasm, dyspepsia), food allergies. But, as a rule, patients with such features are aware of their disorder.

Sudden convulsive sensations against the background of complete gastroenterological health are usually caused by stress and severe emotional experiences. In body language, pain in the stomach is a pinched, very strong anger. There are techniques for relieving this anger, but you will need to work with a specialist.

In addition to stress, neurosis, and an emotionally difficult situation, hypothermia, a large fatty dinner, or eating a new, unusual food can cause unreasonable unpleasant sensations. The disorder can be provoked by diseases of other organs of the gastrointestinal tract, blood diseases, cardiovascular and endocrine diseases.