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Pencil chair causes and treatment
contents
causes
Crohn's disease as the cause of altered bowel movements
Ulcerative colitis as a trigger
Adhesions after surgery
Tumor in the intestine and colon cancer
Pencil chair in intestinal polyps
Endometriosis as a trigger of the complaints
Chronic constipation
Irritable bowel syndrome as a trigger
Pencil chair - the walk to the doctor
causes
Normal bowel movement is light brown, soft and leaves the anus with a certain diameter. The intestine is emptied quickly and easily. If the chair with distinctly reduced diameter deposited in a kind of pencil form, so is the pencil chair. The most common cause of this is known to be narrowing of the lower colon.
Stenoses in the rectum can lead to pencil chair. Stenosis refers to constrictions in vessels or hollow organs. These are either innate or arise in the course of life. At the beginning of such a stenosis, the body itself tries to overcome the bottleneck by increasing its own movements, which, in view of the spasmodic contractions of the intestinal musculature, on the one hand feels and on the other hand can be felt. Due to the stenosis, the chair does not have its normal shape, but is dropped off as a pencil chair. The cause of the narrowing (stenosis) should definitely be clarified by a doctor. For example, it can develop as a result of chronic inflammation, adhesions after surgery or tumorous events. But even a massive form of endometriosis (proliferation of the uterus), which affects the lower part of the colon or sigmoid, can lead to a pencil chair. The worst manifestation of a stenosis is the ileus or intestinal obstruction.
Crohn's disease as the cause of altered bowel movements
Chronic inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease, can also be the cause of pencil chair. Crohn's disease can affect the entire digestive tract, from the oral cavity to the anus. Above all, the lower small intestine and the large intestine are affected. The recurring inflammations, which occur in batches and sometimes persist for weeks, cause fibrosis (hardening of the tissue by connective tissue cells) and adhesions. Bowel sections narrow, allowing only a bowel movement in a significantly reduced diameter. In Crohn's disease, however, symptoms such as diarrhea, fever, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, and pain are more common.
Ulcerative colitis as a trigger
Ulcerative colitis is also a chronic inflammatory bowel disease. Here, however, unlike Crohn's disease, not the entire digestive tract, but from the rectum, starting from the large intestine affected. The cause of the occurring pencil chair is the chronic inflammation and the associated ulceration, which in turn can lead to a narrowing. Other symptoms of ulcerative colitis include diarrhea, up to 30 times a day, which can sometimes be bloody. Added to this are weakness, loss of performance, tiredness, a bloated abdomen or flatulence and massive colic. Patients affected by this disease are at an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer.
Adhesions after surgery
As a result of surgery, adhesions can develop, including in the area of the colon, which in turn can lead to a stenosis and consequent pencil chair.
Tumor in the intestine and colon cancer
A tumor in the intestine, which grows in the intestinal lumen, can narrow the area to such an extent that even here only stool in the form of a pencil chair remains possible. A quickest possible medical examination of the complaints is therefore urgently needed.
Unfortunately, there are no clear early signs of colorectal cancer. General indications of a cancer happening can be the following complaints. These include decreased performance, fatigue, bloating, weight loss massive night sweats, abdominal pain and blood in the stool. Mostly the chair habits change too. Typical is a change of diarrhea and constipation, more frequent stool urgency and a foul-purulent odor. If the cancer is located in the rectum, there is a pencil chair, an involuntary loss of stool and wind, and stools mixed with mucus or blood.
Pencil chair in intestinal polyps
Intestinal polyps can also be the cause of pencil chairs. These are mucosal growths that narrow the intestine and usually remain benign. However, they can degenerate, that is, develop into cancer in the worst case. The causes for their development are familial disposition, high-fat diet, alcohol, smoking, lack of exercise, nitrosamines and increasing age.
Endometriosis as a trigger of the complaints
Endometriosis is a benign condition in which uterine lining is found outside the uterus, such as the intestine, ureter or bladder. Sometimes the mucous membrane of the uterus infiltrates deep into the intestinal mucosa, which narrows the lumen of the intestine and creates a pencil chair. Especially if the end area or the sigmoid (S-curve between descending colon and rectum) of the colon are affected.
Chronic constipation
Chronic constipation means chronic constipation, which means that less than three times a week stool is emptied, the amount is small and the consistency is hard. Constipation is often associated with abdominal pain, flatulence, nausea, and the feeling of incomplete emptying. Chronic constipation can also cause a pencil chair. If this is the case for longer, a doctor should be consulted. In the worst case, it can develop an intestinal obstruction.
Causes of chronic constipation are unhealthy fiber-poor diets, too low hydration, lack of exercise, psychological conflicts, but also various drugs, such as opiates, codeinhaltige cough medicine, calcium antagonists and iron supplements.
Irritable bowel syndrome as a trigger
Irritable bowel syndrome is a functional bowel disease, which means that there are no underlying organic causes. This may include discomfort, such as flatulence, change of diarrhea and constipation, abdominal cramps and the pencil chair. Not infrequently accompany psychovegetative disorders, such as headaches and depressive moods this disease. Stress, unresolved conflicts, food intolerances and allergies contribute to the development of irritable bowel syndrome.
Pencil chair - the walk to the doctor
In case of recurring pencil chair a doctor should be consulted. After a detailed medical history, further investigations follow. In the digital rectal examination, for example, the rectum (rectum) is scanned with the finder. It can be found any thickening or narrowing. Absence of visible blood in the stool tests for occult blood (blood not visible to the eye). This is done by the so-called Haemocult test, also known as a paper stripe test. This consists of three test letters. On these three consecutive days with the spatula a stool sample applied and then the test delivered to the treating physician for evaluation. Further examination options are a colonoscopy (colon colonoscopy), computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Pencil chair is a serious matter and should always be clarified. (Sw)
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