Gastric colic - causes, symptoms and treatment

Stomach Colics: Their Causes and Therapies

Colic always is a very painful affair for sufferers. Often it is a colon colic. However, the spasmodic pain can also originate from the epigastrium and then have usually deviant causes.

contents

• Stomach Colics: Their Causes and Therapies
• definition
• Stomach diseases as the main cause
• Stomach cramps due to gastritis
• Gastritis as an autoimmune disease
• Gastritis due to infections
• Gastritis due to chemical substances
• Gastritis as a result of frequent heartburn
• Gastritis as a result of other diseases
• Stomach colic in gastrointestinal infection
• Unhealthy lifestyle is a risk factor
• Stomach ulcers as a cause
• Diseases of other organs as a trigger
• Symptoms of gastric colic
• diagnosis
• Therapy for a stomach colic
• Medical therapy
• Home remedies and herbal remedies
• Operational measures
• Diseases of gastric colic

definition

As is well known, is the stomach (Gaster) in the body responsible for the pre-digestion of any food. For this purpose, but the parietal cells of the gastric mucosa continuously stomach acid from. This is largely determined

• hydrochloric acid,
• mucus,
• protein
• and the digestive enzyme pepsin

together. Also contained in the stomach acid is the so-called Intrinsic factor (IF). A glycoprotein for the absorption of the vitamin B12 compound cobalamin, which is needed in the body for cell division, blood formation and maintenance of nerve functions.

In a stomach colic muscles of the hollow organ cramps, causing severe pain. (Image: psdesign1 / fotolia.com)

Behind the stomach acid producing gastric mucosa, which lines the inside of the stomach, is the actual stomach wall. It consists mainly of muscle tissue, but is also permeated by numerous blood vessels and nerves. The latter have the function to pass on contraction impulses to the stomach muscles and thus to generate the digestive-inducing gastric peristalsis in the form of muscle contractions. As an essential transport mechanism for forwarding the chyme into the intestine serves the so-called usher (Pylorus) - an annular sphincter at the end of the stomach, which allows the passage of pre-digested chyme into the stomach Duodenum (Duodendum) controlled.

A gastric colic arises now, if the nerves in the stomach are irritated by appropriate disturbing influences. The result is nervous glitches, which provoke the peristalsis of the stomach muscles to convulsions. It should be noted that colic generally describes spasmodic pain in the digestive tract. They are caused by persistent irritation of the nerves in the gastrointestinal tract, rarely in the uterus, seminal or urinary tract, and usually indicate a serious illness.

A diagnosis is often made difficult by misinterpretations regarding the exact origin of pain. For example, intestinal spasms can certainly radiate into the stomach and vice versa. Also, the causes of intestinal and stomach colic, as well as any accompanying symptoms, are often identical and therefore not clearly distinguishable. A few basic differentiations can be made nevertheless.

For example, a true gastric colic, in contrast to the intestinal colic, causes central pain cramps in the upper and lower abdomen. The pain is here due to the position of the stomach in the left upper abdomen half clearly on this side of the body. Accompanying symptoms, such as heartburn, which is commonly associated with a disturbed discharge of stomach acid, also suggest a gastric colic. Furthermore, the colicky pains in the area of ​​the stomach not infrequently make themselves felt immediately after eating, since the food pulp arrives here as soon as it passes through the esophagus and can therefore rapidly trigger acute irritation of the stomach's own nerves.

Stomach diseases as the main cause

It is obvious that gastric colic is most commonly caused by diseases of the stomach. This is also exposed in the digestive process to numerous irritants, which can lead to disease in poor health status. Even the gastric acid itself, whose digestive enzymes are mainly used for protein digestion in the stomach, can be problematic here. Although their high acidity actually serves the natural decomposition of the dietary pulp, the aggressive acid also does not stop at body tissue when it comes into contact with it.

If the stomach now lacks the protective layer of mucous membrane lining the inside of the stomach wall, the gastric acid can attack the muscle and nerve tissue of the stomach unhindered. This is the case, for example, when infections or corrosive substances cause inflammation of the gastric mucous membrane, which decomposes more and more as the disease progresses, thus clearing the way for gastric acid to the stomach wall.

In gastritis, convulsive pain in the form of gastric colic is a typical consequence. (Image: chombosan / fotolia.com)

Stomach cramps due to gastritis

A classic inflammatory event of this kind is, for example, in gastritis. The gastritis causes, if the acid mantle of the stomach is damaged or by certain influences too much gastric acid is present. As a result, the stomach acid comes in direct contact with the cells of the gastric mucosa and attacks them.

One distinguishes between gastritis on the one hand after its course in acute and chronic gastritis. On the other hand, in medicine there is also a distinction according to the various causative factors. Here is a small overview:

Gastritis as an autoimmune disease

An autoimmune gastritis occurs when your own immune system attacks and destroys the cells of the gastric mucosa.

Gastritis due to infections

The bacterial pathogen Helicobacter pylori is the most common cause of gastritis, accounting for 85%. The bacteria cause increased production of stomach acid and additionally provide inflammatory gastric ulcers. In addition, Helicobacter pylori is suspected of being involved in the development of gastric cancer.

In addition to Helicobacter pylori other bacterial pathogens, such as staphylococci, enterococci, salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia or Clostridia include those infectious agents that can cause gastritis or gastritis. Here it is often the toxic excretion products of the bacteria that initiate the inflammation. The pathogens usually pass through contaminated food into the digestive tract.

Gastritis due to chemical substances

Apart from bacterial toxins, fungi, plant, animal and industrial toxins can also cause gastritis. Even medicinal ingredients are not to be excluded as a cause. Common to these chemicals is that they have a very aggressive effect on the gastric mucosa. In the field of fungal toxins, amatocin, gyromitrin, muscarine and orellanin would be mentioned here. For plant toxins, it is often atropine and solanine. The latter is contained in the plant parts of nightshade plants, which also include conventional crops such as potatoes, tomatoes and peppers. So if you are not careful when cooking, and eat the plant green of these vegetables, this could cause stomach cramps as a result of poisoning.

In seafood, in particular, the toxins of mussels and other shellfish (e.g., ciguatoxin, sacitoxins and tetrodotoxin) are known to trigger convulsions. Also not to be underestimated are mucous membrane-irritating substances such as alcohol and certain medications (especially antibiotics and pain medications). Particularly extreme spasm reactions also trigger industrial pollutants, acids, alkalis and metal compounds such as antimony and zinc.

Heartburn can permanently irritate the lining of the stomach, possibly leading to inflammation that causes gastric colic. (Image: Adiano / fotolia.com)

Gastritis as a result of frequent heartburn

Chronic heartburn is also referred to in medicine as acid reflux or reflux oesophagitis. Portions of the gastric contents continuously flow back into the esophagus due to dysfunction of the gastric muscles or diaphragm. Logically, there are also larger amounts of added gastric acid in the inflated stomach contents. The corrosive acid causes in chronic heartburn severe damage to the upper gastric mucosa which can cause a colic-promoting inflammation.

Gastritis as a result of other diseases

This is summarized by gastritis, which have another underlying disease as the cause. It is conceivable, for example, an inflammation due to Crohn's disease. The chronic intestinal inflammation sometimes also settles on the stomach, which then causes severe intestinal and stomach colic equally.

Stomach colic in gastrointestinal infection

Similar to gastritis and its infectious forms, most other inflammatory infectious diseases of the gastrointestinal tract usually begin with gastric colic. In addition, symptoms such as vomiting and diarrhea, possibly also infection-related fever. Most commonly, such infections are in the form of a Abdominal influenza triggered by highly contagious rotavirus or norovirus. However, also pathogens such as salmonella, cholera, chlostridia and certain strains of the E. coli bacterium can cause a gastrointestinal flu.

Mention should be made in this context once again the scenario of food poisoning. Either the foods involved contain the poison during consumption (for example, when eating poisonous mushrooms or plants) or the consumption of spoiled food in the digestive tract leads to the secretion of toxic waste products by infectious agents.

Unhealthy lifestyle is a risk factor

That the digestive tract is the first to react to an unhealthy lifestyle is no secret. Among other things, nutrition plays a decisive role. In this context, diet-related gastric colic usually results from a choice of spicy, fatty, lavish or acidic foods. After eating these foods, it can be due to the excessive stretching of the stomach wall to nerve irritation and thus come to colicky abdominal pain.

Acidic and alcoholic drinks attack the stomach and can significantly increase the risk of colic. (Image: stockphoto-graf / fotolia.com)

In addition, the foods mentioned also promote increased production of stomach acid. There is an imbalance between gastric acidity and gastric protection, which attacks the gastric mucosa if it occurs repeatedly. Some nutritional examples of bad foods are:

• coffee,
• cola,
• juices,
• citrus fruits,
• chili,
• alcoholic drinks.

Also mentioned are eating disorders such as bulimia, anorexia and obesity with regard to dietary habits and gastric colic. The continual suppression of the feeling of hunger, as well as persistent vomiting or prolonged stretching of the stomach wall by very rich meals, affects the gastric mucous membrane as well. In the field of intoxicants and addictive substances, chemical drugs, alcohol and nicotine occasionally lead to a compensatory overproduction of gastric acid and to a reduction in sphincter muscle strength at the stomach entrance. A delay of the digestion processes is conceivable in this regard.

In addition to dietary habits and substance abuse, psychosomatic factors must also be mentioned as recurring causes of stomach colic. Physicians have long known that prolonged stress, grief and worry can have a negative impact on the body and especially on the gastrointestinal tract. There is even the phenomenon of stress ulcer - an ulcer of the gastric mucosa, which develops specifically in the course of massive stress, for example, after traffic accidents, major surgery or fatal blows. The exact mechanism has not yet been conclusively investigated, but the occurrence of ulcers is explained as a result of stress reactions of the autonomic nervous system. This slows down the blood supply to the gastrointestinal organs and slows down the entire digestive process before it eventually also comes to ulceration.

Stomach ulcers as a cause

When it comes to abnormal tissue growth in the digestive tract, many initially think of colorectal cancer. But also in the stomach various forms of growths can open up. The best known here is probably the stomach ulcer (Gastric ulcer). The disease is usually benign ulcers of the gastric mucosa. Like inflammations, they gradually degrade the mucous membrane, causing gastric acid, which is actually used for digestion, to attack the walls of the stomach more and more.

The causes of gastric ulcer largely coincide with those of gastritis. However, in addition to the ulcer in particular a familial accumulation can be determined, which makes genetic factors relevant. In addition, there seems to be an association between gastric ulcers and psychological factors such as stress, depression and mental trauma.

Gastric ulcers are in addition to stomach colic still a number of other complaints. For example, they can bleed and lead to life-threatening blood poisoning. In addition, stomach ulcers do not heal without scarring. Corresponding scars always carry the risk of adhesions and perforations. In addition, patients with gastric ulcer also have an increased tendency to malignant degeneration in the form of gastric cancer. It is the worst cause of stomach cramps and can be caused by persistent gastritis in addition to gastric ulcer.

Diseases of other organs as a trigger

Some diseases that lead to gastric colic are not due to stomach-based health problems but are caused by other organs. Very obvious are diseases of the other digestive tract such as the intestine, the liver, the gallbladder and the pancreas. But even a heart attack can lead to stomach problems and otherwise run asymptomatic. This is a great risk of heart attacks when they remain unrecognized due to the symptoms of the stomach.

Sometimes the cramping pain is due to a heart attack, but are not brought by those affected in connection with possible impairments of heart function. (Image: psdesign1 / fotolia.com)

Symptoms of gastric colic

The symptoms of gastric colic depend very much on the underlying cause. In addition to the characteristic, left-sided spasm pain in the upper abdomen, general digestive problems such as constipation, nausea or feeling of fullness are relatively common. If the gastric mucosa has already been severely attacked and the stomach wall massively affected, more severe concomitant symptoms such as blood in the stool may occur. In the course of an infection, complaints such as general malaise and fever can not be ruled out. Overall, with gastric colic the following symptoms must be expected:

• left-sided, spasmodic upper abdominal pain,
  burning pain or heartburn,
• Constipation or diarrhea,
• bloating,
• Nausea and vomiting,
• anorexia,
• bloody bowel movement,
• anxiety feelings,
• fever,
• fatigue.

Important: A gastric colic is often confused symptomatically with radiation pain that is actually caused by other organs. Apart from the intestinal colic, which leads due to their proximity to the stomach like to misinterpretation, here are, for example, radiating pelvic pain to call. Especially in the course of an endometriosis spasmodic pain occur in the course of menstruation, which can radiate into the stomach. Furthermore, the pain symptoms of an impending heart attack are often confused with gastric colic. If the pain radiates in addition to the stomach up to the left arm, this is a clear alarm signal. Please call an emergency doctor immediately!

A gastroscopy can shed light on the causes of gastric colic. (Image: floor photo design / fotolia.com)

diagnosis

Patients can be diagnosed with gastric colic quite reliably by appropriate, interval-like cramping. By contrast, a little more effort often requires the search for the cause of the colic. You should not waste time going to the doctor, because the list of serious underlying diseases is long. A doctor will first perform a thorough medical history (patient survey), within which existing health problems and everyday habits are requested.

Afterwards, laboratory tests of blood and stool samples are important in order to detect possible pathogens and signs of inflammation. Damage and degeneration of the gastric mucosa and the stomach walls are additionally revealed by means of imaging techniques, which include not only ultrasound examinations, but also gastroscopy.

Therapy for a stomach colic

A timely treatment is very important for gastric colic, because the spasms often indicate an advanced stage of the disease. Complications such as infection from the bloodstream, metastases from gastric cancer, or dysfunction of adjacent organs (such as disturbed bowel function or cardiac arrhythmias) can not be long in the worst case scenario. Depending on the triggering factors, the following treatment measures are available:

Medical therapy

Since many gastric colic caused by an imbalance between gastric acid and protective function of the gastric mucosa or said imbalance worsens at least the symptoms, the use of drug-acid inhibitors such as maaloxan, pantozole or omeprazole is usually the standard procedure in therapy. This is intended to relieve the gastric mucosa and thus a faster healing of mucosal damage, which ultimately relieves the nervous Krampfreize.

Is an infection with Helicobacter pylori causes of gastric colic, is treated with a special antibiotic therapy against the pathogens. (Image: Artemida-psy / fotolia.com)

Gastrointestinal influenza and most foodborne illnesses can only be treated symptomatically by adding special medicines (such as antibiotic drugs) and infusion solutions to prevent fluid loss in diarrhea. Infections by Helicobacter bacteria are also treated with a triple therapy consisting of 2 antibiotics and a proton pump inhibitor. The therapy of fungal poisoning and other plant poisoning is based on the corresponding poison. It is essential to seek medical advice and to consult with the poison emergency service.

Home remedies and herbal remedies

Often, a diet and lifestyle change in gastric colic already brings significant improvements in symptoms. A review of the lifestyle in terms of external stress factors is definitely of importance here, because experience has shown that stress affects the gastrointestinal tract rather quickly and exacerbates already existing symptoms. In particular, a consistent renunciation of addictive substances as well as a reduction of the acid-licking foods relieve the stomach additionally. But it also depends on the amount of harmful food. A glass of coke for lunch does not have to be avoided categorically. The long-term enjoyment of acidic soft drinks and citrus fruits, however, is definitely not recommended.

As beneficial against increased gastric acid production, a glass of milk, a tablespoon of dry oatmeal or a piece of dry bread have proven to be an acute measure. In addition, in the case of hyperacidity, potato juice can be used to neutralize gastric acid through the mucilages and pectins it contains. In case of pronounced gastric colic, teas or envelopes with extracts of wormwood also contribute to the relief.

Is an infection or food poisoning Cause for the gastric colic often only a temporary abstinence with subsequent Kostaufbau helps to get rest in the stomach. It is important, however, to ensure sufficient fluid, because in the case of infection-related diarrhea there is a risk of dehydration. Still water, unsweetened teas or light brews can be used here. Herbal teas with chamomile and / or fennel also have a calming effect on the gastrointestinal tract. If the stomach gets better during the course, the teas can be sweetened with a spoonful of honey. Honey should have a positive effect on the gastric mucosa.

Not infrequently, the cause of gastric colic can be resolved only with the help of a surgical intervention. (Image: auremar / fotolia.com)

Operational measures

Surgery on the stomach can be considered if severe stomach perforations have occurred or to prevent this life-threatening complication. This is necessary, for example, in gastric ulcers, which always carry the risk of tumor development. If a malignant tumor is already present, it must of course also be removed in order to prevent metastasis. Depending on how the individual diagnosis is designed, it may be necessary to work with chemotherapeutic agents or radiation therapy in order to initially reduce the size of the tumor.

Diseases of gastric colic

: Gastritis, Crohn's disease, gastrointestinal infection, food poisoning, gastric ulcer, stomach cancer, intestinal, hepatic, gastric inflammation, general gastric disorders, bile and pancreas diseases. (Ma)