What Causes Intestinal Spasms?

Intestinal cramps (enterospasm), also known as intestinal colic, are just a symptom rather than a disease. Intestinal spasm is paroxysmal abdominal pain caused by strong contraction of the smooth muscle of the intestinal wall. It is the most common condition in children with acute abdominal pain. The clinical manifestations are sudden paroxysmal abdominal pain, which is mainly around the umbilicus. The pain can be repeated and recurs. During remission, the abdomen was soft, without mass, tenderness, and other pathological signs. In small infants, you can know whether there is intestinal cramps by the degree and intensity of crying: it is mainly manifested as persistent, uneasy crying, and may be accompanied by symptoms such as vomiting, cheek flushing, rolling, and lower limbs curling. , The abdomen is swollen and tense, and the legs are raised upwards. The seizure can be terminated by the child's exhaust or defecation. In small infants, the seizure can be repeated and present a self-limiting process.

Basic Information

nickname

Intestinal colic

Multiple groups

Toddler

Common locations

Umbilical

Common causes

Excessive intestinal gas, increased intestinal motility, gastrointestinal hormones, dietary factors, etc.

Common symptoms

Peri-umbilical paroxysmal abdominal pain, ranging in severity, recurrent, with vomiting, cheek flushing, rolling, etc.

Causes of intestinal spasm

Gastrointestinal factors

(1) Excessive intestinal gas production: There are four major sources of intestinal gas: swallowed gas; neutralize gastric acid production; diffuse from blood and bacterial fermentation.

(2) Intestinal motility is enhanced.

(3) Gastrointestinal hormones.

(4) Dietary factors: Some studies have shown that intestinal cramps in breast-fed infants are related to the mother's drinking milk. Food allergies may be a cause of intestinal cramps.

(5) Other factors.

2. Non-gastrointestinal factors.

Common diseases of intestinal cramps

Pediatric tapeworm intestinal obstruction, heat stroke spasm, barium poisoning, abdominal pain in children, intestinal spasm in infants, spastic intestinal obstruction, etc.

Differential diagnosis of intestinal spasm

It should be distinguished from intussusception, acute appendicitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, acute peritonitis, acute gastroenteritis or intestinal infection, acute perforation of gastroduodenal ulcer disease, intestinal ascariasis and biliary ascariasis, and urinary stones.

Intestinal cramps

Physical examination

2. Laboratory examinations: routine blood tests, stool tests, biochemical tests, and abdominal standing films are routinely performed.

Intestinal spasm treatment principles

First of all, we must exclude the organic diseases that cause intestinal spasm and give treatment for the cause. Seek medical attention in time to avoid delay in diagnosis and treatment. Symptomatic treatment can adopt a three-level treatment plan.

First-level treatment

Cover the baby's belly with a hot water bottle; parents give support and care; take dimethyl silicone oil. Dimethicone is a kind of non-absorbable drug. By changing the surface tension of the bubbles, the bubbles are fused or dispersed, and the gas is expelled without any side effects on the human body. Other intestinal gas-reducing drugs, such as activated carbon and -galactosidase, can adsorb gas or help digest high-cellulose foods, and reduce fermentation gas production, but the curative effect on intestinal spasm is currently uncertain.

2. Second level treatment

That is drug treatment. According to the doctor's prescription, antispasmodics (such as cetyl bromide) should be given to block the muscarinic receptors of smooth muscle. It can also directly affect smooth muscle and relieve smooth muscle spasm.

3. Tertiary treatment

Change your diet. Breastfeeding women do not consume milk, dairy products, fish and eggs; artificial feeding of soymilk or hydrolyzed casein milk formula can significantly improve infant bowel spasms.