Differentiate spastic colitis from other digestive diseases

IBD is a disorder that occurs in the gastrointestinal tract. This is not a dangerous disease, but it has a significant impact on the patient's life. Colonic spasms are easy to confuse with gastrointestinal diseases. Therefore, this article will provide useful information to help readers distinguish spastic colitis from other gastrointestinal diseases.

Irritable bowel syndrome (also known as irritable bowel syndrome, functional colon disease, dysfunctional colon ...) is a disease characterized by dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. The disease causes disorders mainly in the colon.
According to Thomson W.D. (1990), spastic colitis is a disease with dysfunction of the intestine. After being cured, patients are very susceptible to repeated relapses and no anatomical, histological and biochemical lesions were found in the intestine.
Colonic spastic disease has 3 following characteristics:
Sensory disturbances of the gastrointestinal tract: Increased sensitivity, easily irritated viscera. Altered intestinal tolerance: Decreased tolerance to pressure caused by food mass in some segments of the intestine. Gastrointestinal disorders: Causes digestive disorders. Diarrhea when increased intestinal motility, decreased intestinal motility causes constipation. Colon spasm is not a serious disease and leaves dangerous complications like colitis. However, due to the long-term disease, it causes changes in living and eating habits. In addition, it also causes psychological abnormalities for patients such as anxiety, stress...

About 20% of the world's population suffers from colon spasms.
In Vietnam, people with spasmodic colitis account for about 30-40% of people who come to see a doctor for diseases of the digestive tract.
IBD is more common in the elderly and is more common in women than in men.
In addition, people with neurological disorders also increase the risk of disease. These include neurological disorders (hysteria), depression, phobias or psychological stress are also at risk of colon spasms. Those who have an unreasonable lifestyle, regularly use alcohol, stimulants... are also at high risk.

Ischemic colitis is very easy to confuse with other gastrointestinal diseases because the symptoms are quite similar. However, the disease also has its own characteristics such as: abdominal pain or discomfort in the abdomen lasting 12 weeks or in the previous 12 months, which may be continuous or not, accompanied by:
Change in stool shape. Change the frequency of bowel movements. There may also be other uncommon symptoms such as:
Unusual stools (loose, hard, pasty). Gastrointestinal disorders: Diarrhea, constipation, confusion, or a feeling that stools have not been passed. Abdominal bloating, bloating, feeling of heaviness in the abdomen. There is no blood in the stool, but there is mucus in the nose. Abdominal pain: Occurrence of pain, strong spasms in the abdomen often with characteristics: The pain may persist dull or may be intense for a short time. When the patient eats strange, irritating foods such as spicy foods, alcohol, etc., the pain increases. Examination by pressing on the abdomen will show that the abdomen is soft, distended, and hard lumps can be palpated in the colonic frame. The above symptoms change over time, lifestyle, diet, and each person's location. If the lifestyle is reasonable, the disease will be relieved. If you don't eat right, the disease will get worse.
Abnormal signs of colon spasms :
Loss of appetite, weight loss. Anemia . The patient showed fever, blood tests showed increased white blood cells, increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Faeces with bloody mucus. Frequent flat stools. Abnormal stools in adults older than 40 years. The patient's family has a history of colon cancer. Due to a strict diet, the patient is easy to lose weight; Malnutrition ; pale, pale mucous membranes; weakened state.

To date, there is still no research to pinpoint the cause of colon spasms. Some factors can increase the risk of colon spasms such as:
Poor bowel movements. Stress and anxiety for a long time: stress, prolonged stress is the cause of spasmodic colitis and most gastrointestinal diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease, infection Eating unhealthy foods: eating a lot of hot spicy foods, fast foods containing many preservatives, foods that are kept for a long time or are not hygienic, using too many alcoholic beverages, carbonated water and other stimulants... Hormonal disorders: women have a higher risk of disease than men. The disease is worse during menstruation, pregnancy or perimenopause. Due to hormonal changes in the female body.

When there are symptoms of spasmodic colitis or digestive disorders, patients should go to medical examination and treatment facilities for timely diagnosis. Some tests to diagnose colon spasm, include:
Histopathological examination X-ray - Colonoscopy. Lactose intolerance test: perform breath testing techniques. Check for signs of lactose intolerance by eliminating dairy from the diet. Blood test: rule out Celiac disease. Stool test: to check for bacteria or parasites in the digestive tract. Also check for gastrointestinal bleeding. Endoscopy: through endoscopy, it is possible to observe inflammatory bowel lesions. In addition, based on endoscopy can distinguish colitis, enteritis, ... from colon spasm. The doctor will base on the patient's clinical symptoms to prescribe appropriate diagnostic methods. Endoscopy is the preferred test in most cases.

Colic spasm with abdominal pain requires differential diagnosis with:
Intestinal infection . Immunodeficiency Colorectal cancer. Intestinal lymphoma. Food allergy. Lack of lactase enzyme. Hemorrhagic ulcerative colitis, Microscopic colitis.... Spastic colitis with constipation - abdominal pain requires differential diagnosis with:
Colon tumor Enlarged colon Pancreatic tumor Lead poisoning Disease Gallstones and cholecystitis Porphyria metabolic disorders Lead poisoning Hernia

Create reasonable eating habits
Should increase the addition of foods that help laxatives, provide adequate nutrients such as:
Oatmeal Meat, fish, eggs, lactose-free milk Full water Drink 1.5 to 2 liters of water per day. Also can add fruit juice is very good Yogurt and foods rich in prebiotics should be added to the daily diet Green vegetables and fruits Minimize the use of alcoholic beverages, stimulants , food that is difficult to digest, ready-to-eat, greasy food...
In addition, it is necessary to have a habit of eating on time, not skipping meals for patients with colon spasms.
Mental comfort
Patients need to maintain a good mood, limit stress and stress by:
Perform relaxation exercises such as: Meditation, Yoga,... Breathing exercises: have a good effect psychologically and help bowel movements work better. Exercise every day. Drug treatment
Based on symptoms, frequency of occurrence and severity of symptoms, the doctor will prescribe appropriate drugs.
Antispasmodic drugs help to minimize abdominal cramps. Laxatives help regulate bowel movements, relieve digestive disorders, relieve constipation. Tricyclic antidepressants, used for patients with psychological stress, anxiety. Antidiarrheal drugs: should use drugs belonging to the drug group Actapulgite and Loperamide. Only use antibiotics when there is an intestinal infection. Colon spasm is not a dangerous disease, but it causes great impacts on the patient's daily life. Patients need to have reasonable living and eating habits to improve their physical condition and reduce symptoms of the disease.
If the above methods do not improve your condition, visit a medical facility, the doctor will examine you and point out the most useful treatment for you..