What Is A Spastic Colon?

Spastic colon is a condition that basically means the same thing as "colon spasms." It is also another term for Irritable Bowel Syndrome or IBS. It is not the same thing however, as inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

Spastic colon symptoms Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder that causes abnormal contractions in the lower digestive tract, resulting in these symptoms

• chronic abdomen pain which sometimes comes and goes,
• stomach cramps,
• gas,
• bloating,
• disruption of normal bowel habits
• loss of appetite,
• emotional distress.

Stress tends to aggravate spastic colon symptoms.

Individuals with spastic colon feel the urge to "go to the bathroom" frequently. When they get there, they may experience painful bowel movements as muscles of the small and large intestines malfunction. Either diarrhea and constipation may result.

Spastic colon causes The physical cause of a spastic colon is unknown at this time, but symptoms seem to be connected to be a breakdown in communication within the digestive tract. The brain and the bowels do not work together properly.

Spastic colon remedies Doctors generally recommend lifestyle changes, especially in the area of diet and nutrition, to manage symptoms. Eating high fiber food and adding probiotics seem to help restore balance to the bowels.

Foods to avoid include

• high fat foods,
• most meat and dairy products,
• wheat,
• sugar,
• processed foods,

Someone with a spastic colon should also avoid tocacco and alcohol.

Moderate, low impact exercise like walking or water aerobics may help, but it's important to avoid extremely vigorous workouts because they can actually aggravate symptoms.

Your doctor may prescribe medications to relieve stomach pain, cramping, and diarrhea or constipation, including anti-diarrhea medications like Imodium or Lomotil.

Antispasmodics such as dicyclomine (Bentyl) and pain-reducing agents such as amitriptyline (Elavil) and desipramine (Norpramin) may also be useful in alleviating the symptoms of a spastic colon. 

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