Irritable colon: causes and treatments

This is a condition that is due to an affectation of the cerebrointestinal axis, which produces a visceral hypersensitivity.

This means that, in the colon, there will be a greater perception of pain, in addition to an alteration in biochemical mediators such as serotonin, which will be decreased and is also associated with an affectation in the intestinal flora.

The patient will present symptoms such as abdominal pain, which will be diffuse most of the time.

However, patients present more localized pain and sometimes it can be severe, which leads to consultations to an emergency department and is confused with pancreatitis, cystitis and appendicitis.

It is also important to know that the patient may also refer abdominal distension or bulging; or indicate an abnormal defecatory pattern, such as constipation, diarrhea, there are even patients who have both, constipation with diarrhea.

There may be mucus, there may be slime in the stool, in addition to the fact that they may present defecatory urgency, incomplete evacuation or straining when defecating.

It is very important for us, as physicians, to differentiate in these patients, if there are warning signs that require us to do some other studies.

For example, we must be careful with patients over 50 years of age, those who have a family history of colon cancer, or warning signs, such as weight loss, anemia or bleeding. As well as patients with symptoms that wake them up at night, diarrhea that does not respond to treatment or are refractory.

That is why in these patients we must perform studies such as, for example, hemogram, stool tests, colonoscopy, gastroscopy and even biopsies if necessary.
We are located in the Clínica Bíblica in Santa Ana and we have a specialized medical team. It will be a pleasure for us to assist you.

Dr. Alejandra Cruz
Specialist in Gastroenterology , Santa Ana

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