Abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, these seemingly minor ailments plague about 7% of the world’s population. Many of them are misunderstood, thus missing the time of treatment and affecting their normal life and work. Here, I would like to dissect each of them in the hope that they will be of some benefit to those who are suffering from abdominal pain, bloating and constipation. The clinical syndrome of frequent abdominal distension, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea, with the exception of organic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, is called irritable bowel syndrome. It is now believed that irritable bowel syndrome is mainly caused by gastrointestinal sensory-dynamic abnormalities, so treatment should target gastrointestinal sensory-dynamic abnormalities rather than temporary relief of a single symptom of bloating, abdominal pain, constipation or diarrhea.
Myth 1: Frequent constipation, abdominal pain and bloating are not diseases and do not need to be treated.
Analysis: As one of the functional gastrointestinal diseases, irritable bowel syndrome does not have organic lesions of the gastrointestinal tract, but clinical studies have shown that gastrointestinal sensory-dynamic abnormalities do exist.
1. Intestinal motility changes: abnormal bowel movements in patients with irritable bowel syndrome can involve the entire gastrointestinal tract, and such abnormal bowel movements include reduced (leading to constipation) and enhanced (leading to diarrhea) intestinal motility.
Abnormal bowel sensation: Up to two-thirds of people with irritable bowel syndrome have increased bowel sensitivity. They always feel something in the gastrointestinal tract, chest, abdomen and rectum, while others do not feel it or very mild pain is amplified, a phenomenon known as visceral sensory hypersensitivity.
This gastrointestinal sensory-dynamic abnormality should be seen in a hospital for aggressive treatment. If left untreated and allowed to develop, this abnormality will progressively worsen, and not only will symptoms such as constipation, abdominal pain and bloating get worse, but it will also seriously affect daily work and life.
Myth 2: Even regular constipation, abdominal pain and bloating do not need to take medicine, usually drink more water, eat more fruits and coarse grains on the line.
Analysis: This view is not entirely correct. Diet is indeed one of the triggers of irritable bowel syndrome. Establishing good dietary habits and lifestyle has positive significance for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, but in general, medication is fundamental and non-medication is only supplementary.
Irritable bowel syndrome as a disease, gastrointestinal sensory-dynamic abnormalities are objectively present, and dietary modifications cannot fundamentally solve the gastrointestinal sensory-dynamic abnormalities and therefore cannot fundamentally relieve the discomfort of constipation, abdominal pain and bloating. Therefore, the ideal treatment is based on the correct understanding and knowledge of the disease, reasonable diet, work rhythm adjustment and psychological balance, and active treatment with drugs that improve the sensory and dynamic abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract.
Myth 3: Regular constipation, abdominal pain and bloating, just go to the drugstore and buy some laxatives or painkillers to eat.
Analysis: Generally speaking, antispasmodics can temporarily relieve abdominal pain, but cannot improve constipation and bloating and other discomforts; while laxatives can temporarily solve the problem of constipation, but can do nothing for abdominal pain, bloating and other gastrointestinal discomfort. For patients with constipated irritable bowel syndrome, because of abnormal gastrointestinal sensation and dynamics, abdominal pain, abdominal distension, constipation and other symptoms, they should actively go to the hospital and choose drugs that can improve both sensation and dynamics under the guidance of doctors, rather than treating a single symptom.