Abdominal colic syndrome is a syndrome of postprandial epigastric or mid-abdominal pain caused by relative ischemia of the intestine. It is also known as visceral colic, intestinal colic, intermittent ischemic peristalsis, intermittent abdominal claudication, ischemic abdominal syndrome, chronic visceral ischemia syndrome, intermittent mesenteric artery ischemia, and abdominal vascular insufficiency syndrome. It is mostly seen in middle-aged and elderly male patients with other manifestations of atherosclerosis. Abdominal colic often appears 15 to 30 minutes after a meal and lasts 1 to 3 hours, and the duration and intensity of pain are related to the amount of food eaten.
”Colic is a painful spasm of the large intestine, which often makes the baby cry and fuss for 1-2 hours. Since babies cannot speak, they only cry as their main body language for physical discomfort. Infant colic is characterized by intermittent crying.
I. Symptoms of colic
Some small infants may have sudden loud cries that can last for several hours, or they may have paroxysmal episodes. When crying, the infant’s face becomes red, pale around the mouth, the abdomen is distended and tense, the legs are curled upward, the feet are cold, the hands are clenched and feeding cannot be relieved, and finally the crying stops with exhaustion, exhaustion or defecation, this phenomenon is usually called infant colic. It is the most common kind of acute abdominal pain in infants, often occurring at night, mostly in infants within 3 months of age, and mostly seen in infants who are easily agitated and excited and irritable.
Second, the etiology of intestinal colic
Although no scholars have given a definite answer to the cause of colic in infants, it is certain that it is related to the incomplete development of the infant’s digestive tract, and this immaturity is manifested in the abnormal control of ganglia in the brain. In a strict sense, the GI tract is the entire continuous system of lumen associated with digestion and absorption from the mouth to the anus. This continuous lumenal system can be divided into segments, and the neural control of each segment is derived from different ganglia, which are controlled by the “command” higher nerve center, the brain.
Since the brain of infants under 4 months of age is not yet mature, the authority of the “command” is not yet fully reflected, so that the physiological functions of the digestive tract at each stage may appear uncoordinated. This situation is especially prominent in the intestinal peristalsis, when the infant intestinal peristalsis part of the fast, part of the slow intestinal peristalsis, resulting in intestinal articulation “twisting” phenomenon, so called colic, this fast and slow inconsistency caused by intestinal twisting phenomenon is the cause of baby crying.
Third, the baby colic four symptoms
1.Crying and fussing
2.Facial swelling and redness.
3.Knees shrink up.
4, clenched fist and foot.
The cause of colic due to immature intestinal nerves is still not very clear, the possible factors include the following categories: gastrointestinal discomfort (intestinal flatulence, intestinal cramps, milk protein allergy, lactose intolerance and swallowing too much air, etc.), emotional problems and immature neurological development. It is generally believed that before babies are four months old, the intestinal nerve development is not yet mature, so intestinal peristalsis is prone to abnormal too fast or too slow, thus leading to colic.
Fourth, the causes of colic in babies due to breastfeeding
1.Frequent change of breastfeeding on both sides
When the mother is breastfeeding, the composition of breast milk will constantly change. The baby’s sucking makes the milk secretion in the breast gradually increase fat. If the baby has not sucked all the milk on one side, the mother will switch to the other side of the milk, the baby can suck the fat is lower, the calorie intake is not enough, the baby will soon feel hungry, the mother needs to feed more meals. Too much milk, on the other hand, can cause the baby to vomit. The milk with too low fat content will have too much sugar, and the baby’s stomach cannot digest the sudden sugar at once, he feels uncomfortable, crying, burping, vomiting, grumpy, excreting green water and other colic symptoms.
2.The breastfeeding site is not suitable
Breastfeeding in public is not convenient, surrounded by some nasty eyes. Forced by the environment, the mother can only feed a few minutes of milk to cope with a hungry baby. Please note: Babies can usually spend two hours at the breast. If circumstances permit, the mother should try to feed until the baby stops sucking. However, if it is inconvenient, the mother should massage the breast after feeding the emergency milk to keep the milk having enough fat so that when feeding the next meal (with the same side of the milk), the baby can suck the high-fat milk.
3. Reaction to improper breastfeeding
When babies inhale too much milk in a short period of time, they will feel uncomfortable and impatient. And these reactions are often mistaken for normal infant colic. Usually the infant will spill and after a few minutes, the infant will start coughing, choking, struggling and refusing to take the milk. The mother’s milk will flow out, and the baby will return to the nipple for more milk, so the baby will suck more milk that makes him uncomfortable. An unsteady flow of milk, too fast or too slow, can add to the baby’s irritation. Some babies even refuse to breastfeed because of this.
5. Ways to relieve colic
When the infant colic attack, the infant should hold the head vertically on the shoulders, pat the back to expel excess air in the stomach, and gently massage the infant’s abdomen with your hands, or place a hot water bag wrapped in cloth on the infant’s abdomen to relieve intestinal spasms. Do not delay the diagnosis and treatment.
Note: Be careful not to let your baby inhale too much air when breastfeeding; increase the number of back patting and exhausting frequently; try to feed small amounts of milk at moderate temperatures; massage your baby’s abdomen gently; put your baby in a cradle or take a warm bath; carry your baby outside the bedroom or even outdoors for a walk, or if that doesn’t work, take care of someone else. At least take turns resting and don’t tire out the adults, especially the mother.
When the baby is crying and restless from an episode of colic, hold the baby straight or lay him/her prone in a hot water bag to relieve the painful symptoms. Applying some volatile substance on the stomach can promote bowel evacuation, or giving laxative enemas, which sometimes work. If it still does not improve, or if it comes on for several nights in a row, it is important to see a doctor for a detailed examination. For prevention, you can improve feeding techniques, pay attention to gently patting the exhaust after each feeding, and give the baby a stable emotional environment, all of which can reduce the frequency of seizures. If all the methods tried are not effective, you can switch to feeding hypoallergenic infant formula, which can sometimes give good results.
Babies’ gastrointestinal tracts are not yet mature, so most of them will improve on their own and there is nothing to worry about. But how do you get through this extraordinary period and deal with the difficult night cries? Since flatulence is the most common symptom, to eliminate it, you can do abdominal massage and rub some peppermint oil for babies around the navel or use warm towels to cover it, as well as change the baby’s position to promote the expulsion of air from the abdomen, which is usually much more comfortable after a fart. When crying at night, you can hold the baby on your lap and massage the baby’s stomach; or hold the baby close to the abdomen, so that some pressure will reduce intestinal peristalsis, as well as gently patting and stroking, can increase the sense of security. For babies with intestinal distention due to constipation, because they are newborns they should only be fed glucose water (baby juice can be added over four months).
Colic in breastfed babies is caused by feeding practices and milk allergies. To avoid this, mothers need to do well in both areas.