​What are the symptoms of abdominal cramps

Patients with abdominal cramps generally feel severe and unbearable abdominal pain, sometimes even to the point of losing color in the face. So what disease are stomach cramps a symptom of? Abdominal cramps can be considered intestinal cramps, which are usually common in pediatric patients, but also in adult patients. What I will mainly introduce to you now are the relevant inducing factors and clinical manifestations of intestinal spasms in children.

The internal factors of this disease are mainly due to the incomplete development of the children's nervous system, and the unstable regulation of intestinal motor function. The excitability of the parasympathetic nerves often prevails, resulting in enhanced intestinal peristalsis and further intestinal spasm.

1. The following situations may be the triggering factors of intestinal spasm:

①The body is allergic to certain foods.

② Local cold, overeating, cold food, hunger or indigestion can cause increased intestinal motility.

③ Mechanical stimulation of intestinal parasites’ toxins and worm bodies.

④Stool accumulation is a common cause of intestinal spasms in children.

⑤Others.

2. Clinical manifestations

It was previously believed that this disease is most common in infancy, but in fact intestinal spasms can occur in children of all age groups.

Infants and young children cannot describe their abdominal pain themselves, but only experience sudden onset of paroxysmal crying, sometimes waking up from sleep crying. Each attack lasts from a few minutes to more than ten minutes, and the pain comes and goes.

The severity of abdominal pain varies. In severe cases, it may be accompanied by restless limb movement, rolling, pale complexion, and cold hands and feet. Preschool or school-age children can usually express abdominal pain by themselves. The pain is most common in the mid-abdomen or around the navel. Intestinal spasms induced by constipation often manifest as pain in the lower left abdomen, but sometimes the pain is difficult to locate.

Abdominal pain usually occurs in paroxysmal episodes, with no discomfort during the intervals. Although the degree of abdominal pain in older children varies, their overall condition is generally good. Simple intestinal spasm can often heal itself within tens of minutes to hours.

The attack time of some children has a certain regularity. When I was on duty in the emergency room, I saw the same 2-year-old child with paroxysmal crying every early morning for 5 to 6 consecutive days and diagnosed him with intestinal spasms.

Abdominal examination lacks specific signs. Generally, there is no abdominal distension and no intestinal pattern, but sometimes there may be mild to moderate abdominal tenderness.

The tenderness is roughly consistent with the location of abdominal pain, usually in the mid-abdomen or left lower abdomen, suggesting spasm of the small intestine or sigmoid colon.