Interplay between constipation and diarrhoea
The interplay between constipation and diarrhoea can be triggered by various underlying diseases. The intestine is closely linked to the psyche and in many people reacts very sensitively to extreme emotions or stressful situations. If these occur frequently or if a person is permanently exposed to stressful situations, for example at work, this can result in irregular digestion.
While it is initially impossible to go to the toilet for several days, a period of severe diarrhoea suddenly follows. The treatment of such conditions consists in eliminating the factors that cause the psychological stress. Also entangled or not necessarily connected with the psyche is the so-called irritable bowel syndrome.
Here the patient suffers from a very sensitive gastrointestinal tract. Those affected must pay close attention to what they ingest and are often plagued by diarrhoea and constipation. A conscious diet and the targeted use of laxative medications and diarrhoea medication can create an acceptable disease situation with which the patient can live well.
If the symptoms persist and the stool is so changeable, a colonoscopy should be considered in order to rule out a tumour disease of the intestine. Nausea and abdominal pain are often signs of a gastrointestinal infection. The infections are caused by bacteria or viruses.
However, they are usually accompanied by diarrhoea and less by constipation, which makes the presence of a bacterial or viral gastro-intestinal infection unlikely if constipation is present at the same time. Constipation is often associated with pain or discomfort in the abdomen. This discomfort can increase to nausea with subsequent vomiting.
In the case of an intestinal obstruction (ileus), mechanical displacement of the intestine or insufficient movement of the intestinal muscles (paralytic ileus) causes the digestion to come to a standstill. If the obstruction does not come loose, a backlog of bowel movements may occur. While in many cases patients already develop nausea at this point, it is a definite symptom in the final stage of the congestion. The digested food and stools are then backed up into the stomach and may be vomited, causing nausea.
Abdominal pain and constipation in infants
Constipation in childhood is particularly common in young children. The problem here is usually of a functional nature. For days on end, the child does not empty its bowels and the bowel movement accumulates.
The reasons for stool retention can be many and varied. An important point is pain when going to the toilet, which of course does not occur at first without it. The child holds back the stool and the rectum fills up.
Due to the continuous filling of the rectum, which normally triggers the stimulus to defecate due to the wall tension, the intestine is desensitised – the feeling and the urge to go to the toilet disappears at first. This situation causes many problems, including pain when provoked to defecate. This is because the stool is now hard and dry.
Another cause can be an unbalanced diet and too little drinking. Especially the latter is a problem of small children. They often only drink when necessary and do not pay attention to sufficient fluid intake on their own.
If constipation is frequent, the first thing to do is to pay attention to the children’s diet and to train the parents on this subject. In addition to the described disorders, various diseases can also trigger constipation with abdominal pain. Often the time of diagnosis is during childhood. Classical examples of diseases that can trigger constipation in small children are the following: Hypothyroidism, Hirschsprung’s disease, celiac disease, early brain damage and many others.
