When a woman is in position, she directs all her thoughts and attention to the tummy and future baby inside. Therefore, any discomfort can alert the expectant mother. It can be sipping, backache, aching pain and other unpleasant symptoms. In this article, we will understand what colic during pregnancy can testify to, and consider how to deal with them.
What is colic?
Colic is localized in the abdomen. This is a pain attack, which can be caused by pathological processes in the body. There are several species that have their own characteristic features. The very first thing that appears with colic is pain. Her character may also vary. It can be stitching, cramping, sharp, intrusive, harassing, moderate. But in any case, it causes a lot of discomfort, especially if colic occurs during pregnancy. In addition, they may occur unexpectedly or be observed constantly.
Symptoms
Concomitant colic symptoms during pregnancy can cause a woman even more discomfort. Usually they include:
- sudden, cramping pain in the area below the navel;
- bloating;
- flatulence;
- bubbling in the stomach;
- lack of appetite;
- nausea, vomiting;
- a feeling of heaviness in the epigastric region;
- defecation disorder (constipation or diarrhea);
- decreased performance;
- increased fatigue, weakness, drowsiness;
- dizziness.
Colic can last from several hours to several days. Moreover, they can aggravate or, conversely, retreat. Perhaps a combination of pain with burning sensation during urination and frequent urination. This is due to compression of the internal organs. In addition, there may be an increase in blood pressure.
Varieties of colic during pregnancy
During the bearing of the baby, the woman’s body undergoes a large number of changes. This can lead to new sensations that are not always pleasant. One of them is colic. During pregnancy, they are divided into types depending on the reasons that caused them. Thus, there are:
- colic on the background of hormonal changes;
- colic during attachment of the embryo in the uterus;
- renal colic;
- hepatic colic;
- colic in the groin and vagina;
- intestinal colic;
- colic due to growth and distension of the uterus.
In any case, regardless of the causes of colic, you need to see a doctor and undergo an examination.
Hormonal colic
After conception has occurred, hormones are produced in the body of a woman that will support the normal course of pregnancy. Typically, colic on the background of hormonal changes occur due to relaxation of the intestinal muscles. The hormone progesterone affects this. It is produced in the body of a woman constantly. When a woman is not in position, he regulates the flow of menstruation. With the onset of pregnancy, his functions change - now he is responsible for maintaining the pregnancy.
Colic during pregnancy in the early stages appears just because of the relaxation of the intestinal muscles under the influence of progesterone. In addition, in this case, stagnation and constipation are very often observed.
Intestinal colic
The causes of this type of colic may be:
- gastrointestinal diseases;
- eating poor quality food;
- the use of products that cause fermentation;
- unbalanced nutrition;
- binge eating;
- bacterial infections;
- poisoning;
- parasitic diseases;
- bowel obstruction.
It is important to know that intestinal colic during pregnancy is not an independent disease. This is only a symptom. But do not ignore its presence, as in some cases surgical intervention is necessary to eliminate it.
The main symptoms that a woman experiences will be pain in the abdomen of a spasmodic nature, defecation disorders, nausea, bloating, and general weakness of the body.
Renal and hepatic colic
Colic during pregnancy can be triggered by stones or sand in the ureter. In this case, we are talking about renal colic. Since the load on the urinary system increases during the period of carrying the child, and the immunity decreases, this can lead to the movement of stones or sand.
Symptoms of renal colic are as follows:
- lower back pain, reminiscent of contractions;
- pain in the abdomen along the ureter;
- nausea, vomiting;
- slight increase in body temperature;
- pain in urinating.
If these symptoms are found, you should immediately consult a doctor. He will prescribe you the appropriate tests, namely a urinalysis, Nechiporenko analysis, a general blood test, an ultrasound of the kidneys. If the diagnosis is confirmed, then hospitalization will be necessary.
The nature of the treatment will depend on the severity of the condition and the size of the stones (clogging elements - stones, sand). Usually these are drugs that relieve cramps and inflammation, herbal preparations and heavy drinking. Only in extreme cases, surgery is used.
Another place where stones can be located is the gall bladder. You may not even know that you have gallstones. But during pregnancy, they can make themselves felt. The situation is identical to renal colic - with the onset of pregnancy, the load on the liver increases, the amount of bile produced increases, which sets the stones in motion. This process provokes hepatic colic. Her symptoms will be:
- pain on the right under the ribs, they are sharp and look like contractions, can cover the entire abdomen;
- pain can give in the back and along the bile duct;
- reflex vomiting, which does not bring relief;
- symptoms of tachycardia, however, an increase in pressure is not observed;
- the pain tends to increase sharply, the duration of the attack is up to 6 hours, disappears as spontaneously as it appears;
- there may be yellowing of the skin and itching;
- urine is similar to beer.
Hepatic colic can indicate serious diseases, such as cholecystitis, cholangitis, etc. It can even cause death. Therefore, prompt hospitalization is required. Inpatient treatment involves the use of infusion antispasmodics.
Colic in the pelvic area and colic in the vagina
Colic in the lower abdomen during pregnancy can be symptoms of the following pathological conditions:
- hernia - weakening of muscle and connective tissue, and therefore, their swelling in the inguinal region;
- infectious diseases - adnexitis, proctitis, endometritis, cystitis, with their development there is an increase in lymph nodes in the inguinal region;
- osteochondrosis - degenerative processes in the spine;
- uterine hypertonicity - the uterus is randomly contracting, squeezing and pushing the fetus; a woman may experience heaviness and pain in the lower abdomen; such sensations can provoke stress, overload, hormonal disruptions, high water, large fetus.
In such situations, sometimes not only a gynecologist needs to be consulted, but also more specialized doctors. These conditions can harm the fetus, even provoke its death.
During pregnancy, colic below, in particular in the vagina, can mean the following:
- implantation of the embryo into the uterine mucosa - usually this occurs on the 5-8th day of pregnancy and is accompanied by hormonal changes in the body; if the pain is weak and rare, then this is not a reason to worry;
- increased gas formation - some products may provoke; it is important to monitor your diet;
- uterine hypertonicity - can occur at any time and accompany you throughout pregnancy; if bleeding is observed, even a slight one, this may mean a threat of miscarriage;
- approaching childbirth - for a period of 37 weeks this may mean preparing the body for childbirth; it is necessary to inform the gynecologist about this.
Usually colic in the second trimester of pregnancy does not bode well, especially if no concomitant symptoms are observed. However, you still need to report your condition changes to your doctor.
What can increase discomfort?
In addition to the true causes of colic, there are also situations where colic occurs suddenly and the pain goes away when they are eliminated. So, to aggravate pain can:
- decreased pain threshold of a woman;
- low or medium location of the pelvic bones;
- undeveloped muscle system of a woman;
- late pregnancy, increasing fetal pressure on internal organs;
- the location of the fetus, its motor activity;
- body tilt when muscles are under extra strain.
Treatment
What to do with colic during pregnancy? How to get rid of them? The following measures can be used to cure them:
- stool normalization;
- diet correction;
- change in food schedule;
- maintaining a healthy lifestyle;
- lifestyle correction.
Since women in the situation are not recommended for drug therapy, in this case they try to resort to natural and harmless means of eliminating colic. For example, so that a woman is not tormented by constipation, it is recommended to eat prunes, dried apricots and drink fresh kefir. It is important to remember that kefir has a laxative effect only in the first 1-2 days, then it can, on the contrary, strengthen the chair. Also, to normalize the process of bowel movement, you can drink a glass of warm water on an empty stomach.
An active lifestyle is also a good way to fight colic. If a woman spends a lot of time in a sitting or lying position, then most likely she will experience discomfort in the intestine.
If the woman’s condition worsened significantly, then fennel tea will help eliminate unpleasant symptoms. Also, dill water is a well-known remedy for colic. It is allowed to be used by mother during pregnancy.
Power Features
Usually, to get rid of colic during pregnancy, it is enough to reconsider your lifestyle and diet. First of all, you need to eliminate foods that give a feeling of heaviness and are difficult to digest from the diet.
Remove from the menu is also necessary all the fatty and fried. It is recommended to eat foods that have previously undergone heat treatment. The use of fiber is necessary to normalize the digestion and bowel movements. Water, kefir, fermented baked milk and yogurt also help.
It is allowed to eat low-fat varieties of meat and fish. You also need to add cottage cheese, fruits and vegetables to the diet, but flour products need to be reduced.
Prevention
To prevent the development of unpleasant symptoms in the form of colic, it is recommended:
- monitor your diet - exclude products that increase gas production, low-quality, those that have expired, as well as harmful products;
- have a good rest, avoid stress and overload;
- regularly visit the gynecologist and inform him of all changes in his body;
- strictly follow the doctor's recommendations;
- competently treat chronic diseases of the urinary and digestive systems.
During pregnancy, every sensation of a woman is important. Therefore, if unpleasant symptoms occur, you should immediately go to the doctor, because in such a situation every minute can matter.