Colon Spasm
Some Interesting Facts about Colon Spasm
There are several reasons that an individual may experience a colon spasm; none of which should be ignored. In most cases, these spasms are not serious or dangerous; however, what they do provide is a signal that something may be amiss in your diet. Often, simply making necessary healthy changes in the diet will alleviate the uncomfortable and sometimes painful cramping sensations that can grip the midsection.
A complex and ingenious journey through the digestive system includes stops at numerous organs where components that are necessary to process the food we eat and the fluids we drink exist. The journey begins the moment we swallow a piece of food, when saliva is added to the foods to aid in its passage through the esophagus. Immense transformations occur to the food as it travels downward until the now unrecognizable material reaches the large intestine for the final stages of digestion before it is expelled as waste. This organ has the appearance of a long tube; reaching up to 5 feet in length although coiled within the abdomen. It is in the large intestine, which is also called the large colon, where storage of this waste material occurs. As it moves through the intestine, most of the remaining water in the waste is absorbed and recycled back into the body as the material moves through the intestine. This movement is capable through the use of powerful muscles that contract through stimulation of nerves, hormones and electrical activity. This “motility” enables the remaining waste to be eliminated as a bowel movement.
Without the contractions of the strong intestinal muscles, the waste materials would not be able to be pushed through the digestive system. These contractions are normal and necessary, and generally are not felt by the individual under normal circumstances. Increasing numbers of people, however, experience what is termed as a “colon spasm”; an uncomfortable and at times downright painful contraction of the colon that are not due to the natural process of digestion. There are several reasons that this condition can occur, with a couple emerging as the most common of the reasons. Irritable bowel syndrome and spastic colon are both conditions that have been on the rise with many people in the United States; mainly due to the types of diets that have become standard here. Eating too many processed foods instead of fresh foods and bleached white flour instead of whole grains is a large part of the problem, and insufficient amounts of high fiber foods wreak havoc within the digestive system. Often, when the wrong diet is consumed, the colon will respond quickly with painful contractions that can be followed by diarrhea and later, constipation. This occurs as watery waste is passed through the system too quickly as the muscles of the colon constrict, pushing the liquid through first and leaving bulkier waste behind.
To prevent a colon spasm from occurring, making changes in the diet will regulate the body’s natural system in order for it to operate properly. A diet that is high in fiber is especially essential, as fiber has the capacity to either make the waste material firmer or softer as the need arises. When the waste is of the ideal consistency, the normal contractions of the colon are sufficient to push the waste through the system in order for it to be expelled.
Normal contractions of the colon are generally not felt as we go through our regular routine of the day. In some circumstances, especially when a proper diet isn’t followed, the natural process of the digestive system can be disrupted, with painful spasms being the result. A healthy diet often relieves the symptoms, getting the system back on track.