Colic/Enteralgia

Severe abdominal pain is aften referred to as colic, which lasts with fluctuating intensity, with waves of pain lasting for a few seconds/minutes.

Types of Colic

• Renal Colic

• Abdominal Colic

• Infantile Colic

• Intestinal Colic

• Colic during pregnancy

Here, we are dealing with abdominal colic but, for the convenience and guidance of our readers, following distinctions may be of some importance.

• Renal Colic starts from the small of the back and radiates from loin to groin/genitals.

• Abdominal Colic occurs due to accumulation of wind in the intestines, consequent upon feeding problems.

• Infantile colic occurs due to accumulation of wind in the intestines, consequent upon feeding problems.

• Intestinal colic occurs due to partial or complete obstruction of intestines-mainly due to obstinate constipation, colic from the smail intestive is felt in the mid part of abdomen but that arising from the large intestine (colon) centres round the lower abdomen.

• Colic, during pregnancy, has multiple causes such as wind in the abdomen, movement of foetus, displacement of uterus etc.

• Colic may occur due to presence of stone in the gall bladder.

• Colic can also be due to menstrual flow (interrupted), called menstrual colic, pain in ovaries.

Stomach or Abdominal Colic

Causes & Symptoms

Aggravation of wind (Vayu) causes pain. Other causes being excessive food intake, flatulence, constipation, exposure to cold/damp, hernia, appendicitis whose presence confuses the matter but, since symptoms are quite different in each case, there is no difficulty in earmarking actual cause and location of pain. In Ayurveda, Colic is known as 'shula'.

Sometimes the pain is so severe that the patient writhes with pain, squeezes the painful part with his hands, rolls on the floor, moans and cries due to severe impact of paroxysms of pain, bends double. If wind is the cause, he will feel relieved after the wind gets expelled.

Home Remedies

• Foremost duty of the physician is to palliate the pain by giving Hingvashtak churna or Shankh Bhasma (a TSP with hot water or 250-500mg with water respectively either of the medicines).

• Abhraka Bhasma (l50mg) should be given 4 times daily, or else Mahashanka vati 2 pills 4 times daily with hot water.

• Lasunaadi Vati 2 tablets or Pills 4 times dialy may also be tried.

In fact nothing should be given anything to eat or drink during an attack. But, when the crisis period is over, some light, liquid diet may be advised. Sometimes, colic also occurs due to delayed food intake or by not taking anything for quite a long time these situations can be met by proper food regimen/intake. Generally boiled vegetables, liquids, aerated water, coconut water may be given. Avoid giving starch, fat, carbohydrates, fried foods, spices etc. Encourage the patient to walking and exercises.