Suggest Treatment For Abdominal Pain While Having Chronic Constipation

Posted on Fri, 6 Jan 2017

Question: I need to find out if I should go back to my gp because my symptoms are not improving they are getting gradually worse. I have left flank pain, but feel this pain at the front as well, it's worse in my back. I have suffered with chronic constipation for many years. I also have symptoms which feel as if my digestive system stops working, my stomach feels as if it doesn't empty maybe for a day or two then it will start to work again with a lot of gurgling noises throughout. I saw my gp twice because the back pain was so bad and doesn't reposed to analgesia. I was told to have some physio. I went to osteopath three times a week for 12 weeks privately but this did nothing for this pain. I don't want to waste my drs time or appear to be overly anxious. I am now having increased pain after a bowel movement, then I have explosive wind for few hours and have started to pass coloured but clear mucous with the wind.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Happykumar Kagathara (39 hours later)

Brief Answer:
constipation associated abdominal pain

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I can understand your concern for your symptoms.
1) Your symptoms of gurgling sounds, abdominal pain, constipation are suggestive of indigestion related constipation.
2) This indigestion might be due to sluggish intestinal movement or due to inadequate intestinal digestive enzymes.
3) The pain which you are experiencing is due to loaded large intestine with stool due to sluggish movement of large intestine. Increased pain after bowel movement might be due to excessive straining required to pass hard stool. Passage of excessive wind and mucus during straining itself indicate irritable bowel syndrome (constipation type) which is responsible for indigestion in your case.
4) I suggest you to undergo colonoscopy to find out cause for constipation so that specific treatment can be started rather than taking symptom-specific treatment.
5) For relief of symptoms, you can take stool softeners, laxatives or even enema also. You may take anti-spasmodic medication for pain relief but keep in mind that these group of medications also aggravates constipation by reducing bowel movement if taken in higher dosage or for long time.

Hope I answered your query. If you have any further query, I would be happy to help you.
Have a good day!

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Remy Koshy