"Irritable colon" (also referred to as "spastic colon") is s common way to refer to the digestive condition known as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Most people who suffer from an irritable colon are well aware that they have the syndrome. This is largely due to its typical symptoms, which are fairly hard to miss. Fortunately, once you're aware that you suffer from an irritable colon, you can get these uncomfortable symptoms under control. You just need to take appropriate steps, such as altering your diet and utilizing appropriate medications.
Abdominal Pain
One of the most obvious symptoms of an irritable colon involves a certain amount of abdominal pain or cramping. This is largely due to the way in which the muscles of the colon function. Typically, the colon works in an almost methodical fashion, contracting and relaxing to succinctly move the digested food to the rectum. When a person has an irritable or spastic colon, this isn't the case. The muscles will contract, but not relax right away. This is essentially an act of cramping, which causes pain.
Diarrhea
When someone has an irritable colon, he will often experience bouts of diarrhea or loose, runny stool. The reason for this symptom is also the root cause of cramping and pain. Since the colon is contracting for extended periods, the digested food is passing through the intestinal tract at a faster rate. When the colon is functioning normally, the moisture within the digested food is absorbed into the intestinal walls. But at this much faster rate, there isn't enough time for proper absorption. This causes the stool to be loose and watery.
Constipation
Sometimes, an irritable colon will bring about episodes of constipation or hard, dry stool. This is the flip side of diarrhea. In this scenario, the colon still isn't functioning in a normal fashion; however, instead of extended contractions, it is relaxing for longer stints. Obviously, this slows the passage of digested food, but it also gives the intestinal walls more time to leach moisture from the stool, making it drier and harder than normal. The longer the stool remains in the person's intestinal tract, the more difficult it will be to pass.
Bloating & Gas
For many people, an irritable colon can cause a great deal of bloating and gas. This particular symptom still involves the contraction and relaxation of the colon, but it also involves how this contraction and relaxation passes food into the colon. When food is passed too quickly into the colon, some of it isn't fully digested. This allows the undigested food to ferment within the colon, producing intestinal gas and the potential for bloating.
Mucus
Many times, stool passed through an irritable or spastic colon will contain mucus even in the absence of other symptoms. This can be a good indicator that the syndrome is present and should prompt the person to pay attention to diet. A full bout of IBS may be just around the corner.
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