Dealing With Intestinal Pain

Lower left abdominal pain is a malady suffered by many people today.  The causes to these pains are many; the disorders responsible are diverse, misunderstood, and misdiagnosed.  The solutions offered are adequate in some cases but lacking in others.  There are, however, several common sense actions that you can take to minimize their occurrence. 

These include the following:

1. See a doctor.  Who knows—it might help.  Consider going to a physician that focuses on internal medicine or gastrointestinal disorders.
2. Eat a balanced diet.  If you frequent fast food establishments, change your lifestyle.  Eat more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
3. Increase your fiber intake.  Sometimes our busy lifestyle makes it difficult to eat enough fiber.  If you are always on the move, consider eating “Fruit and Walnuts” at McDonalds or FiberPlus bars for breakfast.  If you increase your fiber intake, also increase your liquid intake.  Be aware that you may experience and increase of gas from high fiber products; this may decrease with time.
4. Eat yogurt and other prebiotics, such as acidophilus.
5. Consider the possibility that you have food allergies.  Many today focus on gluten sensitivity, but there are additional foods that can upset your system and cause problems.  Keep a food journal to see if the problems that you are seeing are related to what you have eaten
6. Exercise.  Moving your body increases movement of your bowels, and keeping things moving is a good thing.  Lower left abdominal pain can be related to constipation that occurs from a sedentary lifestyle.
7. Center on positive and important things.  As Jesus said:  “Is not life more important than food and the body more important than clothes.”  What is important to you; what will last?  When confronted with your own lower left abdominal pain, what is your response?  Do you moan and complain or do you use your temporary physical discomfort as a springboard to connect with the eternal God of the universe?  You can learn more about the importance of spiritual things here.

Where’s The Fiber?

People in Western society, especially those in the US, are always on the go and do not always make sure they are eating the right things.  The author finds that travel consumes most of his work-a-day week and , no matter how good his intentions, he soon finds himself frequenting what has been, at least until recently, the scourge of proper diet–the fast food drive in.  Even those who do not eat out much might find their diets very lacking in fiber due to our over reliance on refined whole grains.  And what is painfully clear, especially as we approach middle age, is that those with low fiber, sedentary lifestyles are prone to constipation.  Just look at all of the so called colon cleansers on the market, and I think you will quickly realize that this is a significant concern for some.  As constipation slowly moves (sorry) from an acute to a chronic issue, lower left abdominal pain may become a daily thing.

Of course the solution to constipation for many, myself included, is increased fiber, more water, and exercize.  But fiber "on the go" as it were is sometimes difficult.  I have found 2 things that really help me get the fiber I need:  McDonald’s Fruit and Walnut meal and Kellogg’s Fiber Plus (or General Mill’s Fiber One).  There are many other possible sources of fiber, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and supplemental fiber products.  The key is finding the time and gumption to eat them.

Diverticulitis

The most severe, and potentially life threatening, lower left abdominal pain that I have experienced can occur at any time and puts me on my back with high fever in severe cases.  The symptoms generally begin very mildly and peak within 6-48 hours after appearing; appetite is generally decreased.  In the most severe cases, I have actually been able to feel the passage of gas bubbles across the area of inflammation in my lower abdomen.  The lower left abdomen becomes very firm and painful.  An immediate solid food fast can ameliorate the symptoms and sometimes reduce pain and even fever.  However, the only cure for these acute symptoms that I have found thus far is antibiotics. 

While there may be a few disorders that can be related to these symptoms, in my case this instance of lower left abdominal pain is the result of infection of one or more diverticulum.  This condition is known as diverticulitis.  In my case, colonoscopy has confirmed the presence of diverticulum in my lower intestine.  I have found that increasing the amount of fiber in my diet seems to lessen the occurrence of these attacks.  In addition, exercise is an effective way to keep your bowels moving and lessening the chance of flare up.  Finally, eating yogurt or other prebiotics, such as acidophilus, can be helpful in preventing this malady.

In contrast to times that I have suffered from Nausea and Lightheadedness, diarrhea and cramping generally occurs during the day.  Lower left abdominal pain is minimal and there is generally only a mild discomfort in this area and a tremendous urge to have a bowel movement.  Once voided, the stool is extremely loose, the urge to go passes, and cramping is minimized.  On occasion, the urge for a bowel movement reoccurs within the hour, but the diarrhea quickly abates.  

Again, a number of disorders can be related to such symptoms.  In my case it seems to be related to significant physical exercise at the wrong time in my digestive cycle combined with additional, and as yet unknown, issues.  For example, my irritable bowel syndrome might makes me more susceptible to this.  Symptoms generally appear within 2 hours of significant exercise if I exercise within 90 min of my mid day meal.  At this point, I consider these symptoms related to vicissitudes of my genes and age combined with inappropriate timing of my exercise.

Irritable Bowel, Take 1

On some occasions and generally very late at night I awake in a restless state and with a general sense of unease.  While there is lower left abdominal pain, it is very low-sometimes seemingly as low as my anus.  I have a vague urge to have a bowel movement and generally find myself on the commode soon after.  While the urge is present, there is generally nothing, or very little, to expel.  Soon after I become light headed and nauseated.  I have never vomited as a result of this, although I can imagine that some who experience these symptoms might do so (I am grateful that I have not!).  It is not uncommon that I find myself face down on the floor-so distressed that I feel like I might pass out.  Soon after these symptoms abate somewhat, generally in a span of 2-5 minutes, I feel very dehydrated, finding myself calling out for a glass of ice water.  These symptoms largely disappear within 10 minutes, but it is not uncommon that they reappear within 15 to 20 minutes and that 2-4 cycles occur over the span of 1 to 2 hours. 

While a number of disorders can be related to symptoms such as these, I believe that, in my case, these instances of lower left abdominal pain are related to an irritable bowel brought on by too rich a diet and aggravated by stress.  I do not know exactly what dietary items bring these symptoms on, but have generally found that such attacks occur after eating rich, heavy foods (like commercially produced donuts or pecan rolls).  A balanced diet comprised of whole grains and home cooked meals seem to lessen such attacks.  Increasing roughage seems to be a key aid in prevention here