Colic

Renal colic is a type of pain that can be commonly caused by developing kidney stones. The pain usually starts around the kidney area or somewhere below it and can radiate through the flank until the pain reaches the bladder. The pain can be colicky in nature which means that it can come in irregular waves or intervals as opposed to being a steady continuous pain feeling.

Renal colic may come in two types: dull and acute. The acute type of renal colic is particularly the most unpleasant and has been described by sufferers as one of the strongest pain sensations felt. The pain may also depend on the type and size of the kidney stone or stones that move through the urinal tract. Depending on the situation, the pain may at times be stronger in the renal or bladder area or it can be equally strong in both. Larger stones may require medical intervention for their removal in order to get rid of the pain associated with it.

Renal colic also shows some particular signs and symptoms that can help alert the individual as well as the doctor. These symptoms usually refer to the different types symptoms experienced by patients as studied. Some may or may not be experienced by the patient and all of the symptoms may not even be evident which depend on the current condition of the patient.

Some patients of renal colic may experience severe urinary pain. They may also have difficulty passing urine due to the kidney stones blocking the path. Patients may also fell waves of pain coming from the back and radiating to the abdomen, genitals and thighs. Pain in the small of the back can also be experienced. Renal colic may also be associated with symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

Renal colic patients may also show signs of having a swollen abdomen that may be causing the intense pain being felt. Other renal colic symptoms that have been observed by doctors include fever and chills. Serious symptoms of renal colic may also include blood being found in the urine which may show that the kidney stones may already have wounded parts of the urinary tract.

In most cases, renal colic may go away on its own. Most of the small stones in the kidney or bladder easily pass spontaneously through the urinary tract and may be discharged naturally. In such cases, only pain management for renal colic is required. In order to relieve this type of pain, a strong Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, also commonly known as NSAID can be used. NSAID’s are known to provide better pain relief than most opiate-based medication.

There are also other ways of dealing with the pain associated with renal colic. Trying to lie down on the non-aching side of the body and applying a hot water bottle or towel into the area affected by the pain may greatly help ease some of the pain. If the pain caused by renal colic is not that intense, frequent walking may help result in a more speedy release of the stones.

But if the kidney stones have become too large to effectively pass through naturally, surgery to remove them may be required. If not, patients may continue to feel the recurring pain which may not be relieved effectively by other measures.

oms and dads who are not as experienced may not agree. The crying bouts that your baby will let you suffer from will make anyone think that it is a life and death situation. It is not; but this does not mean that you will not do anything to alleviate the problem.

Colic is characterized by a pain in the abdomen and the stomach. Until now, medical experts and physicians are still trying to pinpoint just what causes the colic. They still can’t find the answer.  Some believe that this is because of allergy while others think it is inborn. And because there is no specific cause, there is also no specific cure for the episode. Something that parents find unfortunate as colic episodes is not exactly a walk in the park.

Babies, when suffering from colic, will suddenly go into shouting matches that can destroy your eardrum. What is worse is that these crying and shouting episodes can last from one hour to as long as five hours, even the whole day, depending on the severity of the colic and the way parents handle the situation.

They will also become fussy and restless. Some parents tend to panic especially when this is the first time that they have seen their kids cry so loud and for so long. At one glance, they seem so inconsolable.

Colic happens to babies as young as three weeks old. This is the onset of the colic. For babies who are premature, colic can start at the sixth to eighth week after the supposed to be due-date.
Episodes will peak at the second month and will begin to wane at the third month. Often, colic episodes will cease by the end of the fourth month.

The reason why is still a mystery for scientists, who do not even know what starts the problem in the first place. There is really no exact profile on who can get colicky. It can happen to any baby, whether they are healthy or not. Some experts believe that people colic in infants can actually be genetic as parents who have had colic when they were babies will most likely produce an offspring who will also be afflicted with colic.

One of the most obvious signs of colic in babies is the crying episodes that will begin to become frequent and recurring. If the episodes happen at specific time or period of the day, usually after eating, colic may be the problem. Colic episodes can last for a few minutes to an hour and can happen many times a day. Crying will also start without any real reason unlike when they are hurt or hungry.

Parents should also observe the moment when they stop crying or when the crying episode cease. Often, crying will stop when they have passed gas or moved their bowels.
Another symptom in babies is their apparent restlessness. Because their stomach pains them, they will most likely draw their legs onto their stomachs and abdomens with their hands clenched. When you touch their abdominal muscles, they will be tense and hard. Babies also trash around and will appear to be in constant pain.

Babies suffering from colic will also have red cheeks, because of the exertion in crying and in keeping the pain in check.

The diseases that animals and humans face are very different. Perhaps because of the biological structure or simply because a person can describe the pain while a dog, a cat or a horse is unable to do the same.

It takes practice to be able to diagnose a problem with an animal. Sometimes, a sudden change could be nothing or this could be fatal. One good example is equine colic that happens to horses.

Horses that suffer equine colic usually experience from abdominal pain. Veterinarians are unable to pinpoint the exact cause but attribute the problem to the food being given to the animal. Something new may have been given which causes gas to build up

Stress and lack of exercise could also be the culprit. Studies show that equine colic happens more often to those raised in stables than those in the field.

When the horse feels restless, decides to kick its own belly, paws or rolls on the ground, stands outstretched or has a curl on the upper lip, the owner should call a vet because these are the usual symptoms of the disease.

This can only be confirmed with a more thorough exam given by the doctor that will reveal an increase in heart rate and temperature. Some medicine may be given but if it still refuses to eat, there is a very high chance that the horse will die.

Treatment must be administered almost immediately since most horses die within 48 hours. Unfortunately, even if the animal survives, it may happen again which is why preventive measures must be taken.

Here are some of these steps;

1. The owner or those who are in charge of taking care of the animal should follow the regular feeding schedule as well as make sure the stable is clean at all times. There must always be a sufficient supply of clean drinking water especially when the weather is hot to prevent dehydration.

2. Parasite could bring other diseases that could also make the horse sick. It will be a good idea to set up a parasite control program to prevent this from ever happening.

3. The ideal diet for a horse is processed grains. If this is not yet being used, it is advisable to do this from now on.

4. Taking the horse out for a ride will give it the much needed strength to fight off certain diseases.

5. Some owners give horses multivitamins and other drugs. Before doing so, this should be checked by the veterinarian since this could be the root cause of equine colic.

6. It is okay to give the horse hay every so often. Before doing so, it will be a good idea to check it for foreign objects that could also cause problems when it is digested.

7. Horses are unable to brush the teeth like humans. So, the person has to take care of that as part of the hygiene, which is just like cleaning the stable of waste daily.

There are many types of equine colic that vets classify. These cases range from mild to severe. Since horses owners may not be able to distinguish one from the other, it is always advisable to get help immediately so the problem can be treated before it is too late.

Colic in babies can be something that just relegated as part of the development process and the hardships of child caring; but in horses, it is a different thing. Colic in horses is an emergency case. In fact, this is one of the worst nightmares of horse lovers and horse owners. This is because despite treatment, most horses will not get better, especially those who do not respond to therapy so well.

Colic is a term used to refer to abdominal pain that results from problems in the digestive organs and system. Often, colic is caused by obstructions and impactions in organs such as liver, intestines, bladder, uterus, ovaries and kidneys. Colic can also be associated with the stimulation of the nerve endings within the intestinal walls.

Other sources of pain are distentions in bowel movements. Intestinal colic may also be the result of inflammations in some parts of the body, impactions and twistings. It may also arise from rectal problems brought on by trauma in breeding in mares, manipulation of the rectum as well as some neurologic disease. Strangulations caused by lipoma may also cause intestinal colic.

The gastro-intestinal tract is made up of a series of parts appended in one long tube. The esophagus itself, where the food starts to go down, is three feet long. This empties to the stomach and then to the small intestine, which is 72 feet long. This may seem quite long when you imagine it inside the body of a horse; it does not extend straight out but are placed in stacks with twists and turns. This is perhaps the reason why problems in the intestine are so common in horses. Unlike in humans, horses have narrower tubes, which make it more likely for them to develop obstructions and impactions in these areas.

And because they have no way of relieving the pressures in their stomach and abdomen such as with vomiting, their pain tends to build up until, the pain is just too much for them to bear. Problems in small intestines tend to be more common in the southeast parts of the country than the other areas. Often, this is the consequence of feeding horses with Bermuda grass hay that is most common in those parts.

Some of those affected may respond to therapy. They are given conservative therapy as treatment. Others, whose cases are more severe, may need surgical interventions to treat their problems. The challenge for doctors is to know the difference between those who needs interventions and those who need surgery.

Often, severe cases wherein obstructions cannot be removed without the help of a surgeon’s hands will have to undergo surgeries. Examples of these cases are those that have displacement or torsions in various parts of the intestines and those with small incarcerations in the intestines.

Below are some signs that surgery is already needed to treat intestinal colic: severe pain in the abdominal areas, rectal remains that are not normally seen, and long durations of painful episodes despite medical therapy.

Surgeries done to treat intestinal colic may be categorized as complicated or uncomplicated, depending on the severity of the problem and how the body responds to other means of treatment. If for instance, the bowel has adequate blood supply, the problem can be corrected without going through a complicated process. Otherwise, segments will have to removed and examined.

Animals are prone to various diseases. Some of these may leave permanent damage while others are fatal. One example, which could go either way, is equine colic.  This happens when the horse experiences pain in the abdomen and things can get worse if medical attention is not administered  immediately.

If the doctor has not arrived yet, the person can do certain things, which can help in the treatment. This includes taking the temperature and monitoring the heart rate, recalling what kind of food was given the past few days as well as the water consumption and  checking the color of the gums.

The veterinarian may be on call elsewhere so until help arrives, no food must be given to the horse. It will also be a good idea to walk the animal so it will not think about the pain. If the creature does not want to get up but it still continues to roll on the ground, everyone should help out and transfer the horse elsewhere so it does not inflict any damage to itself or others.

The doctor will usually give the horse some antibiotics. This will help ease the pain and it is a wait and see game after that to see if there are any improvements. Some horses recover quickly while there are those that don’t so this really depends on the animal.

There are other experts who have a  natural treatment formula to treat equine colic. Instead of using drugs, herbs are used instead. Some examples of these are cape aloe leaf, ginger root, fennel, wild yam root and cayenne powder. This is mixed together with water or some alcoholic formula and then given to the horse.

Prevention of course is still the best way against any disease. This is because the cost of medicine and the professional fees of a doctor are quite expensive. Here are a few things that horse owners should do to prevent equine colic.

1. First, the person should watch the food being served to the horse. Processed grains from a reliable supplier are ideal when raising such a magnificent animal. Some people think that hay is ok but it may have bugs or other foreign objects, which could cause problems. This should be checked before this is given.

2. Aside from checking for foreign objects in the hay, the individual should also have a parasite control program. This will make sure the stable is clean at all times even if this is washed thoroughly several times a week.

3. Horses need plenty of exercise to stay fit. A short ride or simply walking with it for a few minutes everyday can help strengthen its immune system. It will also need adequate rest. There must be time given to the horse to just roam around or just lie still in the stable.

4. All multivitamins or drugs that will be given to the horse must first be examined by the vet. This is because some may make the animal sick especially if it has a sensitive digestive system.

5. The person should also make sure the horse practices proper hygiene. This means giving it a bath and brushing its teeth since deposits may soon become infections that could get worse if nothing is done to treat it.

Research shows that more than 20% of babies will develop Colic. This is not a disease or a disorder but parents will have to deal with the endless hours of crying until the newborn is four months of age.

Is there really a permanent solution for Colic? The answer is no. The best thing that a parent can do is remedy the situation until this will gradually go away as the infant gets older.

Here are some of those remedies.

1. Infants are used to having something in the mouth due to breastfeeding. Since the mother’s breasts cannot be there every time, using a pacifier can help the baby stay calm thus preventing excessive crying.

2. Watching the baby cry does not do anything. The parent must remedy the colic baby by taking it out of the crib and swaying it from side to side. Sometimes the sense of touch can do wonders making the infant know that he or she is safe. It will also be a good idea to sin g a lullaby that has been known to help the child drift again to sleep.

3. Another way to remedy a colic child will be to use a CD that plays light music. Studies have shown this works similar to how the mother sings a lullaby to the child.

4. The baby will get heavier as it gets older. Instead of carrying it in the arms, another remedy will by putting the infant in the carriage and going for a stroll. Some parents have taken the child for a ride in the car, which also helps calm the newborn.

5. Giving the baby a warm bath can also help. Since this can’t be done every time, the parent can put a warm bag on the belly or try massaging lotion instead. It will be a good idea to cover the pack with a towel since the temperature could be too much for the infant.

6. The type of food being eaten by the mother may also cause the child to be colic. Consulting with a dietitian help prevent this from happening as foods that produce gas are replaced with healthier ones.

If the situation does not change, this is the time that medication such as Simethicone drops should be used.

7. Some mothers stop breastfeeding after the 2nd month and change this with cow milk formula. Some babies are colic because of the formula so one way to remedy it will be to change this with a soy based formula.

8. Air is the root cause of some children being colic especially when the infant is now drinking from a bottle. The parent should check the hole of the nipple since a big hole makes the baby drink more than usual. If this happens, it will be a good idea to buy a new set of nipples.

A colic baby believe it or not is a healthy one. This is because the behavior it shows makes people aware of its existence and needs.

There will be times that the parents will get up late at night or early in the morning to address this but this can be remedied. Before one knows it, the excessive crying will not happen anymore as the infant has adjusted to the new environment.

Colic is one problem that both humans and horses share. But unlike with babies, of which colic is just an incidental problem that will go away after a few months; colic in horses is a serious problem that need to be addressed immediately.

Baby colic

Colic is a problem in the digestive tract characterized by a pain in the stomach or in the abdomen. Until now, there is still no reason why this happens in babies. Experts believe that colic arises from the gas in the intestines. In babies, colic starts as early as three weeks.

First signs will of course be frequent crying and screaming that can last anywhere from an hour to five hours nonstop. It peaks during the second month and declines during the third month. By the end of the fourth month, incidents of colic will just cease.

And though there is really not much danger that colic poses to babies, parents are still worried because of the amount of crying that it can ensue. Because there is no known cause, there is also no specific cure or solution. In fact, the only thing that parents can do is to make their experience of colic as less painful as possible. This is done by putting babies in comfortable positions like in swaddling, walking them or making them listen to some soothing music. Parents should avoid giving them too much food because this will only exacerbate the problem.

Horse colic

Colic in horses is not the same. In addition to being a serious problem, colic in horses can appear anytime, any age. The same reactions are elicited in horses. They will also be crying and groaning, prancing and kicking all over the place. In severe cases, they can even become so wild that they will assume difficult and almost unnatural positions just to be relived of the pain.

However, horse owners should remember that colic in horses has a much different onset. Unlike with humans where the pain can be readily felt and shown through crying, horses will deal with it alone through listlessness and lack of energy.

They will start to refuse food and will not have any appetite for eating. This is one of the signs that horse owners often miss when trying to deal with colic. Remember that they will only get wild and restless when the pain is too severe for them to bear. Otherwise, they only suffer in silence.

Wired differently

Horses cannot also cope with colic the same way humans can. Because of their different body structure and body system, they are not able to vomit or relieve the pressure that they are feeling in their stomach. Because of this, the pain and the problem can build up inside; thus worsening the situation. This is perhaps why colic in horses is much serious. In fact, while some horses do respond to therapy and eventually get well; most will deteriorate despite medication and treatment.

Another reason why colic is a problem with horses is the fact that they are built in different ways. Passages of blood and food in their bodies are much narrower; thus, more susceptible to impactions and obstructions especially with food.

When afflicted with colic, it is important that you call a veterinarian as soon as you can so that he can administer appropriate treatment. Make sure also that your horse does not have any access to solid foods such as hay or grass. The only thing that the horse is allowed to take in is water.

Colic is one of the most common problems in babies. In fact, it is so common that this is the kind of thing that you will be prepared for even before it occurs being a major topic in all baby books in your bookshelf.

Colic begins as early as two to three weeks and reaches its peak when the baby is about two months old. After which, symptoms and episodes will slowly die down and at fourth month, there will be no more episodes.

Until now, medical experts cannot find what exactly causes colic to occur. It just happens to babies without any real or specific reason. However, there are a host of possible causes that may influence or worsen a colic episode. Here are some of them.

Allergy to cow’s milk or powdered milk
Lactose intolerance
Allergy to the foods that the mother take in and transferred to the baby through breastmilk
Increase in the intestinal gas brought on by foods that usually produce gas in the stomach such as broccoli, onion and beans.
Underdeveloped digestive system that may cause strong contractions in the stomach
Hormonal changes in the body of your baby
Anxiety of the mother and postpartum depression
Overfeeding of the baby

Often, the only sign that parents will get is nonstop crying that can last from an hour to as much as five hours! This can be really hard to take for parents especially those who are not used to their babies crying too much. For first-time parents the first episode of colic can be panicking as they do not know why their little angel is crying so hard.

Crying can be the result of a lot of things. This is why it is important for parents to really know the other signs and symptoms of colic in babies before they panic or in some cases not panic.

Predictable crying episodes

Although this will not be evident at the start, a colicky baby will have crying episodes at specific time of the day. This can either occur at day or at night, often after a meal. These episodes will recur at approximately the same time and it can last from just a few minutes to hours. It can occur once every week or everyday of the week. It really depends on the baby and because there is no known cause, parents just have to patiently wait if there will be an episode for that day.

Gaseous state

According to some experts, colic is brought on by gas in the stomach that causes an ache. Babies will often excrete bowels or pass gas near the end of the episode. This will relieve the problem.

Positions of the legs and arms

Babies who have colic will manifest their pain in the way they will draw their legs to their abdomens to squeeze them in. Their hands will also clench into fists and their abdominal muscles will harden. Some babies who cannot take the pain will trash around and become really wild. Their screams and cries will get louder and louder.

Crying madly

This is one of the main symptoms of colic in babies. In fact, most parents think that if their babies cry, they are either hungry or having a colic. The cries of a colicky child is loud and intense. There is no room for a weak and sickly cry. Their cheeks will often become red from the exertion and they will be difficult to comfort.

Deciding to start a family is a serious decision. This is because a lot of tender loving care must be given the moment the baby comes out until he or she grows up to become an adult.

There are many reasons why babies cry. This could be because it is hungry or sometimes it is just cranky. But when it cries a little longer than before, this means that the infant is colic.

What is colic? This is a term given to a baby who cries for more than three hours in a given day. This is normal in newborns, which may begin from 3 weeks until four months of age.

Parents who are unaware of this will panic. A good doctor can reassure the legal guardians that this will go away gradually over time.

There are many reasons why a baby is colic. Since there is not a single reason, which can be attributed to it, the parents should stop thinking about this and focus on the more important task of making it go away.

There will be times late at night when the parents wake up because the baby is crying. The infant will not understand the concept of being told to be quiet so the father or the mother will have to carry the infant and rock it back to sleep.

The baby could be hungry so maybe it is time to feed it again. The mother should make sure to make the infant burp because this could be the cause of the colic behavior a few minutes or hours from now.

If this is the behavior of the baby during the day, maybe it is time for both to go outside. Sometimes taking the newborn on a carriage ride will help. Giving the newborn a pacifier can also remedy the situation.

A warm bath is sometimes what parents need to relax after a stressful day at work. Studies have shown that doing the same thing for the baby can also stop the colic behavior. The parents should make sure that the water is not too hot for the child.

Grownups get cranky when disrupted by noise. A baby does not know that yet and will cry in order to be noticed. The parents can play some music in the room of the baby so he or she will not suddenly wake up.

The food that the mother eats could produce gas, which causes the baby to feel discomfort. It will be a good idea to consult with the doctor regarding the proper diet so this can be prevented. If this still happens, maybe using Simethicone drops can work.

One way to check on the baby from time to time will be to have a monitor nearby that with one unit in the room and the other carried around the house. The parents should take shifts to avoid feeling exhausted.

The biological clock of a baby is very different from a child or an adult. It will still take time to develop and until that happens, the parents will have to deal with this situation. After all, a baby that is colic is normal since it is part of the growing phase. This means that this is not a disease or a disorder so there is nothing to worry about.

Crying is the primal means of an infant to express him or herself. This is why it experts say that it is only a common occurrence if a baby cries often everyday. However, if an infant shows sudden irritability, excessive crying for more than 3 hours a day, and suffer from noticeable discomfort, then this could be a sign colic.

Indeed, one of the difficult phases of parenting is dealing with the infant when he or she shows signs of colic—a severe abdominal pain caused by spasm, obstruction, or distention of any of the hollow viscera such as the intestines. Known as a common problem from the first three weeks up to first three months of a child’ s life, colic is becoming one of the foremost concerns of more and more parents because they also experience and discomfort when their baby starts crying endlessly.

Usually evident from the first 3 weeks of an infant’s life, colic consists of recurrent spasm and abdominal pain. This period of pain usually lasts from three hours up to 12 to 15 hours daily depending on the severity of the case.

When a baby suffers from colic, he or she becomes hypertonic and can show alternating body postures that involve contractions, sudden stretching, spastically stiffening while he or she turns red. When these signs occur, parents should start observing their babies intently because it might be a simple colic or can be signs of a more serious digestive problem.

Until now, doctors and people in the medical world have yet to discover the causes of colic in infants. Although, there have been various studies that indicate the possible causes of the condition that affects 20 percent of babies in the world. Researchers say that colic can originate in a baby’s intestines since he or she has sensitive and developing digestive and nervous system.

Others say that colic can be a result of some environmental factors like certain milk formulas and cow’s milk for certain infants.

THE SIGNS

One of the most common signs of colic in infants is excessive crying with no apparent reason. Statistics show that 1 in every 10 babies experience colic because it is an apparent abdominal pain experienced in early infancy. Usually, colic attacks are evident before, during and after each meal. The cry usually starts out and can continue for 3 hours and more. Aside from loud and excessive crying, periods of irritability, and body contractions are also apparent signs of colic. Other signs of colic include:

Vigorous and excessive for long periods of time despite extreme efforts of consolation

Onset crying that starts around the same time everyday or night and can be ending or never-ending

- Suffers from gas discomfort
- Slight bloating of the abdomen
- Has a hard and bloated stomach
- Unlikely and patterned body contortions like pulling of knees to the chest
- Hard-clenched fists
- Flailing arms and legs
- Arched back
- Frequent sleeplessness
- Chronic irritability
- Unreasonable fussiness
- Reddening face due to ling periods of crying
- Excessive belching or spitting up after feeding
- Passing gas
- Experience difficulty in passing stools

This list includes only the usual signs of colic. It is best if you visit a doctor once you see these symptoms in your baby so you can be sure that he or she is not experiencing more serious illness as early as now.