Intestinal Spasms: Causes and Probiotic Treatment

Published October 25, 2022

Have you had those days when you’re outside then felt a sudden discomfort in your gut? We get it! Abdominal spasms can be downright uncomfortable and irritating. When the pain becomes unbearable, your capacity to do things can be severely affected. Not to mention your bowel habits.

Lucky you! There are now treatments that can help you from the agony of having intestinal spasms. Read on to know more about the causes of intestinal spasms and how probiotics can treat it.

What Is An Intestinal Spasm?

Intestinal spasm or spastic colon is a symptom usually associated with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

It’s often thought that both are the same. But the truth is, an IBS is a medical condition while a spastic colon is often a symptom of certain diseases. Also, not all people with IBS experience intestinal spasm.

Regular muscle contractions on the intestine help move feces down to the anus. However, irregular contraction of the intestinal muscles often results in a spastic colon.

What Do Intestinal Spasms Feel Like?

Here are some signs that you can experience when you have intestinal spasm:

• Pain

Intestinal spasms can be really painful. Sudden and severe pain in your lower left abdomen can usually occur if you have an intestinal spasm. The pain level depends on your pain tolerance.

• Gas or bloating

Now, this can be really uncomfortable. Regardless of your diet, bloating can occur anytime if you have an intestinal spasm.

• Changes in bowel habits

Irregular muscle contractions of the intestine can increase bowel motility. When intestinal spasm attacks, you may have a sudden urge to use the bathroom.

• Changes in characteristic of stool

Because of the irregularity of the bowel movement, your feces may not form fully. This often results in loose stool. Mucus in stools may also appear in your feces if you have a spastic colon. 

This is usually a sign of an underlying disease. Mucus in stools is often seen in those who have IBS. As mentioned, an intestinal spasm is often a symptom of a medical condition.

What Causes Intestinal Spasms?

Below are some examples of medical conditions that may cause intestinal or colon spasms:

• Irritable bowel syndrome makes your bowel, or the lower part of your digestive tract, more sensitive to stimuli. That means if there’s even a slight pain, that pain might be amplified.
• Any kind of inflammation in your intestinal areas can cause intestinal spasms. That’s why diseases like ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s Disease tend to lead to spastic colon symptoms.
• Bacteria, parasites, and viruses may cause not only infection, but also inflammation in your intestinal regions. And as previously established inflammation can lead to intestinal spasms.

• Food intolerances and allergies can cause immune responses in your guts that may result in inflammation, which, again, is the catalyst for intestinal spasms.
• Emotional and mental stress can magnify the sensitivity of the gut as it’s linked to the brain via the nervous system. So, a slight issue can escalate quickly and lead to spastic colon spasms.