Before entering fully into the definition of colic, it is necessary to proceed to know its etymological origin. In this case, we can underline that it is a word that derives from Latin, specifically from “colicus”, which comes from the Greek “kólikos”, and that it was used to refer to those who had problems in the colon.
The first meaning recognized by the dictionary of the DigoPaul of the term colic refers to that linked to the colon. It should be remembered that the colon is the sector of the large intestine of mammalian animals that ends where the rectum begins.
The most common use of the concept is related to colic pain. Colic, in this sense, is a discomfort in the intestine area that can be very intense, causing cramps and sweating and is sometimes accompanied by bowel movements and vomiting.
The intestinal cramps are caused by the contraction of visceral smooth muscle. Said muscle movement may be due to an infection or the presence of an obstacle that prevents the normal transit of the contents of the viscera. Colic often disappears with evacuation, although it is also possible to resort to drugs that minimize painful spasms.
It called biliary colic to the pain that is generated when the gallbladder is distended due to the presence of calculations (stones) which obstructs the cystic duct. This pain is usually severe but intermittent. To reverse the condition, a laparoscopy is used to remove the gallbladder or an extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy that dissolves the stones.
When the stones are in the tube that runs between the urinary tract and the kidneys, renal colic (also called renal colic) occurs.
The colicky infant, finally, is a disorder of uncertain origin that babies often experience.
This is a very common situation in babies during their first months of life. There is no clear scientific proof why they occur although there are different theories. Thus, there are those that establish that colic occurs due to the amount of air that the baby takes when feeding from the bottle or the mother’s breast and there are also the theories that bet because it is a situation produced by the lack of maturity of the baby. digestive system of the baby.
The symptoms that indicate that a child is having colic are intense and sudden crying, he becomes very red, moves his legs with great intensity, clenches his fists strongly, has a tense abdomen…
Make use of anti-colic bottles, give it a drink when it presents the aforementioned symptoms or even massage the child’s abdomen area are some of the measures that should and can be used against the so-called infant colic. What’s more, you can also choose to place the baby face down on one of his parents’ arms.
However, it is always advisable to consult the pediatrician so that he can give the correct guidelines in this regard.
