How does stress affect gut health?

They say that all diseases are caused by nerves, and intestinal neurosis is a clear confirmation of this. It all starts with worries before exams or interviews, continues with problems at work and is regularly supplemented by all kinds of annoyances and grievances. It seems like little things, but in the end serious problems with the gastrointestinal tract begin, unpleasant diagnostic procedures and long-term treatment. But this can be avoided.

What is intestinal neurosis called?

Frequent stressful situations, the inability to cope with nervous tension, resulting sleep problems and irritability negatively affect not only the nervous system, but also the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Pain appears, which intensifies during moments of nervous tension. There is a failure in the synthesis of intestinal enzymes, digestion is disrupted. This picture, similar to gastritis or colitis, is actually an intestinal neurosis.

Forms of the disease

A person’s emotional state influences the course of the disease.
Any form of this disease has a connection with the nervous system. Its exacerbation, as well as recovery, directly depends on the emotional state of a person. The most common forms are:

• Motor neurosis. This disease is also called chronic intestinal dyskinesia. The symptom is diarrhea, which may be accompanied by pain and mucus. It occurs in cases of severe nervous tension individually or occurs reflexively if a person experiences negative emotions. For example, responsible children suffer from bowel problems every morning before school or before a school test. Such manifestations are not uncommon in adults - it is enough to get nervous for any reason, and diarrhea occurs.
• Rectal neurosis is a disturbance in the process of defecation. There are two manifestations. The first is mucus secretion, sometimes accompanied by inflammation. The second is anal cramps with accompanying pain. This manifestation can be of a reflex nature, combined with proctitis.
• Hirschsprung's disease. This disease can be hereditary or acquired. A characteristic feature is changes in the large intestine, which in this case is enlarged. The large intestine or its individual parts have a large length and diameter. Pathology occurs in childhood. It manifests itself as frequent flatulence, pain, constipation, and possible intestinal-cardiac syndrome. If left untreated, it can develop into colitis and obstruction.

Neurosis of the stomach and intestines symptoms

The first, most important sign that you have intestinal neurosis is problems with stool. They can come in different forms: constipation, diarrhea, or both in turn.

Added to them:

• rumbling;
• intestinal spasms;
• colic;
• feeling that the stomach is bursting;
• nausea;
• burning;
• gas formation;
• after absorbing liquids, there is a feeling that the stomach is literally bursting.

The nervous system adds its own list of symptoms:

• you become irritable;
• headaches and anxiety appear;
• you don't sleep well at night;
• you begin to sweat profusely;
• heart rate increases;
• in some situations, there is pain in the body, the need for frequent urination, malaise and poor health in general;

What can cause intestinal neurosis and its symptoms?

In 90% of cases, this disease is not life-threatening. If left untreated, neurosis can provoke gastritis, dysbacteriosis, pancreatitis, cholecystitis and ulcers.

Important!

If a doctor scares you with complications in the form of oncology, unless you start treatment urgently, then you shouldn’t believe him. Intestinal neurosis cannot cause tumor formation.

The reason this happens is simple. Due to numerous and severe stress, the immune system suffers, and harmful bacteria have no barriers to reproduction.

Nowadays, the likelihood of getting gastrointestinal neurosis is high, due to the heavy load on the nervous system and people’s love for fast food, so it is important to carefully monitor the symptoms that appear in the body.

Causes of pathology

A weakened immune system is unable to resist infections.
The processes of the emergence of neuroses are still subject to study. However, doctors identify the causes of problems with the gastrointestinal tract. If it is possible to completely eliminate or minimize them, intestinal neurosis can be avoided. These reasons are called:

• emotional and psychological trauma;
• weak immunity and, as a result, a tendency to infectious diseases;
• intoxication;
• burdened heredity.

The greatest risk of developing intestinal neurosis is observed in people who experience conflicts at work, cannot find a place in the team and feel like “strangers”. There is a great danger in the case of a traumatic home environment. The risk group includes people experiencing sexual dissatisfaction. Intestinal neurosis syndromes are mainly characterized by:

• alcoholics;
• neurotics;
• people with congenital psychopathy.

Diagnosis of IBS

The diagnosis of intestinal neurosis, as mentioned above, is a diagnosis of exclusion. To diagnose it, you need a full examination, which includes:

• Clinical blood test;
• Microscopic examination of stool;
• Ultrasound of the abdominal organs;
• Endoscopic examination of the stomach.

If there are threatening symptoms (changes in blood tests, pain at night, blood in the stool, the presence of colon cancer in relatives, age over 45 years), this list of studies can be expanded.

Main symptoms

Intestinal dysfunction can cause diarrhea.
Symptoms of intestinal neurosis are numerous and have a pronounced character. The disease is manifested by disruption of the intestines and nervous system. Sometimes heart pain and joint pain are added to the symptoms. The following symptoms are observed from the intestines:

• diarrhea/constipation;
• intestinal cramps, causing stomach pain and worsening after eating;
• flatulence;
• mild nausea;
• defecation is accompanied by the release of mucus;
• specific pain, burning in the stomach associated with a burn.

Symptoms of intestinal neurosis from the nervous system include:

• periodic headaches and dizziness;
• irritability for no reason;
• constant feeling of anxiety;
• sleep problems;
• cardiopalmus;
• increased sweating.

Treatment of irritable bowel syndrome

To cure intestinal neurosis, consultations with several specialists are necessary:

• Gastroenterologist : he will carry out all the necessary diagnostic measures to exclude serious diseases of the digestive system and prescribe a diet. The fact is that although the disease does not have organic prerequisites for its development, individual symptoms that accompany it can be dangerous. For example, severe diarrhea leads to dehydration of the body;
• Neurologist : he will select medications that will help stabilize the patient’s nervous system;
• Psychotherapist : a specialist will help you understand the true causes of neurosis, be it stress, overexertion, panic attacks or hysteria.

Diagnostic methods

A blood test will help determine if there is an infection.
Among the achievements of medicine, there is no test that could determine the presence of intestinal neurosis. If you are a gambling person and like to play slot machines, then online slots for money in Ukraine can be found on the Elslots club website. This disorder has symptoms similar to other gastrointestinal diseases and for diagnosis it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive examination to determine the presence of this pathology. Diagnostics involves the following procedures:

• Conducting a blood test to determine or refute the presence of infection.
• Stool analysis. It can be used to detect blood and mucus in stool.
• Ultrasound examination of the gastrointestinal tract. This makes it possible to see the general condition of the intestinal mucosa and determine the presence of tumors and damage.
• Endoscopy. The most unpleasant procedure. A probe with a camera is inserted into the anus, which transmits an image to a monitor. This device is used to examine the colon and rectum. During the procedure, the specialist sees the true state of the intestinal mucosa and can take a piece of it for further tests.

Associated symptoms

Neurological diarrhea is manifested by liquid stool and frequent urge to defecate. But the pathology is complemented by the following signs:

• chronic fatigue;
• headache;
• discomfort and spasms in the gastrointestinal tract;
• cold hands;
• bloating;
• intestinal colic;
• nausea and vomiting;
• bladder irritation;
• unjustified anxiety, panic, neurosis;
• unreasonable irritability, tearfulness and other psycho-emotional experiences;
• hysterics;
• hypochondria;
• panic attack.

Such symptoms often occur while eating or immediately after eating. Neurological diarrhea can be recognized by the main symptom - after calming down, diarrhea disappears.

Principles of treatment

Based on the initial diagnosis, the general practitioner will refer you to a specialized specialist.
Intestinal neurosis must be treated comprehensively, paying attention not only to the gastrointestinal tract, but also to the nervous system. But first you need to decide which doctor to see if you have symptoms of this disease:

• Gastroenterologist. Regulates the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, prescribes special medications and a diet that must be strictly followed.
• Neuropathologist. Selects methods of influencing the nervous system, prescribes drugs and procedures that normalize a person’s emotional state.
• Psychotherapist. The role of this doctor is important, as he can help a person change his attitude towards the world around him and react differently to stressful situations.

The task of doctors is to normalize the functioning of two interconnected systems, eliminate the cause and treat complications. It is important to restore normal bowel function. Treatment is selected individually, the guidelines are the symptoms:

• Medications are prescribed to relieve diarrhea/constipation.
• Enzyme preparations (Festal, Pancreatin) are required. With their help, digestion is normalized, stools are stabilized, and the inflamed intestines have the opportunity to recover. To improve the microflora, Linex is prescribed (for diarrhea).
• Anti-inflammatory drugs are prescribed.
• A strict diet is prescribed.

“The speed of recovery depends on the emotional state of the patient.”

To restore your emotional state, it is important to discover and eliminate the cause, or at least get away from it for a while. A stay in a sanatorium is especially recommended. In addition, you must:

• Drink infusions of medicinal herbs such as motherwort, mint, sage.
• Take sedatives. The functioning of the gastrointestinal tract is normalized when a person is calm.
• Take B vitamins. The environmental situation and lack of proper rest contribute to the occurrence of neurosis. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen the body for more productive treatment.

Folk remedies

Herbal infusions will help reduce pain.
For more effective treatment, doctors recommend using some folk recipes, if you are not allergic to their components:

• Herbal infusion. You need 20 g of motherwort, sage, mint and yarrow flowers, and 30 g of St. John's wort flowers and herbs and oak bark. Mix everything thoroughly. Take 3 tbsp. l. collection, pour 750 ml of boiling water and leave for at least 2 hours. Drink half a glass an hour after meals, but no more than 4 times a day for 3 days, and then reduce the dose to a quarter glass.
• Bath. A pre-prepared decoction of mint, yarrow, wormwood and lemon balm is poured into a hot bath. A relaxing bath can be taken daily, no longer than half an hour.

Nutritional Features

Following a diet for intestinal neurosis is mandatory, but it may differ depending on the characteristics of the disease and is selected individually. If you have constipation, it is recommended to eat more vegetables and fruits, and if you have diarrhea, it is recommended to take a water-tea break and completely exclude coarse fiber from the diet until the gastrointestinal tract is completely restored. But compliance with the general rules is mandatory for everyone. For a speedy recovery you need:

• to refuse from bad habits;
• eat at least 5 times a day in small portions;
• do not overeat;
• give up coffee, alcoholic and carbonated drinks, fatty and spicy foods, baked goods and confectionery.

Traditional treatment methods

Various folk remedies, decoctions and tinctures are considered the most effective and safe to use; they do not contain chemicals and have virtually no side effects. They improve not only the condition of the gastrointestinal tract, but also help get rid of painful sensations, improve general condition, and cleanse the body of toxins. They improve the functioning of the nervous system and have calming properties.

• Oregano. It should be taken to relieve tension; it has a good effect on the digestive tract and relieves symptoms of nervousness. Has an analgesic effect. You can take it several times a day, preferably at night. Brew 6 tablespoons per liter of water, infuse for 2-3 hours. Has no contraindications.
• Tincture of valerian officinalis 1 tbsp. l, motherwort 1 tbsp. l, hawthorn 2 tbsp. l and oregano 3 tbsp. l. Brew in 1 liter of water and leave for half an hour. Take a small mug in the morning, at lunch and before bed. Excellent fight against stress and nervous overexcitation. Has a satisfactory effect on the stomach and intestines.
• Antiemetic and tones the nerves - lemon balm tea (3 tbsp. l/0.5 l). Goes well with valerian. Helps you sleep.
• St. John's wort helps well with intestinal neurosis; it has a gentle and intense effect on the intestines, cleanses well and protects against microbes. Take in proportions of 5 tbsp. l per liter of water, take 3-4 times a day.
• A tablespoon of flaxseed oil every morning is an excellent remedy for neurosis; it cleanses and relieves stomach pain and heartburn during neurosis, and improves digestion.
• To get rid of loose stools, it is best to eat nothing for a day. If you really want, you can boil the rice without salt. Rosehip tinctures are also welcome. During the week you need to stick to portioned meals (4-5 small portions per day).
• If constipation causes discomfort, you can take an enema of chamomile decoction; it cleanses the intestines well. Eat foods high in fiber, lots of fruits and vegetables. Drink kefir.

Prevention

Prevention means:

• rejection of bad habits;
• breathing and physical exercises;
• walks in the open air;
• power control;
• eliminating the cause of nervous tension, controlling your own emotions.

Intestinal neurosis can be avoided if you lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly. Swimming is useful. For those who experience stress, a relaxing massage is recommended. But the main thing lies in the person himself and his attitude to the world around him. Don't be nervous about anything - health is more important.

Could diarrhea be caused by nerves?

Medical statistics record that 1/3 of patients who periodically suffer from developing diarrhea have irritable bowel syndrome.
The pathological condition refers to disorders of the motor activity of an internal organ. The disease tends to not exclude people based on gender, manifesting itself in both men and women. The progression of the disease is often diagnosed in patients who have crossed the age of 35. The substance negatively affects the formation of water in the stomach and intestines. Therefore, with a large volume of adrenaline, fluid is formed several times more than is required for the normal functioning of the gastrointestinal tract. Due to this, the feces become liquefied, which leads to the formation of chronic diarrhea.

During a nervous shock, the body also produces large amounts of cholecystokinin, gastrin and motilin, which are hormones that provoke peristalsis of the intestinal tubes. As a result of the accelerated work of this organ, the liquid ceases to be absorbed, which leads to diarrhea due to nervousness.

It would seem how nervous tension and interruptions in the functioning of the intestines can be related to each other, the first relates to the mental development of the individual, and the second to the physiological characteristics of the body. However, the direct connection between our thoughts and how they affect the state of the body has long been proven by doctors.

Bad and good mood, positive or negative thoughts allow a person to feel cheerful, energetic and healthy, or lethargic and sick. So diarrhea due to nervousness becomes a natural consequence of stress. Something similar happened to you at least once before the most important and crucial moments in life - passing an exam, going through an interview, making a decision, etc.

Emotional diarrhea occurs as a result of functional changes in the intestines. Against the background of nervous tension, a hormonal surge occurs, which affects the digestive, cardiovascular and nervous systems, provokes increased blood pressure, sweating, nausea and gastrointestinal upset. Scientists have proven that hormones such as gastrin and cholecystokinin cause nervous diarrhea.

Therapy used to eliminate pathology

Intestinal neurosis is treated under the supervision of several doctors. This is due to the fact that the patient needs to be provided not only with psychological assistance, but also with help to combat the manifestations accompanying the development of the disease. For example, if bouts of diarrhea are left untreated, this problem can lead to serious complications, namely dehydration. In this case, the person will already need urgent hospitalization.

Specialists such as a gastroenterologist, a neurologist and a psychotherapist participate in the treatment of the disease. The first, based on the obtained clinical data, prescribes a special diet for the patient, which the patient must adhere to throughout the entire therapeutic course. A balanced diet can improve the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and thereby reduce the intensity of pain and other unpleasant sensations in the intestines. In addition to diet, a gastroenterologist may prescribe certain medications that facilitate the process of digesting food and eliminate abdominal discomfort.

In special cases, the doctor prescribes the patient to regularly perform a procedure such as a microenema. It is usually made using chamomile infusion. You can also add a couple of drops of olive oil to it.

The main task of a neurologist is to select for the patient all kinds of drugs that increase his resistance to stress and thereby normalize the nervous system and mental health of a person. For these purposes, the patient is prescribed various sedative medications made from natural ingredients, most often herbs. To treat the nervous system, alcohol tinctures from motherwort, valerian, etc. are used.

The psychotherapist plays an equally important role in the treatment of people suffering from intestinal neurosis. With the help of this specialist, the patient can get rid of obsessive thoughts, depression, feelings of constant fear for no reason and other mental disorders.

In addition to following all the instructions of the attending physician, the patient must stop drinking alcohol, caffeine-containing drinks and smoking!

Features of the pathology

Depending on which symptom predominates, the following forms of the disease are distinguished:

• Functional diarrhea. The clinical picture is dominated by symptoms of diarrhea, which can occur up to 4 times a day. The stool is light in color and often contains undigested food. Diarrhea occurs mainly in the morning. Abnormal bowel movements are accompanied by an imperative (violent) urge to defecate (tenesmus). Abdominal pain does not occur with this form.
• Functional constipation. Clinical manifestations of constipation have several variations. In one case, the absence of stool is replaced by constipative diarrhea (profuse excretion of feces), then constipation occurs again. In other cases, the stool is regular, but is accompanied by a feeling of incomplete bowel movement after defecation, or the stool itself resembles sheep feces or has a ribbon-like shape. This form of the disease is accompanied by a pronounced psycho-emotional coloring (a painful state, a feeling of internal tension).
• Painful form. The pain is cramping in nature, often appears in the left lower abdomen, and intensifies before defecation. After bowel movement the pain disappears. Eating can trigger pain. A person is bothered by a feeling of heaviness in the stomach, bloating. Flatulence intensifies in the evening. A feature of intestinal neurosis is the absence of abdominal pain at night.

An upset stomach due to nervousness leads to disruption of the large intestine due to the active production of adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. The released hormones do not allow the fluid entering the body to be absorbed by the intestinal mucosa. This leads to impaired peristalsis and the appearance of unpleasant sensations in the abdominal area.

Irritable bowel syndrome caused by stressful situations has distinctive features:

• passing loose stools exclusively during the daytime;
• absence of elevated body temperature;
• there is no blood or pieces of undigested food in the stool;
• absence of heartburn, flatulence, belching;
• leukocyte counts in the blood are normal.

Under the influence of emotional stress, a pathology occurs in a child and an adult, characterized by the desire to empty the intestines at a stressful moment. The release of hormones provokes vomiting, sweating, pallor or redness of the skin, rapid pulse, as well as an excited state and aggressive behavior.

Treatment of diarrhea

When treating diarrhea caused by a nervous disorder or overexertion, one should remember its etiology (cause of occurrence). In this case, an integrated approach to treatment is required :

• Diet therapy;
• Use of medications;
• Consultation with a psychologist; in severe and advanced cases, you should consult a psychotherapist.

In the diet, it is necessary to use foods that have strengthening properties (for example, rice, pear, quince, strong black tea and others).

Several groups of drugs are used in the treatment of diarrhea due to nervousness.:

• Sedatives based on medicinal herbs. These are sedatives that act gently. Such drugs include: Valerian extract, Motherwort tincture, Persen, Novopassit. They gently reduce nervous excitement and have an antispasmodic effect; they are approved for use by children, pregnant women and the elderly;
• Antidepressants (Amitriptyline, Imizin, Azafen). They eliminate the cause of such diarrhea, namely, eliminate anxiety and excessive excitability of the nervous system. They are recommended to be taken in the presence of depressive conditions or if their development is suspected. These funds can be used only after consultation with a specialist (neurologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist);
• Antispasmodics (No-shpa, Spazmalgon, Papaverine). These medications relieve spasms of the intestinal walls and have an analgesic effect. At the same time, the movement of intestinal contents slows down, and the number of bowel movements is significantly reduced;
• Antidiarrheals (Imodium, Loperamide). They will help stop diarrhea. However, you shouldn't get carried away with them. If diarrhea is not frequent, then it is better to stop taking these medications. However, if a person needs to leave home or has frequent diarrhea, then the use of these medications is necessary.

Symptoms

With intestinal neurosis, symptoms can vary significantly. This disease is characterized by a chronic course with periods of exacerbations and remissions.

The pain syndrome can vary in intensity: from mild discomfort to severe cramping pain. Triggered by food intake. The release of gas or bowel movements helps the pain subside.

Associated symptoms include:

• feeling of incomplete bowel movement;
• feeling of a lump in the throat when swallowing;
• migraine-like headaches;
• urination disorders (frequent urge to urinate, feeling of a full bladder, feeling of incomplete emptying of the bladder, etc.);
• heartburn, belching;
• pain in the lumbar region.

Intestinal neurosis is characterized by a number of features:

1. Long history of the disease.
2. Variable nature of symptoms.
3. A clear connection between psycho-emotional factors and intestinal symptoms.
4. No symptoms during sleep at night.

Since the disease is psychosomatic in nature, it completely goes away immediately after the person stops being nervous. The following symptoms will tell you that this is diarrhea from nerves, and not another disease:

• heaviness in the stomach;
• bloating;
• pain and cramping in the lower abdomen;
• headache;
• cold sweat;
• hand tremors;
• chilliness of the body;
• increased anxiety;
• disturbed sleep.

The desire to visit the toilet may arise even when you decide to sit down to eat and after you have already eaten. If the disease is mild, then the stool will be mushy. In severe cases of the disease, it becomes watery, sometimes mixed with mucus and blood, and the urge to go to the toilet becomes more frequent and reaches 7 to 9 times a day. False urges may arise, and the person will be afraid to leave the toilet room.

When making a correct and accurate diagnosis, doctors first exclude the possibility of a person developing diseases that are accompanied by similar symptoms (Crohn's disease, intestinal cancer and dysentery).

Signs of stress

Because the symptoms and causes of diarrhea are similar, nerve diarrhea and irritable bowel syndrome are often lumped together. Symptoms may include:

• false urge to defecate;
• pain in the navel area;
• discomfort in the intestines;
• increased gas formation;
• bloating;
• numbness of the limbs;
• headache.

Not only a doctor can determine that diarrhea is neurogenic in nature. When the stress disappears, no symptoms of diarrhea remain. Still, to make sure that the body has not suffered from any infections or viruses, it is better to visit a doctor and get tested.

Due to the fact that irritable bowel syndrome and nervous diarrhea have common symptoms, they are usually combined into one disease. With the development of pathology, the following signs of illness most often develop:

• Discomfort in the lower abdomen and intestines;
• Increased gas formation;
• stomach twists;
• False urge to pass stool;
• Pain in the navel area;
• Numbness of legs and arms;
• Brain pain;
• Bloating.

After the stress is neutralized, the symptoms gradually disappear on their own. But in order to make sure that after a nervous condition there are no consequences in the form of changes in the functioning of the body, you should consult a doctor for a diagnosis. In the case when pathology manifests itself in a pregnant woman, you should not wait for further development of the situation; you should immediately begin therapeutic actions. But before that, consult your doctor.

Nervous diarrhea caused by severe stress is accompanied by unpleasant symptoms:

• cramps in the stomach;
• bloating;
• false urge to defecate;
• headache;
• excretion of feces with mucus.