Don't panic if you have abdominal pain and bloating after a colonoscopy!

If you have abdominal pain and bloating after colonoscopy, don’t panic! Learn what’s going on in one article

After a colonoscopy, many people will find that their stomachs are painful and bloated, and they will inevitably worry. In fact, this is mostly normal, so don't panic too much. Let's talk about the reasons and coping methods in detail.

1. Why do you have abdominal pain and bloating?

Gas injection : During a colonoscopy, the doctor will inject some gas into the intestine to expand the intestinal cavity so that the inside of the intestine can be clearly observed. After the examination, these gases will not be absorbed or discharged by the body immediately, which will cause bloating and may also cause pain. Generally speaking, this bloating and pain is more obvious within a few hours after the examination, and the symptoms will gradually ease as the gas is gradually discharged from the body.

Intestinal irritation : When the colonoscope moves and turns in the intestine, it will cause certain irritation and friction to the intestinal mucosa. The intestine is relatively sensitive, and after being stimulated by these irritations, spasms may occur, causing abdominal pain. Moreover, the sensitivity of each person's intestine is different. Some people may feel mild pain, while others may feel more obvious pain.

Impact of operation : If some operations are performed during the colonoscopy, such as taking a biopsy or removing a small polyp, the impact on the intestine will be greater, and the symptoms of abdominal pain and bloating may be more severe and last longer. However, these operations are all for the purpose of clarifying the diagnosis or treatment of the disease. Although it may be a little uncomfortable at the time, it is good for your health in the long run.

How long does it take for symptoms to be relieved?

Normally, if the abdominal distension and pain are simply caused by gas accumulation, the symptoms can be significantly relieved by farting or defecating 1-2 hours after the examination to expel the gas from the body. If the intestinal irritation is relatively mild, the abdominal pain and distension may gradually disappear within half a day to a day. However, if a biopsy, polypectomy, or other operations are performed, the recovery time may be longer, and the symptoms will generally gradually subside within 2-3 days. If the symptoms are not relieved but aggravated after this time, such as the abdominal pain becoming more and more severe, the abdominal distension has not been relieved, and even other abnormal symptoms such as fever and bloody stools appear, then you must go to the hospital in time and let the doctor conduct further examination to see if there are other problems.

3. There are some tricks to relieve discomfort

Moderate exercise : After the examination, as long as your physical condition allows, you can do some exercise, such as taking a walk indoors. Exercise can promote intestinal peristalsis, help gas discharge, and relieve abdominal distension and pain. But be careful not to do strenuous exercise to avoid pulling the intestines.

Abdominal massage : Lie flat on the bed, relax your body, rub your hands together to warm them up, and gently massage your abdomen in a clockwise direction, centering on your navel. Massage for 10 to 15 minutes each time, with moderate force, not too hard. This can promote the movement of gas in the intestines, speed up its discharge, and relieve abdominal distension and pain.

Adjust your diet : Diet after the examination is also very important. At the beginning, you can eat some light, easily digestible liquid or semi-liquid food, such as rice soup, porridge, noodles, etc. Avoid eating foods that are easy to produce gas, such as beans, onions, potatoes, etc. Do not eat spicy, greasy, irritating foods, so as not to increase the burden on the intestines. As the body recovers, gradually resume a normal diet.

Abdominal pain and bloating after colonoscopy are usually normal physiological reactions. As long as you understand the cause and master the correct relief methods, you can generally recover smoothly. If you are worried about your symptoms, you can always consult a doctor to make yourself feel more at ease.