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Symptoms of colonic dyskinesia
Last reviewed: 06.07.2025
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The main symptoms of dyskinesia of the colon are disturbance of the rhythm of defecation and abdominal pain. The frequency of defecation in healthy children is variable, stool retention for more than 2 days, slow, difficult or systematically insufficient bowel movement are usually regarded as constipation.
For hypertonic type of dyskinesia of the colon:
- pain is usually localized in the lower and lower lateral parts of the abdomen, and is cramping in nature. The pain is usually associated with defecation and goes away after bowel movement;
- stool usually tends to constipation, less often there is an alternation of constipation and diarrhea. In case of constipation, the stool comes out in small portions like "sheep", the stool column is well fragmented, ribbon-like stool is possible, incomplete defecation. Sometimes there is mucus in the stool.
The hypotonic type of dyskinesia of the colon is characterized by:
- persistent progressive constipation. Sometimes after constipation, the stool is passed in large volumes, it can be liquefied. There is a gradual expansion of the distal parts of the colon, the tone of the anal sphincter can weaken with the appearance of encopresis in the form of fecal smearing;
- Abdominal pain usually occurs only with prolonged constipation, is of a constant distending nature, and goes away after bowel movement.
During an objective examination of a patient with dyskinesia of the colon, an unpleasant odor from the mouth, a coated tongue, and slight abdominal distension may be noted. Palpation of the abdomen can reveal spasmodic or dilated areas of the colon, most often the sigmoid colon. Sometimes, with persistent constipation, fecal stones (fecalites) are palpated.
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