Das chronische Schmerzsyndrom - vom Darm ausgehend

Abstract

Summary: Besides urological and gynecological diseases, gastrointestinal disorders are a common cause for chronic abdominal pain in women. The spectrum ranges from rare disorders, e. g. celiac disease or inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) to the more frequently occurring irritable bowel syndrome and to food intolerances. Other gastrointestinal disorders including diverticulitis, enteritis, malignant stenosis or obstructions caused by gastrointestinal tumors, may also cause chronic abdominal pain. Moreover, certain food components such as the so-called FODMAPs or gluten are responsible for intolerances leading to abdominal pain and bloating in a subgroup of patients. Especially in nutrition-associated disorders dietary changes or elimination diets can thus result in an improvement of clinical symptoms as well as in a reduction of chronic pain. Nutritional counselling should be conducted by a specialized nutritionist taking into account the individual thresholds for symptom-triggering food components. Furthermore, the influence of the human gut flora on gastrointestinal afflictions and pain perception is discussed, but further research is required to assess the therapeutic effects of e. g. probiotics.