What is Visceral Hypersensitivity?
Elevated sensitivity to pain in the body’s internal organs, such as the stomach, pancreas, or intestines, is known as visceral Hypersensitivity.
Visceral Hypersensitivity: What Causes It?
When something irritates a certain organ system, increased sensitivity typically results. Sometimes there is no obvious explanation for the irritation, although it may occur after a virus, disease, or injury.
The area that irritates and hurts most frequently is the stomach and intestines. These places’ nerves become extremely sensitive due to the discomfort. The brain is therefore informed by these nerves that actions that ordinarily do not cause pain—such as eating and drinking—are now causing discomfort. The brain receives this pain signal from the nerves for a considerable time.
What Indicates Visceral Hypersensitivity Symptoms?
Visceral Pain is experienced by patients, who characterize it in various ways. The pain could be searing, mild, or acute. It could be ongoing or sporadic.
Additionally, patients may have additional symptoms like:
- Constipation
- bloating
- The diarrhea
- vomiting and nausea
Visceral Hypersensitivity: How Is It Diagnosed?
Visceral Hypersensitivity cannot be diagnosed using a particular test. It is typically identified when results from tests for alternative causes are negative. To aid in the diagnosis of this illness, patients should always have a thorough medical history and examination performed by a physician.
How Is It Handled?
The goal of treatment is to help manage the pain in various ways. Patients seeking guidance on reducing their pain response will consult with a pain psychologist. Their physician might also recommend specific drugs to soothe the nervous system.
A pain specialist will:
- Utilize biofeedback to lessen or eliminate the pain reaction.
- Teach the patient how to relax to help with pain management.
- Provide suggestions on how the patient can continue to participate in routine activities, such as school, while they heal.
- Assist the patient and family in learning coping mechanisms for the distressing impacts of long-term pain
Medication is occasionally used to reduce the reaction of the nervous system when ordinary activities, including eating, cause pain perception. Among these drugs are:
- Antidepressants that can relieve pain include nortriptyline (Pamelor) and amitriptyline (Elavil).
- Nerve pain can be treated with gabapentin (Neurontin) or Lyrica (pregabalin).
- This kind of discomfort is not relieved by standard painkillers. Narcotics, which are strong painkillers that might slow down the digestive system and exacerbate discomfort, are not recommended.
FAQs
- How sensitive is the viscera?
Visceral hyperalgesia is another pathological condition in which patients are oversensitized to stimuli from the inner organs, and this most often leads to increased pain. It might have a direct relation with the gastrointestinal symptoms and forms a part of many ailments such as IBS.
- Visceral hypersensitivity may result from any of the following main reasons:
Even though the addition of real pathophysiologic mechanisms of visceral hypersensitivity is still unclear, various factors such as inflammation, the existence of genetic tendency, previous gastrointestinal infections, changes in the gut-brain axis and psychological factors including stress or worry may be involved in the development of visceral hypersensitivity.
- What does misperception look like for an individual with the condition?
Pain and gas in the tummy and discomfort are some of the signs that can be as a result of tension or normal digestion. Another aspect regarding sensations is the fact that people may also be more sensitive to the need for defecation, and this might mean they feel discomfort more intensely in this aspect as well.
- How is a doctor able to diagnose visceral hypersensitivity?
Medical history of the patient, clinical examination of the symptoms, and finally elimination of other conditions affecting the gastrointestinal system are made as the techniques for diagnosis. Thus far, no test can diagnose visceral hypersensitivity, but physicians can exclude other diseases with procedures like endoscopy or imaging tests.
- What treatment is prescribed for hypersensitivity of the viscera?
It concerns several dietary alterations, effective stress management practices, medications such as pain relievers, antidepressants, or antispasmodic, and counseling services, including cognitive behavioral therapy or psychology. Symptom management entails an individual constructing an optimal plan for treating the symptoms with the help of healthcare professionals.