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Intestinal atony

Medical expert of the article

Gastroenterologist
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025

Intestinal atony is a disorder of bowel movement. In this article, we will consider the main causes of this condition, the nature of nutrition to eliminate difficulties with bowel movement, treatment of intestinal atony, including traditional medicine.

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Causes of intestinal atony

With irregular bowel movements, there are cases of self-poisoning of the body. It is very important to empty the bowels regularly, not allowing a delay of more than 1 day. The reason is insufficient peristalsis. Unfortunately, due to the lack of a culture of caring for oneself, many people are in no hurry to go to the doctor with this problem for years. Laxatives simply stop helping after 3-5 years of use, because the intestines have become "lazy". The result is that all vitamins and nutrients stop entering the body. Allergies and oncology are just around the corner for such a person.

Improper nutrition, snacking, physical inactivity, gastrointestinal diseases, the tradition of having a drink or two on Fridays are the main reasons for the malfunction of this important organ.

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Postoperative intestinal atony

Postoperative intestinal atony – persistent constipation after surgery on the gastrointestinal tract. It is successfully treated with Kalimin. This drug improves peristalsis and motility of the gastrointestinal tract. Contraindications: hypersensitivity, diabetes, pregnancy. Nausea, vomiting, gastric colic, lacrimation, myasthenia, increased secretion of the lacrimal and salivary glands, weakness, miosis are possible. Taken orally, 60 mg every 5 hours.

Atony of the large intestine

Intestinal atony, in other words, constipation, associated with weakening of the muscles of the large intestine. The large intestine gradually, from childhood, is stretched by fecal stones. Women in the second half of pregnancy are especially susceptible to constipation. Constipation also affects those who eat too much smoked food. With intestinal atony, the body is intoxicated. Today, doctors have enough means to treat constipation. Eat more fermented milk products, and eggs should be limited. If constipation lasts more than 3 days, consult a doctor.

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Atony of the stomach and intestines

Atony of the intestines and stomach develops most often with an improperly composed diet. The patient is bothered by a sagging belly, sometimes there are phenomena of intestinal obstruction, painful, prolonged constipation. The volume of feces is small, it is very dry. To avoid these phenomena, follow a few simple rules:

  1. Eat more foods rich in fiber.
  2. Consult a neurologist. Some diseases may cause a disruption of the innervation of the stomach and intestines.
  3. Move more.

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Symptoms of intestinal atony

The normal frequency of bowel movements is 4 times a week. If bowel movements occur less frequently, be alert and try to identify the cause of constipation. This could be:

  1. Starvation.
  2. Overeating.
  3. If you have been in bed for a long time due to illness.
  4. Smoking.

Patients with intestinal atony have no appetite and are often lethargic.

Want to help yourself? Give up fried and smoked foods, pies, chocolate and rich broths, pomegranates, mushrooms, garlic and radishes, legumes. Beets, buckwheat and carrots bring invaluable benefits to the intestines. Kefir, lean meat and honey are useful.

Intestinal atony in children

Intestinal atony in children most often occurs under the influence of a psychological factor, for example, when weaning or potty training. Chronic constipation can be caused by insufficient water intake. Glycerin suppositories are good for treating constipation in children. They promote reflex bowel movement in the baby. The suppository should be inserted 20 minutes after breakfast.

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Intestinal atony in the elderly

A sedentary lifestyle and surgeries performed on older people often lead to constipation. A good method of combating constipation is a dairy and vegetable menu, walks and enemas. Give the patient 2 tbsp. of sunflower oil, biokefir before breakfast, offer to eat a salad of boiled beets, baked apple, raisins, prunes for breakfast. Solyanka and borscht, mashed potatoes, sauerkraut, bananas, berries and greens are good for lunch. Grind fruits and vegetables. Pass 400 prunes through a meat grinder and add 100 g of honey. Take the mixture on an empty stomach. It is good to do enemas with chamomile.

Where does it hurt?

Diagnosis of intestinal atony

The doctor takes stool for bacteriological analysis, performs a colonoscopy, and if necessary, a biopsy. Intestinal atony is easily determined by the patient's typical complaints of prolonged stool retention. To clarify the causes, diagnostics are carried out in the laboratory and using special instrumental research methods.

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Who to contact?

Treatment of intestinal atony

Traditional laxatives are only symptomatic means; they cannot eliminate the cause of bowel movement disorder. In addition, over time they stop working. The patient becomes very irritable and goes to see a doctor. You need to completely revise your diet. Eliminate rice, hard-boiled eggs, and pears. Exercises and therapeutic abdominal massage help.

Eat fresh and canned lingonberries, include rhubarb, prunes, apricots, plums and prunes, and cherries in your diet.

Pour 10 g of oregano into a glass of water and drink a tablespoon twice a day.

Medicines for intestinal atony

An effective remedy for solving such a problem as intestinal atony is distigmine bromide. It stimulates the exocrine glands and promotes increased peristalsis. It is used for chronic constipation. Contraindicated for patients with hypersensitivity, bradycardia, asthma, gastric ulcer, renal colic, chronic heart failure. Not prescribed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Bradycardia, hyperhidrosis, muscle spasms are possible. Drink half an hour before the first meal. No more than 10 mg of the drug per day.

Neostigmine methylsulfate is a drug for intestinal atony, increasing muscle tone of the gastrointestinal tract. Enhances the work of the exocrine glands. Neostigmine methylsulfate is not prescribed for epilepsy, coronary heart disease, arrhythmia, angina, asthma, atherosclerosis, thyrotoxicosis, gastric ulcer, in the acute period of infectious diseases. During pregnancy and lactation, it is prescribed with caution, comparing the risk to the mother's health with the risk to the child. Headache, convulsions, loss of consciousness and miosis, arrhythmia, bradycardia, tachycardia and cardiac arrest are possible. The drug is administered orally, intramuscularly and intravenously. The dosage is selected individually, taking into account age, body weight and other factors.

Proserin for intestinal atony

Intestinal atony after surgery is eliminated by the drug Prozerin. Prozerin facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses, restores neuromuscular conductivity. Increases the secretion of gastrointestinal glands, tones muscles. Contraindications: epilepsy, coronary heart disease, bradycardia, angina, asthma, gastric ulcer, atherosclerosis, peritonitis. Side effects: nausea, vomiting, flatulence, headache, weakness, drowsiness and visual impairment. Take orally 30 minutes before meals 10-15 mg three times a day. Subcutaneously: adults - 0.5-1-2 mg (0.5 mg - 1 ml of 0.05% solution) 1-2 times a day, the maximum single dose is 2 mg, daily - 6 mg.

Diet for intestinal atony

Regular constipation is often caused by eating dry food on the go or malnutrition. You need to eat fractionally, in small portions, at the same time, 5 times a day. All dishes should be boiled, preferably steamed, rather than fried or smoked. You can bake in the oven. The proportion of protein in the diet is 60%. Vegetable juice is recommended in the morning, and sour milk, yogurt, sour cream or kefir at night. Compliance with the diet is combined with exercise. Stale bread and dry biscuits, vegetable soups, borscht and cabbage soup, lean meat, poultry, sausages, vegetable dishes from cauliflower, zucchini, tomatoes, carrots and greens, dishes from barley and millet, pasta are useful. Canned food and salted fish are prohibited. If you have been diagnosed with intestinal atony, you should not eat rich broths, peas and beans, rice, mushrooms, garlic, chocolate and coffee, pomegranates, or quince. Seaweed, compotes, kissels, baked apples, grated carrots with honey, and various vegetable salads, natural yoghurts, veal, and prunes are good.

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Nutrition for intestinal atony

The main symptom of intestinal atony is persistent constipation and headaches. Lingonberries, oranges, rhubarb, peaches, pumpkin, greens and dried apricots are excellent products that help improve peristalsis. Healthy meat dishes and buckwheat porridge. Coffee, smoked foods, blueberries and pears are undesirable. In addition to diet, bowel movement disorders are treated with daily walks and jogging, gym classes, swimming – any kind of physical activity you like.

Exercises for intestinal atony

The following set of exercises can be used as a basis, each of which is repeated 10 times.

  1. Lying on your back, perform movements as if riding a bicycle.
  2. Lying on your back, your legs are bent at the knees and clasped with your hands and pressed to your stomach.
  3. Standing on your knees with your hands supporting you, stretch each leg back one at a time.
  4. From a supine position, throw your legs behind your head and return to the starting position.

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Drugs

Prevention of intestinal atony

Prevention of atony consists of choosing the optimal type of physical activity for yourself and regularly consuming kefir, cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, and fruit.

Prognosis for intestinal atony

Intestinal atony has a positive prognosis and often does not even require special treatment measures. The main formula for its treatment is diet and exercise.

Intestinal atony is a common problem, so if you are constipated, do not hesitate to consult a doctor.


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