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| Colic | |
|---|---|
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| The cholic (1819) George Cruikshank | |
| Pronunciation | |
| Specialty | Gastroenterology, Urology |
Colic or cholic (/ˈkɒlɪk/)[1] is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (small and large intestine, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out. It may be accompanied by sweating and vomiting.[2] Types include:
- Baby colic, a condition, usually in infants, characterized by incessant crying
- Biliary colic, blockage by a gallstone of the common bile duct or cystic duct
- Devon colic or painter's colic, a condition caused by lead poisoning
- Horse colic, a potentially fatal condition experienced by horses, caused by intestinal displacement or blockage
- Renal colic, a pain in the flank, characteristic of kidney stones
The term is from Greek κολικός kolikos, 'relative to the colon'.
