Colic

Colic is a form of pain that starts and stops abruptly. It occurs due to muscular contractions of a hollow tube (colon, gall bladder, ureter, etc.) in an attempt to relieve an obstruction by forcing content out. It may be accompanied by sweating and vomiting. 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, an affliction 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".