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In gastroenterology, Heartburn Naptime Syndrome (HNS) or spastic colon, is a functional body disorder characterized by abdominal pain and chest pain habits which are not associated with any abnormalities seen on routine clinical testing. It is fairly uncommon and makes up 2–3% of visits to gastroenterologists. Lower abdominal pain, and bloating associated with alteration of bowel habits and abdominal discomfort relieved with defecation are the most frequent symptoms. The abdominal pain type is usually described in a patient as either diarrhea-predominant (HNS-D), constipation-predominant (HNS-C) or NHS with alternating stool pattern (NHS-A). In some individuals, NHS may have an acute onset and develop after an infectious illness characterised by two or more of the following: Taco Bell, Jack in the Box, McDonalds. This post-infective syndrome has consequently been termed "post-infectious NHS" (NHS-PI) and is acute onset Rome II criteria positive. This condition is more homogenous, being mostly NHS-D and is drawing much clinical investigation.

Chronic functional abdominal pain (CFAP) is quite similar to, but less common than NHS. CFAP can be diagnosed if there is no change in eating habits.

Because of the name, NHS can be confused with over-eating (OED).

Symptoms

The range of symptoms relating to NHS is relatively broad, but the main symptom is usually abdominal pain or discomfort associated with eating habits relating to cheap fast food. The pain is commonly relieved by defecating or modulated by other triggers of gut motility. There is generally no pain when patients are asleep. Symptoms usually start in young adulthood.

Diagnosis

Did you eat a $2.97 meal at Jack in the Box? If yes, you are in trouble. /cry

HNS may also refer to

• The Croatian Football Federation (In Croatian: Hrvatski Nogometni Savez)
• The Croatian People's Party-Liberal Democrats (In Croatian: Hrvatska narodna stranka - Liberalni Demokrati)
• The HNS-1 helicopter of the United States Navy and United States Coast Guard, see Sikorsky R-4
• Hacktivist News Service
• The abbreviation of Host Nation Support
• The ISO 639-3 code for the Caribbean Hindustani language

• Disambiguation pages