Abdominal pain
Abdominal pain is the pain or discomfort that occurs in the abdomen. The abdomen is the part of the body that lies between the thorax and pelvis.Other terms are used to describe abdomen stomach belly. Each person experiences abdominal pain from time to time. It can be mild, severe, acute (lasting less) or chronic (lasting weeks or months).
Most cases of abdominal pain are not urgent. But it is better for the patient to seek medical attention if the pain is so great that the person can not move without pain to intensify and can not sit down and he can not find a comfortable position. Also, it’s best to seek medical advice if the pain is accompanied by other worrisome signs and symptoms such as bloody diarrhea or chest pain.
Causes
It is generally difficult to determine the origin of abdominal pain, although this can be felt in a particular area of the abdomen, it may be caused by something in another area of the body – a situation reflected what is called pain. Few causes of abdominal pain are specific to a certain area of the abdomen.
This type of pain can be caused by:
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Appendicitis;
- Crohn’s disease;
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (high levels of ketones in the blood);
- Diverticulitis;
- Trauma;
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Irritable bowel syndrome;
- Lead poisoning;
- Mesenteric lymphadenitis (swollen lymph nodes in the folds of membrane that holds abdominal organs attached);
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (infection of the female reproductive organs);
- Peritonitis (infection of the abdominal membrane);
- Stretching or tearing abdominal muscles;
- Ulcerative colitis;
- Uremia (increased metabolite levels in the blood);
- Abdominal tract infections;
- Viral gastroenteritis (stomach inflammation).
Causes pain in the lower abdomen, sometimes described as pelvic pain include:
- Appendicitis;
- Cystitis (bladder inflammation);
- Diverticulitis;
- Ectopic pregnancy;
- Endometriosis;
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Pain associated with ovulation;
- Ovarian cyst;
- Pelvic inflammatory disease (infection of the female reproductive organs);
- Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes).
Causes upper abdominal pain include:
- Angina (reduced blood flow to the heart);
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Appendicitis;
- Cholangitis (inflammation of the bile ducts);
- Cholecystitis (gallbladder inflammation);
- Duodenum (first portion of small intestine inflammation);
- Gallstones;
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease;
- Myocardial infarction;
- Hepatitis (liver inflammation);
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Mesenteric ischemia (decreased blood flow to the intestines);
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma;
- Neulceroasa stomach pain;
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- Peptic ulcer;
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the tissue surrounding the heart);
- Pleurisy (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs);
- Pneumonia;
- Pneumothorax (lung collapse caused by the penetration of air into the chest cavity);
- Pyloric stenosis (on children).
Causes of Central abdominal pain include:
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Appendicitis;
- Diabetic ketoacidosis (high levels of ketones in the blood);
- Trauma;
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Intestinal thrombosis (blood clot in a vessel that carries blood from the intestine);
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- Uremia (increased levels of blood excretory product)
Causes of abdominal pain on the left side are:
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Appendicitis;
- Cancer;
- Crohn’s disease;
- Diverticulitis;
- Ectopic pregnancy;
- Endometriosis;
- Inguinal hernia;
- Trauma;
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Kidney infections;
- Kidney stones;
- Pain associated with ovulation;
- Ovarian cyst;
- Seminal vesicle (inflammation of the seminal vesicles);
- Colon torsion;
- Tubo-ovarian abscess (a pus bag including fallopian tube and ovary);
- Ulcerative colitis.
Causes right upper abdominal pain include:
- Angina;
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Cancer;
- Diverticulitis;
- Empyema (infection of the membranes surrounding the lungs);
- Enlarged spleen (splenomegaly);
- Fecal impaction (hardening of stool in the colon that can not be removed);
- Gastritis (inflammation of the stomach lining);
- Myocardial infarction;
- Hiatal hernia;
- Trauma;
- Kidney infections;
- Kidney stones;
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- Pneumonia;
- Pulmonary infarction (loss of blood flow to the lungs);
- Pyloric stenosis (in children);
- Splenic rupture;
- Infection of the spleen;
- Splenic abscess (pus bag in spleen);
- Colon torsion.
Causes of pain in right lower abdomen, including:
- Aortic aneurysm;
- Appendicitis;
- Cancer;
- Cholecystitis;
- Diverticulitis (inflammation of the gallbladder);
- Ectopic pregnancy;
- Endometriosis;
- Inguinal hernia;
- Trauma;
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Kidney infections;
- Kidney stones;
- Pain associated with ovulation;
- Ovarian cyst;
- Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes);
- Seminal vesicle (inflammation of the seminal vesicles);
- Tubo-ovarian abscess (a pocket of pus in the fallopian tubes and ovaries);
- Viral gastroenteritis (stomach inflammation).
Causes right upper abdominal pain include:
- Appendicitis;
- Cholangitis;
- Diverticulitis;
- Fecal impaction;
- Gallbladder cancer;
- Gallstones;
- Gastritis (inflammation of stomach mucous);
- Hepatitis (liver inflammation);
- Hiatal hernia;
- Trauma;
- Intestinal obstruction;
- Kidney cancer;
- Kidney infection;
- Kidney stones;
- Liver abscess (pus bag in the liver);
- Hepatic hemangioma;
- Pancreatic cancer;
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas);
- Peptic ulcer;
- Pericarditis (inflammation of the membrane around the heart);
- Pleurisy (inflammation of the membranes surrounding the lungs);
- Pneumonia;
- Pulmonary infarction (loss of blood flow to the lungs);
- Pyloric stenosis (in children);
- Gastric cancer.
Seeing a doctor
Emergency request
This may be required if the pain is severe or is associated with:
- Trauma, such as in an accident;
- Pressure or chest pain.
Medical advice immediately
The patient must be present as soon as the hospital if:
- Pain is so severe that he can not sit still or needs to squat to soothe;
- Pain is accompanied by bloody stools, persistent nausea and vomiting, jaundice, severe tenderness or swelling reached its abdomen.
Programming a medical
We recommend scheduling a medical examination if it worries the patient pain or lasts more than a few days. Meanwhile, the patient can find ways to relieve pain. For example, eating smaller meals if the pain is accompanied by indigestion. Avoid taking NSAIDs can be obtained without a prescription, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, as they cause stomach problems that worsen abdominal pain.