Most people generally ignore mild or even
acute abdominal pain and tend to rely on home remedy or
pain killers. While this may provide relief, abdominal pain
should not be taken lightly, despite the fact that abdominal
pain is rarely an emergency, and usually doesn’t warrant
an after hours call to the doctor.
Abdominal pain is pain that you feel anywhere between your
chest and groin. This is often referred to as the stomach
region or belly. There are many organs in the abdomen. Pain
in the abdomen can originate from any one of them, including:
-
Organs related
to digestion — the stomach, the end of the esophagus,
the small and large intestines, the liver, the gallbladder,
and the pancreas.
-
The aorta —
a large blood vessel that runs straight down the inside
of the abdomen.
-
The appendix —
an organ in the lower right abdomen that no longer serves
much function.
-
The kidneys —
two bean-shaped organs that lie deep within the abdominal
cavity.
However, the pain may
originate from somewhere else — like the chest or pelvic
region. One may also have a generalized infection affecting
many parts of the body, like the flu or strep throat.
-
The intensity of
the pain does not always reflect the seriousness of the
condition causing the pain. Severe abdominal pain can
be from mild conditions, such as gas or the cramping of
viral gastroenteritis. On the other hand, relatively mild
pain or no pain may be present with life-threatening conditions,
such as cancer of the colon or early appendicitis.
Alternative Names
Stomach pain; Pain - abdomen; Belly ache; Abdominal
cramps; Acute abdomen
Common Symptoms
Listed below are links to symptom information for some of
the most common gastrointestinal disorders. If you are experiencing
any of these symptoms, seek the advice of a medical professional.
This information is intended as a general reference and
is not a substitute for professional medical advice or a
medical examination. You should always seek the advice of
your physician or other qualified health professional before
starting any new treatment.
Considerations
Abdominal pain is a nonspecific symptom that may be associated
with a multitude of conditions. Some do not occur within
the abdomen itself, but cause abdominal discomfort. An example
would be the abdominal pain associated with strep throat.
Some originate within the abdomen, but are not related to
the gastrointestinal tract, such as a dissecting aortic
aneurysm. Other pain is related directly to the gastrointestinal
tract.
The severity of the pain does not always reflect the severity
of the condition causing the pain. Severe abdominal pain
can be associated with mild conditions, such as gas or the
cramping of viral gastroenteritis, while relatively mild
pain (or no pain) may be present with severe and life-threatening
conditions, such as cancer of the colon or early appendicitis.
Abdominal pain can be caused by toxins, infection, biliary
tract disease, liver disease, renal disease, bladder infections,
menstruation, ovulation, female and male genitourinary disease,
vascular problems, malignancy, ulcers, perforation, pancreatic
disease, hernias, trauma, and metabolic diseases. The list
is so extensive that it would be impossible to name all
the possible diseases in each of the above groups.
Because abdominal pain is nonspecific, the health care
provider will require much more information regarding the
time of onset, duration of pain (minutes, hours, days, or
even months), location of pain, nature of pain (dull, sharp,
steady, crampy, off and on), severity of pain, and relationship
to normal functions (such as menstruation and ovulation).
The location of pain and its time pattern may be helpful
in suggesting its cause. During physical examination, the
health care provider will try to determine if the pain is
localized to a single area (point tenderness) or diffuse,
and if the pain is related to inflammation of the peritoneum
or of the abdomen. If the health care provider finds evidence
of peritoneal inflammation, the abdominal pain may be classified
as an “acute abdomen”, which often requires
prompt surgical intervention.
In addition, the health care provider will try to relate
the abdominal tenderness to other general symptoms, such
as fever, fatigue, general ill feeling (malaise), nausea,
vomiting, or changes in stool. Then, the provider will ask
about increasingly specific symptoms as the diagnostic considerations
are narrowed.
In infants, prolonged unexplained crying (often called
“colic”) may be caused by abdominal pain that
often ends with the passage of gas or stool. Colic is often
worse in the evening. Cuddling and rocking the child may
bring some relief.
Severe abdominal pain that occurs during menstruation may
indicate a problem in a reproductive organ. This includes
conditions, such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ovarian
cysts, ovarian cancer (rare), or pelvic inflammatory disease
(PID).
Common Causes
The following is a list of the most common causes of abdominal
pain. It is important to note that among this list there
are relatively few serious diseases.
ø Cholecystitis
and/or gallstones
ø Colic
in infants (infants to 4 months)
ø Excessive
gas
ø Endometriosis
ø Food
allergy
ø Food
poisoning (salmonella, shigella)
ø Hernia
ø Indigestion
ø Kidney
stones
ø Lactose
intolerance (milk intolerance)
ø Menstrual
cramping
ø Ovarian
cysts
ø Pelvic
inflammatory disease (PID)
ø Pneumonia
(in children)
ø Recurrent
abdominal pain (usually in children and adolescents —
a type of somatization disorder where emotional upset is reflected
as physical discomfort)
ø Streptococcal
pharyngitis (strep throat, in children this can cause abdominal
pain)
ø Ulcers
ø Uterine fibroids
ø Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
Common causes in children
-
Gastroesophageal
reflux
-
Chronic constipation
-
Parasite infections
(Giardia)
-
Excess fructose
or sorbitol ingestion
-
Sickle cell crisis
-
Crohn’s
disease
-
Less common, but
serious causes:
-
Ovarian cancer
-
Colon cancer or
other abdominal cancer
-
Abdominal pain
that may
-
indicate a potential
emergency
-
Severe abdominal
pain with nausea and fever may indicate appendicitis,
cholecystitis (infected gall bladder), or complications
of diverticulitis.
-
Abdominal pain,
nausea, and bloating or constipation may indicate a bowel
obstruction.
-
Abdominal pain
that is accompanies by a stiff, “board like”
abdomen may indicate peritonitis due to an infection spreading
in the abdominal cavity or to a hole in the stomach or
intestine.
-
Abdominal pain
is accompanied by bloody stools, vomiting blood, or gastrointestinal
bleeding from any cause can be dangerous.
-
Persistent upper
abdominal pain and vomiting may indicate pancreatitis
(inflammation of the pancreas).
-
Abdominal pain
followed by nausea/ vomiting and fever may indicate appendicitis.
-
Intermittent abdominal
pain manifested in an infant by drawing knees to chest,
with crying, could be intussusception (telescoping intestines).
-
Dissecting abdominal
aortic aneurysm.
ø Sip water or other clear fluids.
Avoid solid food for
the first few hours. If there has been vomiting, wait 6 hours.
Then, eat small amounts of mild foods.
ø If
the pain is high up in your abdomen and occurs after meals,
antacids may provide some relief, especially if you feel heartburn
or indigestion. Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried or greasy
foods, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated
beverages. If any of these medicines worsen your pain, CALL
your doctor right away.
ø AVOID
aspirin, ibuprofen, and narcotic pain medications unless your
health care provider prescribes them. If you know that your
pain is not related to your liver, you can try acetaminophen
(Tylenol).
Call health care provider if:
-
-
An abdominal injury
was sustained in the last 2 or 3 days
-
Pain develops
during pregnancy (or possible pregnancy)
-
The pain persists
for a prolonged period of time.
-
Pain is accompanied
by fever, nausea, or an inability to keep down food or
liquids for several days
-
Nausea, fever,
and bloating or constipation accompanies the pain
-
The abdomen is
tender to touch, or it feels rigid or hard
-
The patient has
been vomiting blood or there are bloody stools
Do not take abdominal pains lightly irrespective of the
severity or mildness of the pain. As detailed above, many
different conditions can cause abdominal pain. The key is
to know when you must seek medical care right away. In many
cases you can simply wait, use home care remedies, and call
your doctor at a later time if the symptoms persist. But
never ignore the pain.
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