The Ultimate Guide to Abdominal Pain: Causes, Medical Advice, Symptoms, and FAQs, Treatment, Natural remedies, Self-care.
Abdominal Pain Overview
Abdominal pain is also known as tummy pain or stomach pain is a pain that can be felt anywhere from below your ribs to your pelvis. The abdomen has major blood vessels in the abdomen and it also houses many organs, including your stomach, liver, pancreas, small and large bowel, and reproductive organs. Serious causes of abdominal pain include problems such as appendicitis and pregnancy.
Though is harmless and goes away without surgery most people only need relief from their symptoms. Sometimes, the cause will never be known but the abdominal pain stops, or the pain may be that the cause becomes more obvious with time.
There are different types of abdominal pains such as Visceral pain (Splanchnic pain) which can be caused by stimulation of visceral nerves by a noxious agent, which are present in living organisms, toxins, mechanical stimuli like stretching, excessive muscular contraction or an ischaemia; Parietal pain also called as somatic pain which occurs some noxious agents stimulate the parietal peritoneum causing a sharp and localized pain; Referred pain which comes originating in other sites and is felt in the abdomen due to common nerve supply.
Abdominal Pain PPT
Here is the powerpoint presentation on what is abdominal pain and its treatment, causes, symptoms, and self-care and natural home remedies for abdominal pain. View the abdominal pain awareness ppt slides now!
https://www.slideshare.net/RajuPendem/ppt-on-abdominal-pain
Causes for Abdominal Pain
There are many causes for abdominal pain that vary as well as the pain manifestations that includes sharp, stabbing, cramp-like, twisting, and dull in characteristic occurs anywhere between the chest and the groin.
Abdominal Pain that perseveres can be as hazardous as a sign of illness or as simple as a common case of indigestion. The location of pain needs to be ascertained – whether the abdominal pain is above or below the navel.
Causes for Abdominal Pain above the navel
- Gastric ulcer (an ulcer in the stomach lining)
- Peritonitis (an inflaming of the inner lining of the abdomen)
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux (heartburn)
- Lower pleuritis (inflammation of the outer coverings of the lung)
- Gallstones causing an inflammation of the gallbladder
- Duodenal ulcer (inflammation in the small intestine connected to the stomach)
- Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver)
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas which can cause a severe pain in the back)
- Musculoskeletal sprain
Common causes of abdominal pain below the navel
- Appendicitis (this begins with growing pain in the navel before becoming more acute and moving to the right side)
- Ischemic colitis (a problem affecting the blood supply to the intestine)
- Urethral stones (stones in the tubes connecting the kidneys and the urinary bladder)
- Cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder)
- Kidney stones
- Uretheral stones (stones in the tube connecting the urinary bladder and penis)
- Urethritis (inflammation of the tube connecting the urinary bladder and the penis)
- Diverticulosis (the linings of the small intestine develop sac like out pouching due to the weakening of the muscles covering the intestines)
- Diverticulitis (inflammation of these sacs like outpouching)
- Volvulus (twisting of the intestines which can cut off blood supply)
- Kidney inflammation (Pylonephritis)
- Salpingitis (inflammation of the fallopian tubes)
- Ectopic pregnancy (where the baby develops in a site other than the uterus)
Warning Signs and Symptoms of Abdominal pain
- Stomach pain
- Indigestion
- Constipation
- Fever
- Sweating
- Cramping
- Diarrhea
- Gas
- Acid reflux
- Bloody stools or vomit
- Painful or unusually frequent urination
- vomiting and Unrelenting nausea
- Weight loss
- Skin that appears yellow
- Severe tenderness when you touch your abdomen
- Swelling of the abdomen
Little Known Ways to Rid yourself of Abdominal Pain
- Place a hot water bottle or heated wheat bag on your abdomen
- Soak in a warm bath
- Take care not to scald yourself while taking the bath
- Drink plenty of clear fluids such as water
- Reduce your intake of coffee, tea, and alcohol
- Start with clear liquids, then progress to bland foods such as crackers, rice, bananas or toast
- Get plenty of rest.
- Try over-the-counter antacids, to help reduce some types of pain
- Avoid aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs unless advised to by a doctor
- People with diabetes adjust their medicines as needed
- Avoid solid food for the first few hours
- Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried or greasy foods, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages
- Eat small meals more frequently
- Exercise regularly
- Limit foods that produce gas
- Make sure that your meals are well-balanced and high in fiber
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
The Death of Abdominal Pain and How to Avoid It
- Baking Soda for Abdominal Pain or Stomach Ache
- Oatmeal can help you get rid of Abdominal Pain
- Wheat Crackers help you relive from Abdominal Pain
- Consumption of apple
- Banana for Abdominal Pain or Stomach Ache
- Jarred or Canned Fruits helps you recover faster
- Including applesauce in the diet also helps in relieving Abdominal pain
- Cinnamon keeps the stomach ache away
- Ginger reduces stomach problems by curing motion sickness and gas
- Mint facilitates easy passage of food through the intestine
- Chamomile tea is also a natural home remedy for Abdominal Pain
- Thyme helps to improve the function of the digestive system
- Fennel seeds help you relieve from abdominal or stomach cramps
- Consuming caraway seeds help in relieving gas and indigestion
- Consuming tea like cinnamon, black tea, lemon balm, mint, green tea, lavender, and thyme is helpful for abdominal pain
- Staying hydrated is essential to keep the stomach problems away
- Carbonated beverages eliminate stomach ache and help you to get rid of gas bubbles
- Heat application also cures stomach ache or Abdominal pain
Understand Abdominal Pain
When you suffer with abdominal pain, you need to observe and understand the signs and symptoms, its loaction, body organ and other few considerations. Read now how to understand and what to tell with your doctor about the pain and conditions you are getting. Though you are saying about symptoms of abdominal pain you are observing when you suffer; the doctors easily able to understand the causes of abdominal pain.
How to tell about Abdominal pain to doctors
Learn here how to observe and describe pain in your abdomen:
1. Generalized pain:
Location of pain: In more than half of your belly.
Caused by: Stomach virus, indigestion, or gas, blockage of the intestines.
2. Localized pain:
Location of pain: In only one area of your belly
Caused by: problems of any internal organs such as appendix, gallbladder, or stomach.
3. Cramp-like pain:
Location of pain: The pain not appears in one place. Spreads one to other locations.
Caused by: gas and bloating, diarrhea, and menstrual cycle in women
4. Colicky pain:
Location of pain: Spreads one to other locations like a waves. A sharp and sudden pain will be occure.
Caused by: Kidney stones and gallstones etc.
How Physicians doctors understand your Abdominal pain?
Learn here how your physician or hospital doctor able to understand the pain in abdomin and other conditions you are suffering during the stomache. For this you have no need of studing the medical education programs and healthcare certification courses or training.
Your doctor will understand your pain in abdominal area based on few factors. namely, they are
1. based on the causes
2. based on patient history
3. based on symptoms
4. based on medical diagnosis tests results
5. based on home care or self-care you taken
6. based on how long the pain occuring
7. based on pain location
8. based on associated other symptoms
9. based on preventice care you followed
10. based on severity of pain
What to expect at doctor visit
The physician or gastro-enteralogist will perform a physical exam at abdomin area. Then he(she) ask about your recent activities, symptoms, taken self-care and medical history. Your abdominal pain specific symptoms, the location of pain and when it occurs will help your doctor to understand the causes.
Observe your pain and its symptoms to tell to the doctors during the physical examination for your abdomin pain. Find here a huge list of questions what your physician or medical doctor may ask when you having pain in abdomin.
What questions your doctor may ask you
The physician or medical doctor may ask you few questions twhen you consulting them with your abdominal pain. These questionnaire for abdominal pain will help the on-duty doctors to understand and analyzing to offer effective treatment to pain in abdomin. Find here what questions doctor will ask.
- Where is the pain in abdomen area (location of pain)
- Is it spreading all over
- Is it in one spot
- Is the pain severe and sharp
- How long you are getting the pain
- Have you with similar pain in the past
- Is the pain after eating
- Is the pain during menstrual cycle
- Have got injury in abdominal area
- What are home remedies taken to control the pain
- What medications are you taking?
- Are you pregnant?
- What other symptoms do you have along with pain?
- Are you with stress
- Are you suffering with motion
- Is there pain during urination
- Any difficulty in breathing process
- Is there blood in vomiting
- Is there pain in chest, shoulder and neck
- Is you feeling hard belly to touch
- Are you under any treatment for cancer
- Is there blood in stool
- What medication you are taking now
- Are you having any weight loss in short term
- Is there frequent urination
- Have you eaten any heavy meal
- Are you heard any sounds in stomach
- What are other symptoms you are feeling
- Are you having poor or no appetite
- Have you eatn any stored food
- Have you eaten any junkfood
- Have you washed your hands before eating
- Is eaten food is fresh
What medical test to consider to confirm abdomin pain
To understand, analyze the causes and symptoms, pain severity and other factors, the physician or your doctor immediately ask the following medical tests and their reports to finalyze the abdomin pain. The following two tests are helping the doctors to understand the causes, symptoms and how to tratment for abdomin pain.
1. Physical examination for Abdominal pain
2. Medical diagnosis tests
How a doctor do Physical Examination for abdomin pain
TBU:
Medical diagnosis tests needed for abdomin pain
1. Blood test
2. Urine test
3. Stool test
4. X-rays of the abdomen
5. Barium enema
6. CT scan
7. Colonoscopy
8. Sigmoidoscopy
9. EKG (electrocardiogram)
10. Ultrasound of the abdomen
11. Upper endoscopy
12. Upper GI (gastrointestinal)
Here are the medical conditions to take Medical Care for Abdominal Pain
Find here when to contact a medical professional immediately. Call to your emergency hospital nearby you or call your country local emergency number (US – 911; India – 104 etc) to get medical help. Also call to your insurence company to locate nearest hospital get cure to abdominal pain quickly.
- When your pain is contunuing even after 2 hours of home therapy
- When your abdomen is severe
- When you are unable to walk
- When you are unable to bent over
- When you feeling it need to put your hands on your tummy
- If your pain becomes sharper or stronger in one location
- If you are getting vomitting continuously
- If you are having diarrhoea
- If you having diabetes
- If you can’t stop vomiting
- If you having constipation for 3 or more than 3 days
- If you have no appetite for longer hours
- If you having blood in your vomit
- If you having brown colored substances in your vomit
- If you having vaginal bleeding
- If you having severe fever and dizziness
- If you are sking becoming pale and yellow
- If you unable to breathe
- If you having tightness or heaviness in your lower chest
- If you unable to urinate
- If you having fever with high body temperature
- When you have a recent injury to your abdomen
- When you loss your weight in a short term
Go straight to your doctor or if you have any of
Most people describe the abdominal disease as stomach pain as well as many other symptoms that are associated with these disorders. Doctors found that many of the abdominal disease symptoms such as stomach pain and headaches, diarrhea and vomiting occur together.
So many conditions are considered for abdominal disease and these symptoms usually correlate to the underlying conditions.
- Severe pain
- Pain lasting for several hours
- Pain and/or vaginal bleeding if you are pregnant
- Pain in your scrotum if you are a male
- Pain and vomiting or shortness of breath
- Pain and vomiting blood
- Blood in your bowel motions or urine
- Pain that spreads to your chest, neck or shoulder
- Fever and sweats
- Become pale and clammy
- Unable to pass urine
- Unable to move your bowels or pass gas
- Any other concerns
Diagnosis of abdominal pain in adults
- A rectal exam to check for hidden blood or other problems
- If you are a man, the doctor may check your penis and scrotum
- If you are a woman, the doctor may check for problems in your womb (uterus), fallopian tubes and ovaries by conducting a pelvic exam along with a pregnancy test.
- A blood test to look for infection (which causes a raised white cell count) or bleeding (which causes a low blood count or haemoglobin)
- Other blood tests to look for enzymes in the liver, pancreas, and heart to sort out which organ may be involved
- A urine test to look for a urine infection or blood (if there is a kidney stone)
- An ECG (an electrical tracing of the heart) to rule out a heart attack
- Other tests, including x-ray, ultrasound or CT scan
- Sometimes you may be referred to another doctor to help find the cause of the problem.
- Endoscopy is an examination where a flexible tube with a light and video camera at the tip is used to examine some internal organs without the need for surgery
Treatment for abdominal pain in adults
- Pain relief – your pain may not go away fully with painkillers, but it should ease.
- Fluids – you may have fluids given into a vein to correct fluid loss and rest your bowel.
- Medicines – for example, you may be given something to stop you vomiting.
- Fasting – your doctor may ask you not to eat or drink anything until the cause of your pain is known
Abdominal Pain during Pregnancy?
During Pregnancy all your organs are constantly shifting, your uterus is expanding and your ligaments are stretching. Though abdominal pain during pregnancy is much rarer, it can be much more serious.
Some abdominal pain during pregnancy is normal, but cannot be neglected. It can be a normal part of the process as your body changes to accommodate your growing baby.
Why Abdominal Pain during Pregnancy?
There are many harmless causes of abdominal pain in pregnancy and may be more serious. As an apprehensive mother, it is necessary to educate yourself on all the potential causes so that you will be able to recognize symptoms that may cause concern.
Abdominal pain during pregnancy can be one of the early warning signs of an Ectopic Pregnancy, which is a life threatening condition to both mother and baby. This condition should be diagnosed and treated immediately.
The warning signs of abdominal pain during pregnancy include sharp, serious pains that last for a long period of time, pain in other areas of the both, in addition to abdominal pain and vaginal bleeding. Usually growing Uterus displaces your bowel which leads to nausea, a sense of feeling full easily, or distention in your abdomen.
Surgical diseases that cause abdominal pain occur in approximately two in 1000 pregnancies. Diagnosis of abdominal pain in pregnancy is rendered challenging by the frequency of pain in pregnancy, the changes in pregnancy that modify the responses, the presence of the uterus and its activity and the consequent changes in the position of the abdominal viscera.
What Causes Abdominal Pain in Early Pregnancy?
- Miscarriage
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Acute Appendicitis
- Severe Constipation
- Pyelonephritis (kidney infection)
- Gallstone or Cholecystitis
- Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
- Gastritis
- Heartburn
- Hiatus Hernia
- Pancreatitis
- Kidney Stones
- Retroverted Uterus
- Ovarian Problems
What Causes Abdominal Pain in Later Pregnancy?
- Abruptio placentae
- Degeneration of a fibroid
- Liver pain associated with pre-eclampsia or the HELLP syndrome
- Rupture of the uterus associated with previous uterine surgery, particularly caesarean section
- Pressure from the enlarging uterus, polyhdramnios
- Musculoskeletal pain particularly symphysis diastasis
How to ease abdominal pain during Pregnancy?
- Sit down for a while
- Move around or do some gentle exercises to relieve gas pain
- Take a warm (not hot) bath or shower
- Bend toward a pain for relief
- Try eating several small meals throughout the day
- Drink plenty of fluids because Dehydration can cause Braxton Hicks contractions
- Try lying down as this might help you relieve the pain caused by Braxton Hicks contractions
- Gentle back massage may help too
- Get up slowly if you are lying down on the floor
- Reduce your physical activity to get some relief
- Reduce cramp-inducing positions to decrease the pain
- Comfortably resting can also relieve from pain
- Avoid turning sharply at the waist
Abdominal Pain in Children
Children often complain of stomach pain and it is one of the most common reasons for which parents take children to the doctor or the hospital emergency department. It is hard to diagnose as the doctor will ask you questions then examine your child because sometimes the problem may be quite obvious, so no tests are needed.
Many children with stomach pain get better in hours or days without special treatment and often no cause can be found and sometimes the cause becomes more obvious with time and treatment can be started. In some children it is quite common after they suffer repeat attacks of stomach pain which will be worrying for parents.
Think about whether there is anything that is upsetting your child at home, school or kindergarten, or with friends because children may feel stomach pain when they are worried about themselves or people around them.
What Causes abdominal pain in children?
- Bowel (gut) problems
- Infections
- Food-related problems
- Problems outside the abdomen
- Surgical problems
- Period pain
- Poisoning
Taking care of your child with abdominal pain
- Make sure your child gets plenty of rest
- Help your child drink plenty of clear fluids such as cooled boiled water or juice
- Do not push your child to eat if they feel unwell
- If your child is hungry, offer bland food such as crackers, rice, bananas or toast
- Place a hot water bottle or wheat bag on your child’s tummy or run a warm bath for them
- Take care not to scald yourself or your child.
ABDOMINAL PAIN FAQS
What is IBS?
IBS is the most commonly diagnosed gastrointestinal condition where every 10 to 15% of all humans suffer from this disorder. It IBS can affect all ages and is characterized by altered bowel habits and chronic abdominal pain.
People with IBS report having constipation which involves infrequent stools, hard stools, straining, feeling of incomplete evacuation and difficult stool passage and diarrhea which IBS involves frequent loose stools, stools preceded by the extreme urgency to defecate, and the feeling of incomplete evacuation or both. Most of the people with IBS report passing mucous-covered stools.
How common is food poisoning?
About 75 million cases of likely food poisoning are reported each year worldwide. The average human will have food poisoning once in every 3 to 4 years. The symptoms of food poisoning include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain. It occasionally affects the organs of the body such as the nervous system and liver.
What causes food poisoning?
- Bacteria and bacterial toxins
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Watery or bloody diarrhea
- Abdominal pain and cramps
- Fever
What are the types of Abdominal Pain Based on Organ Systems?
- Gastrointestinal System
- Bile System
- Liver
- Pancreatic
- Renal and Urological
- Gynecological or Obstetric
- Referred Pain
- Metabolic Disturbances
- Blood Vessels: Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm
- Immune Systems
- Idiopathic: Irritable Bowel Syndrome
What are the various causes of Right Side Abdominal Pain?
- Appendicitis
- Biliary Colic
- Kidney Stones
- Constipation
- Mesenteric Lymphadenitis
- Trapped Wind
- Mid-Cycle Pain
- Ruptured Gall Bladder
- Cancer of the Gall Bladder
- Liver Abscess
- Hepatitis
- Fatty Liver Disease
- Cysts in the Liver
- Cancer of the Liver
- Fabry Disease
- Bowel Cancer
- Ileal Plasmacytoma
- Carcinoid Tumor
- Cecitis
- Pyelonephritis
- Hydronephrosis
- Perinephric Abscess
- Cancer of the Right Kidney
- Urine Infection
- Pneumonia
- Epiploic Appendagitis
- Right Sided Colonic Diverticulitis
- Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Intussusception
- Sigmoid Volvulus
- Cecal Volvulus
- Costochondritis
- Celiac Disease
- Tietze’s Syndrome
- Intestinal Worms
- Porphyria
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Aneurysm in the Iliac Artery
- Testicular Torsion
- Sports Hernia
- Spigelian Hernia
- Strangulated or Obstructed Inguinal Hernia
- Polycystic Kidney Disease
- Endometriosis
- Tuberculosis of the Bowel
- Osteogenic Sarcoma Of Iliac Bone (Rare)
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Pulled Muscle
What are the various causes of Left Side Abdominal Pain?
- Hunger Pains
- Constipation
- Trapped Wind
- Kidney Stones
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Diverticulitis
- Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm (AAA)
- Ovarian Cyst
- Pulled abdominal muscles
- Kidney/bladder infection
- IBS
- Mittelschmerz
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Gastritis and heartburn can cause pain on the left side of the abdomen
- Pancreatitis
- Food intolerance
- Ulcerative colitis can also cause left side abdominal pain
- Fibroids
- Scarlet fever or infectious mononucleosis
- Celiac disease
- Left testicular torsion
- Bowel/intestinal obstruction
- Obstructed hernia (inguinal hernia or femoral hernia).
- Pneumonia in the left lower lobe.
- Myofascial pain syndrome
- Lymphoma
- Stomach Cancer
- Adhesions
- Hereditary angioedema
- Porphyria
- Sickle cell disease
- Intestinal polyps
- POEMS syndrome
- Typhoid
What are the common root causes of Abdominal Pain?
- Indigestion issues
- Constipation problems
- Menstrual cramping in periods
- Common stomach flu issues
- Food poisoning cases
- Gas troubles
- Lactose intolerance
How is abdominal pain diagnosed?
- Severity and degree of pain
- History of certain diseases like alcoholism, diabetes, and cirrhosis
- Location of the pain
- Changes in heart rate, blood pressure, and respiratory rate
- Radiation of pain to back, shoulder, or groin
- Presence of associated symptoms, such as diarrhea, vomiting, painful urination, etc
What are treatment options for abdominal pain?
- Medication Management
- Celiac plexus block
- Celiac plexus neurolysis
- Superior hypogastric plexus block
- Patient-controlled analgesia (PCA).