What causes abdominal pain? Find Out Today

-- --

What Is Abdominal Pain?

Abdominal pain is pain that occurs between the chest and pelvic regions. Abdominal pain can be crampy, achy, dull, intermittent or sharp. It’s also called a stomachache.

Just about everybody at one point or another will experience abdominal pain. Most of the causes are not serious and can be readily diagnosed and treated. However, pain can also be a sign of a serious illness. It's important to be able to recognize symptoms that are severe and know when to call a doctor.

What Are the Most Common Causes of Abdominal Pain?

Whether it's a mild stomach ache, sharp pain, or stomach cramps, abdominal pain can have numerous causes. Some of the more common causes include:

    Indigestion
    Constipation
    Stomach virus
    Menstrual cramps
    Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
    Food poisoning
    Food allergies
    Gas
    Lactose intolerance
    Ulcers
    Pelvic inflammatory disease
    Hernia
    Gallstones
    Kidney stones
    Endometriosis
    Crohn's disease
    Urinary tract infection
    Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
    Appendicitis

What Symptoms of Abdominal Pain Are Cause for Concern?

If your abdominal pain is severe or recurrent or if it is accompanied by any of the following symptoms, contact your health care provider as soon as possible:

    Fever
    Inability to keep food down for more than 2 days
    Any signs of dehydration
    Inability to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
    Painful or unusually frequent urination
    The abdomen is tender to the touch
    The pain is the result of an injury to the abdomen
    The pain lasts for more than a few hours

These symptoms can be an indication of an internal problem that requires treatment as soon as possible.

Seek immediate medical care for abdominal pain if you:

    Vomit blood
    Have bloody or black tarry stools
    Have difficulty breathing
    Have pain occurring during pregnancy

How Is the Cause of Abdominal Pain Determined?

Because there are so many potential causes of abdominal pain, your health care provider will perform a thorough physical exam, discuss with you the type of symptoms you are experiencing, and ask you several questions about the pain you are feeling. These questions may include:

    What type of pain are you experiencing? Is the pain throughout your abdomen or is it confined to a particular area?
    Where in your abdomen does the pain seem to be located?
    What type of pain are you experiencing? Is it stabbing and severe? Is it a dull ache?
    When does the pain occur? Always? More often in the morning or at night? If the pain comes and goes, about how long does it last each time? Does it occur after eating certain types of foods or after drinking alcohol? During menstruation?
    How long have you had this pain?
    Does the pain also radiate into your lower back, shoulder, groin, or buttocks?
    Are you currently taking any medications or herbal supplements?
    Are you pregnant?
    Does any activity such as eating or lying on one side relieve the pain?
    Have you been injured recently?

Once an initial evaluation has been completed, your health care provider may have you undergo some tests to help find the cause of your pain. These may include stool or urine tests, blood tests, barium swallows or enemas, an endoscopy, X-ray, ultrasound, or CT scan.

How Is Abdominal Pain Treated?

Treating abdominal pain depends on its cause. Treatments can range from medications for inflammation, GERD, or ulcers, to antibiotics for infections, to changes in personal behavior for abdominal pain caused by certain foods or beverages. In some cases, such as appendicitis and a hernia, surgery may be necessary.

Create A Professional Website
—Do you want a prossional website for your business, church, mosque, school, hotel, hospital, services, organization, i can create one for you at an affordable price
Click Here For Details

Learn How To Make Pink Lip Balm
—Learn How To Make Pink Lip Balm, Sell and Make Profit
Click Here To Know How

Become A Website Designer, Blog Creator And A Professional Graphic Designer
Learn how to become a website designer, blog creator and a professional graphic designer with Photoshop,Coral Draw and an expert in the use of Microsoft Word,Microsoft Excel,Microsoft Access
Click Here For The Complete Details

Ads by PLB