If you are suffering from pain in your abdomen, you may take comfort in the fact that you are not alone. An estimated 8 million people 18 years of age or older seek medical help for some type pain in the abdomen each year. With these many adults with some sort of abdominal pain begs the question, what is causing the pain and how can it be treated?
A general definition of abdominal pain is any type of pain occurring between the chest and the pelvis. It is also known as a stomach ache. There are well over 175 potential causes of pain in the abdomen. Therefore, before a medical professional can begin to treat the pain it is necessary to understand and discover more specific details about the pain such as the type of pain, location of the pain, and the severity of the pain. Any other notable symptoms are useful as well.
When seeking medical treatment for your stomach pain, one of the first questions you may hear is regarding the type of pain you are experiencing. The various types of pain in the abdomen include crampy, achy, dull, or sharp. Additionally, you will be asked how severe the pain is; typically patients are asked to rate the pain on a scale of one to ten. Your health care provider will also need to know things like if the pain is constant or intermittent; if anything, in particular, relieves the pain; what sort of things aggravate the pain; and how long you experienced the pain.
Your doctor will also need to know if you are experiencing any other symptoms along with the pain in the abdomen. Be certain to report anything unusual that accompanies the stomach pain such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, shortness of breath, or a feeling of pressure or heaviness in conjunction with the stomach pain. After your doctor hears your general symptoms, you will likely have an exam. This includes your doctor pressing or tapping on your abdominal region to pinpoint the location of your pain.
Based on your symptoms and the results of your exam, your health care provider may recommend further tests to make a concrete diagnosis and also to rule out various conditions. Some of the tests you may undergo include blood tests, stool or urine tests, barium swallows or barium enemas, an ultrasound, X-ray, an endoscopy, or a CAT scan. There is no single set protocol for treating pain in the abdomen. The cause of the pain determines the course of treatment.
Common abdominal aliments-
These causes of stomach pain are typically not life threatening, do not require a hospital stay, and are often treated with over the counter medications designed to alleviate the presenting symptoms. In the case of stomach flu and food poisoning IV fluids and medications to stop vomiting and/or diarrhea may be necessary to prevent dehydration. Food allergies require a change in diet; consult an allergy specialist for expert advice.
• Indigestion
• Constipation
• Stomach flu
• Menstrual cramps
• Food poisoning
• Food allergies
• Gas
• Lactose intolerance
Abdominal pain requiring medical intervention-
These types of stomach pain are normally non-life threatening but need more medical intervention and possible hospitalization. The severity of the cause determines the treatment plan for these causes of stomach pain. Your doctor usually will prescribe antibiotics and pain relievers to treat these types of abdominal discomfort. Hernias and pelvic inflammatory disease may require more specialized treatment.
• Urinary tract infections
• Ulcers
• Pelvic inflammatory disease
• Hernia
Pain in the abdomen needing immediate attention-
These causes for stomach pain can have significant consequences and need medical attention right away. Appendicitis, gall stones, endometriosis, and occasionally kidney stones need surgical intervention to alleviate pain. A specialist should treat Crohn’s disease. If a heart attack causes your stomach pain, a cardiologist will determine your treatment.
• Appendicitis
• Gallstones
• Kidney stones
• Endometriosis
• Crohn’s disease
• Heart attack
While not every instance of pain in your abdomen is a cause for alarm, it is always better to err on the side of caution and seek medical attention. This is especially true if the pain lasts for several days, is accompanied by fever, constipation, diarrhea, bloody stools, or pressure in the upper abdomen.