3 Signs Your Abdominal Pain May Be Serious

It’s quite common to get a little stomach ache after eating a big meal or taking a tumble around in a roller-coaster. But there are times where these abdominal pains are highly painful. Our stomach can tell us a lot about our health. Many underlying medical conditions can cause pain to our stomachs. Therefore, certain abdominal pains should not be ignored. 

Sudden Pain 

There are many reasons why your abdomen may suddenly start hurting you. Some of these require immediate medical attention. For instance, sudden, severe abdominal pain in your lower right stomach could be a sign of appendicitis. This pain often starts out around the belly button and is accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. If you suspect that you may have appendicitis, it is important to get medical attention as soon as possible. 

If you are female and suddenly start experiencing lower abdominal pains in your lower left or right abdomen, you may have a ruptured ovarian cyst. Issues with your ovaries can be caused by a fluctuation in your hormones, pregnancy, sexual intercourse, and constipation. In some cases an ovary may need to be removed. If you suspect you are having issues with a ruptured ovary (or ovaries), you should seek medical attention immediately. 

Stabbing Pain 

Stabbing pain involves an influx of pain all at one instant, as if you were being stabbed. If you are experiencing knife-like, aching pain in your upper abdomen (between your ribcage) you may have an underlying heart issue. Indigestion may be the cause of this pain, but if it is accompanied by shortness of breath, it could be serious. Anyone who has experienced these symptoms persistently should consider visiting a medical professional. 

Stabbing, knife-like pain in your lower stomach can sometimes indicate a kidney stone. To confirm or rule out a kidney stone an ultrasound or CT scan is required. If you are experiencing nausea, chills, fever, and vomiting in addition to this pain, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.  

Persistent Pain

While it is easy to tell what is going on with certain, intense stomach pains, some stomach pains are different. With persistent pain, you may experience discomfort and pain that you are so used to you think it doesn’t require medical attention. However, persistent pain in the lower abdomen accompanied with bloating, diarrhea, or weight loss can indicate an underlying condition. 

Persistent cramps with bloating, diarrhea, or constipation can be a sign of irritable bowel syndrome. This condition is connected heavily with the level of stress and anxiety in your day-to-day life. Irritable bowel syndrome can be managed through diet and stress management. However, it is important to first seek out medical help in order to get an exact diagnosis. 

If you are experiencing persistent stomach pain with diarrhea and weight loss, you may have a chronic disease called Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease involves inflammation in your digestive system, especially in your small intestine and colon. There is no current cure for Crohn’s disease. However, the disease can be managed through antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, an adjusted diet, and in some cases surgery. 

When to Seek Help

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Any urgent or non-urgent pain can become serious with time. If you are experiencing any sort of pain that doesn’t feel like a normal, “ate too much” stomach ache, you may want to be seen as soon as possible. If you have stabbing pains, cramping, persistent pain, or sudden pain, you should look into being seen by a medical professional.

BASS Urgent Care is here for you and ready to help. With multiple services that allow us to run various tests and even x-rays, our urgent care services will help you find the answers and relief you seek. Don’t wait around for your condition to worsen before seeing a doctor.

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Symptoms of Appendicitis | Patient

What are the symptoms of appendicitis?

The symptoms vary but the classic symptom is a dull pain around your belly button that then moves to become a much sharper severe pain in the right side of your lower tummy. Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, diarrhoea and fever.

Over the next few hours the pain typically gets worse, and travels to the lower right-hand side of the abdomen. This is the area covering the normal position of the appendix.

Typically the pain becomes worse and worse over 6-24 hours. It may become severe. The pain tends to be sharper if you cough or make any jarring movements. The pain may ease a bit if you pull your knees up towards your chest, and may be worse if you push on your tummy or try to move around. The lower abdomen is usually tender, particularly in the lower right-hand side. You may find that pushing in on this area of your tummy gently with two fingers is very painful. Letting go – releasing the two fingers quickly after you push in – is often even more painful (this is called ‘rebound tenderness’).

Other symptoms that may occur include the following:

• Feeling sick (nausea) and being off food are typical. You may be sick (vomit).
• High temperature (fever) and generally feeling unwell.
• Constipation may occur, and sometimes diarrhoea.
• Frequent passing of urine may develop. This is thought to be due to the inflammation irritating the nearby ureter. The ureter is the tube between the kidney and bladder.

If your appendix bursts (perforates) then severe pain can spread to the entire abdomen. Any movement is painful and you will want to keep very still. Infected material from the appendix, together with contents of the bowel, can leak into your abdomen and track between the other organs. You become very ill as you develop serious infection of the membrane called the peritoneum, which lines the whole abdomen. This condition is called peritonitis.

If you develop peritonitis, coughing and moving the legs at the hips is painful. Your tummy will feel hard and tense and you won’t be able to push into it at all. You may be unable to pass wind or go to the toilet, and probably won’t want to.

Sometimes, when the appendix bursts, the infection is ‘walled off’ quickly by the membrane lining the stomach, which sticks to the appendix and traps the leaking fluid and pus. If this occurs you will still be in severe pain but the pain may remain quite focused in the lower right area of your abdomen, where a health professional may be able to feel the whole inflamed section of tissue as a firm, painful lump called an ‘appendix mass’.

What is non-typical appendicitis like?

Not all cases of appendicitis have typical symptoms.

• In some cases the pain may develop more slowly and run a more gradually smouldering course. This is particularly true when an appendix mass develops.
• The pain can also start in the lower right-hand side of the tummy (abdomen), rather than around the belly button.
• In some cases the pain may be relatively mild and may not actually become severe until the appendix perforates.
• The site of the pain may also not be typical if the appendix lies in an unusual place. Sometimes it is felt around the back passage, for example, or lower down in the groin.
• Appendicitis in pregnancy can begin quite vaguely further up the tummy or even under the ribs, as the appendix is pushed away from its usual location by the growing baby.
• Appendicitis is rare in small babies, but if it does occur it can often look more like an attack of gastroenteritis, with being sick (vomiting), irritability and diarrhoea.
• In some cases the appendix is not in the usual place. The pain of appendicitis can develop more slowly and in a different area such as in the hip joint or around the back passage. However, other symptoms, such as feeling sick (nausea) and high temperature (fever) are also seen.

Abdominal Pain in Appendicitis | Everyday Health

Possible Causes of Abdominal Pain, Including Appendicitis

Aside from appendicitis, some of the most common causes of abdominal pain include:

The severity of the pain doesn’t always correspond to the seriousness of the condition that’s causing the pain. Life threatening conditions such as colon cancer may cause only mild pain, while a minor bout of gas may cause painful cramping. (1) Looking at the specific type of pain you’re experiencing can help you zero in on the condition you may have.

For example, cramping abdominal pain is commonly due to gas and bloating. It’s generally not caused by something serious (such as appendicitis), and may be followed by diarrhea. (1)

“Colicky pain,” or abdominal pain that’s severe and comes and goes in waves, is typically the result of kidney stones or gallstones. (1)

If your pain isn’t localized to a specific area, and instead you feel it in more than half of your belly, you may have a stomach virus, indigestion, or gas. Sometimes stress or anxiety causes vague, nonlocalized abdominal pain as well. (1)

If that pain becomes more severe over time, or your abdomen becomes swollen, it could be the result of something obstructing or blocking your large intestine.

On the other hand, if your pain is only found in one area of your belly, it’s possibly due to an issue with one of your organs, such as the gallbladder, pancreas, appendix, or stomach.

The way the pain evolves over time can also be useful in determining what’s causing it. Certain conditions tend to cause acute pain over the course of hours or days, while other conditions cause pain that comes and goes but doesn’t necessarily worsen over time. (2)

Is It Appendicitis Pain or Something Else?

Most often, the pain you feel when you have appendicitis begins as a dull ache around your belly button that shifts to your lower right abdomen, where your appendix is located.

Additionally, appendicitis pain:

• Begins suddenly; it often wakes people up at night
• Becomes significantly sharper in a matter of a few hours
• Starts before other co-occurring symptoms, such as fever, nausea, and vomiting
• Is associated with loss of interest in eating
• Worsens when you move around, breathe deeply, cough, or sneeze
• Spikes when you drive over a speed bump or experience other jarring motions (3)

To diagnose appendicitis, your doctor will perform a physical exam, which will investigate the finer points of your abdominal symptoms.

If you have appendicitis, you will likely: (4)

• Hurt when someone applies and then quickly releases pressure in your lower right abdomen, a symptom called “rebound tenderness”
• Experience rebound tenderness in your lower right abdomen when someone applies and quickly releases pressure on the lower left side of your abdomen
• Unconsciously guard your lower right abdomen when someone tries to touch it
• Feel pain when someone applies resistance to your right knee as you try to lift that leg up while lying down on your back
• Ache in your abdomen when you move your bent right knee to the left and right while lying down on your back

Abdominal Pain – Female

Is this your child’s symptom?

• Pain or discomfort in the stomach or belly area
• Female
• Pain found between the bottom of the rib cage and the groin crease
• The older child complains of stomach pain
• The younger child points to or holds the stomach
• Before 12 months of age, use the Crying care guides

Causes of Acute Stomach Pain

• Eating Too Much. Eating too much can cause an upset stomach and mild stomach pain.
• Hunger Pains. Younger children may complain of stomach pain when they are hungry.
• GI Virus (such as Rotavirus). A GI virus can cause stomach cramps as well as vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Food Poisoning. This causes sudden vomiting and/or diarrhea within hours after eating the bad food. It is caused by toxins from germs growing in foods left out too long. Most often, symptoms go away in less than 24 hours. It often can be treated at home without the need for medical care.
• Constipation. The need to pass a stool may cause cramps in the lower abdomen.
• Strep Throat. A strep throat infection causes 10% of new onset stomach pain with fever.
• Bladder Infection. Bladder infections usually present with painful urination, urgency and bad smelling urine. Sometimes the only symptom is pain in the lower abdomen.
• Appendicitis (Serious). Suspect appendicitis if pain is low on the right side and walks bent over. Other signs are the child won’t hop and wants to lie still.
• Intussusception (Serious). Sudden attacks of severe pain that switch back and forth with periods of calm. Caused by one segment of bowel telescoping into a lower piece of bowel. Peak age is 6 months to 2 years.

Causes of Recurrent Stomach Pains

• Stress or Worries. The most common cause of frequent stomach pains is stress. Over 10% of children have a “worried stomach.” These children tend to be sensitive and too serious. They often are model children. This can make them more at risk to the normal stresses of life. Examples of these events are changing schools, moving or family fights. The pain is in the pit of the stomach or near the belly button. The pain is real.
• Abdominal Migraine. Attacks of stomach pain and vomiting with sudden onset and offset. Often occur in children who later develop migraine headaches. Strongly genetic.
• Functional Abdominal Pains. Functional means the stomach pains are due to a sensitive GI tract. The GI tract is free of any disease.
• School Avoidance. Stomach pains that mainly occur in the morning on school days. They keep the child from going to school.

Pain Scale

• Mild: Your child feels pain and tells you about it. But, the pain does not keep your child from any normal activities. School, play and sleep are not changed.
• Moderate: The pain keeps your child from doing some normal activities. It may wake him or her up from sleep.
• Severe: The pain is very bad. It keeps your child from doing all normal activities.

When to Call for Abdominal Pain – Female

Call 911 Now

• Not moving or too weak to stand
• You think your child has a life-threatening emergency

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Pain low on the right side
• Could be pregnant
• Constant pain (or crying) for more than 2 hours
• Recent injury to the stomach
• High-risk child (such as diabetes, sickle cell disease, recent stomach or abdomen surgery)
• Age less than 2 years old
• Fever over 104° F (40° C)
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Moderate pain that keeps from some normal activities
• Mild pain that comes and goes (cramps), but lasts more than 24 hours
• Fever is present
• Bladder infection (UTI) suspected (passing urine hurts, new onset wetting)
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Stomach pains are a frequent problem
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

Care Advice for Stomach Pain

1. What You Should Know About Stomach Pain:
   • Mild stomach pain can be caused by something simple. It could be from gas pains or eating too much.
   • Sometimes, stomach pain signals the start of a viral infection. This will lead to vomiting or loose stools.
   • Watching your child for 2 hours will help tell you the cause.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.
2. Lie Down:
   • Have your child lie down and rest until feeling better.
3. Clear Fluids:
   • Offer clear fluids only (such as water, flat soft drinks or half-strength Gatorade).
   • For mild pain, offer a regular diet.
4. Prepare for Vomiting:
   • Keep a vomiting pan handy.
   • Younger children often talk about stomach pain when they have nausea. Nausea is the sick stomach feeling that comes before they throw up.
5. Pass a Stool:
   • Have your child sit on the toilet and try to pass a stool.
   • This may help if the pain is from constipation or diarrhea.
   • Note: for constipation, moving a warm wet cotton ball on the anus may help.
6. Do Not Give Medicines:
   • Any drug (like ibuprofen) could upset the stomach and make the pain worse.
   • Do not give any pain medicines or laxatives for stomach cramps.
   • For fever over 102° F (39° C), acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) can be given.
7. What to Expect:
   • With harmless causes, the pain is most often better or gone in 2 hours.
   • With stomach flu, belly cramps may happen before each bout of vomiting or diarrhea. These cramps may come and go for a few days.
   • With serious causes (such as appendicitis), the pain worsens and becomes constant.
8. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Pain becomes severe
   • Constant pain lasts more than 2 hours
   • Mild pain that comes and goes lasts more than 24 hours
   • You think your child needs to be seen
   • Your child becomes worse
9. Extra Help – Worried Stomach:
   • Help your child talk about events that trigger the stomach pain. Talk to your child about how to cope with these the next time around.
   • Help your child worry less about things she can’t control.
   • To treat the pain, help your child get very relaxed. Lying down in a quiet place and taking slow deep breaths may help. Make the belly go up and down with each breath. Then try to relax all the muscles in the body. Think about something pleasant. Listening to audios that teach how to relax might also help.
   • Make sure your child gets enough sleep.
   • Make sure that your child doesn’t miss any school because of stomach pains. Stressed children tend to want to stay home when the going gets rough.
   • Caution:your child should see her doctor for an exam. Do this before concluding frequent stomach pains are from worrying too much.

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the ‘Call Your Doctor’ symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 05/30/2021

Last Revised: 03/11/2021

Copyright 2000-2021. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

Abdominal Pain – Upper | Advocare Broomall Pediatric Associates

Is this your symptom?

• Pain or discomfort in the upper abdomen (stomach). This is the area below the rib cage and above the belly button.

Some Basics…

• There are many things that can cause pain in the upper part of the stomach (abdomen). Most causes are not serious.
• Pain in this area can be caused by eating too much. It can be caused by a food or a drug that upsets the stomach. It can also be caused by more serious problems like stomach ulcers or a gallbladder attack.
• Reflux disease (GERD) causes a burning pain that goes into the chest. Laying down makes pain worse. Some people with reflux get a sour or bitter taste in their mouths.
• Stomach pain is more likely to be serious in an older person.

Pain Scale

• None: no pain. Pain score is 0 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Mild: the pain does not keep you from work, school, or other normal activities. Pain score is 1-3 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Moderate: the pain keeps you from working or going to school. It wakes you up from sleep. Pain score is 4-7 on a scale of 0 to 10.
• Severe: the pain is very bad. It may be worse than any pain you have had before. It keeps you from doing any normal activities. Pain score is 8-10 on a scale of 0 to 10.

Common Causes of Upper Stomach Pain in People Younger Than 50 Years of Age

• Appendicitis
• Gallbladder disease
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Peptic ulcer disease

Common Causes of Upper Stomach Pain in People Older Than 50 Years of Age

• Appendicitis
• Bowel obstruction
• Diverticulitis
• Gallbladder disease
• Pancreatitis
• Peptic ulcer disease

Other Causes

• Angina and heart attack
• Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• Hepatitis
• Herpes zoster
• Pneumonia

Warni

ng!

A person can have a heart attack and think that it is just “heartburn.” If you are over 40 years old or have any of these risk factors, you could be having a heart attack:

• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Smoking
• Someone in your family (like a parent, brother or sister) has had a heart attack

When to Call for Abdominal Pain – Upper

Care Advice for Mild Upper Abdominal Pain

1. What You Should Know:
   • Mild stomach pain can be caused by an upset stomach, gas pains, or eating too much. It can also be caused by reflux disease (GERD). Sometimes mild stomach pain is the first sign of a vomiting illness like stomach flu.
   • You can treat mild stomach pain at home.
   • Here is some care advice that should help.

2. Fluids: Sip only clear fluids until the pain is gone for more than 2 hours. Clear fluids include water, broth, and water mixed with fruit juice. Then slowly return to a normal diet.

3. Diet:
   • Start with clear liquids. When you feel better, you can begin eating a bland diet.
   • Avoid alcohol or drinks with caffeine in them.
   • Avoid greasy or fatty foods.

4. Stop Smoking: Smoking can make heartburn and stomach problems worse.

5. Avoid Aspirin: Avoid aspirin and drugs such as Motrin, Advil, and Aleve. These drugs can bother your stomach. Try taking Tylenol.

6. Antacid:
   • If you are having pain now, try taking a liquid antacid.
   • Read and follow all the instructions and warnings on the package insert of all medicines you take.
7. Reflux Disease (GERD):
   • Eat smaller meals and avoid snacks for 2 hours before sleeping.
   • Avoid foods that tend to cause heartburn and stomach problems. These include fatty/greasy foods, spicy foods, mints, chocolate, drinks with caffeine, and alcohol.

8. What to Expect: With harmless causes, the pain most often goes away within 2 hours. With stomach flu, the pain may come and go for 2 to 3 days. You may have belly cramps before you vomit or have diarrhea. If your pain does not stop and gets worse, it may be more serious.

9. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Severe stomach pain occurs
   • Stomach pain is constant and lasts more than 2 hours
   • You think you need to be seen
   • You get worse

And remember, contact your doctor if you develop any of the ‘Call Your Doctor’ symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Pain Locator: Where Does it Hurt?

Right Upper Quadrant

Organs found in this quadrant include: the liver, the gallbladder, duodenum, the upper portion of the pancreas, and the hepatic flexure of the colon.

Pain in the right upper quadrant may be indicative of hepatitis, cholecystitis, or the formation of a peptic ulcer.

Cholecystitis
Cholecystitis occurs if a gallstone finds its way into a bile duct preventing bile from flowing out and causing your gallbladder to become inflamed. Symptoms of Cholecystitis include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Belly pain (may worsen when taking deep breaths)
• Possible aches in back or right shoulder blade

Note: Bacteria also can cause Cholecystitis.

Hepatitis
Regardless of cause, inflammation of the liver is referred to as hepatitis. Most instances of hepatitis are viral, but the disease may also be caused by drugs or alcohol. The most common types of viral hepatitis include:

• Hepatitis A – This virus causes an acute inflammation and will usually heal on its own. It’s easily spread in food and water, and often infects many people at once.
• Hepatitis B – This virus can be both acute (short-term illness) and chronic (ongoing illness), and is spread through blood or other body fluids in various ways.
• Hepatitis C – The Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) is almost always chronic and spreads usually by blood. Hepatitis A and B can be prevented by vaccination, but not hepatitis C. However, certain strains of Hepatitis C may be cured by a regimen of direct-acting antiviral medication.

Peptic Ulcer
A hole in the lining of the digestive tract is called a peptic ulcer. Peptic ulcers are created by erosive digestive action of pepsin and stomach acid, which may be linked to any of the following root causes:

• Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a type of stomach infection and inflammation causing bacteria
• Excessive use of NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin (Bayer), ibuprofen (Advil), and other anti-inflammatory drugs
• Smoking and drinking
• Radiation therapy
• Stomach cancer

Right Lower Quadrant

Organs found in the right lower quadrant include the appendix, the upper portion of the colon, and the right ovary and the Fallopian tube in women.

The right lower quadrant may be assessed when diagnosing appendicitis, in which case, this quadrant would be tender and painful.

Appendicitis
Appendicitis is a condition in which the appendix becomes inflamed and filled with pus, causing pain. If left untreated, appendicitis may cause your appendix to rupture and cause infection, which can be serious and even fatal.

Left Upper Quadrant

Organs in the left upper quadrant include the stomach, spleen, left portion of the liver, main body of the pancreas, the left portion of the kidney, adrenal glands, splenix flexure of the colon, and bottom part of the colon.

This quadrant may feel tender in cases of appendicitis and abnormalities of the intestines, such as malrotation.

Left Lower Quadrant

Organs found in this quadrant include the sigmoid colon, and the left ovary and Fallopian tube in women.

Pain in this quadrant may be symptomatic of colitis, diverticulitis, or kidney stones. Ovarian cysts (in women) or pelvic inflammation may also be at the root of pain in this quadrant.

Diverticulitis
Diverticula are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system. Sometimes, however, one or more of the pouches become inflamed or infected. That condition is known as diverticulitis.

Ureteral Colic
This is most commonly caused by the obstruction of the urinary tract by kidney stones.

Colitis
Colitis, simply put, is inflammation of the colon. The three most common forms of colitis are: ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, and infection. 

Ulcerative Colitis
This is a chronic IBD that causes sores (ulcers) in the lining of your colon, as well as inflammation.

Crohn’s Disease
This is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that affects the lining of the digestive tract. Inflammation can appear anywhere in the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus, and it generally affects all the layers of the bowel walls, not just the inner lining.

C. Diff. Colitis
This is inflammation of the colon caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile which can occur after treatment with antibiotics.

House Call Doctor : When to Worry About Abdominal Pain :: Quick and Dirty Tips

In previous articles, I’ve given mystery symptoms and shown how doctors make the diagnosis. But something needs to happen before the doctor can make a diagnosis: the patient has to come in. Deciding when to worry about symptoms is one of the hardest decisions. On the one hand, you don’t want to feel foolish coming in for something small; on the other, you don’t to want sit at home with a serious problem.

According to a prior study, over a third of abdominal pain complaints in the emergency room are discharged without a known cause. How can doctors send a patient home without finding the specific cause of a patient’s abdominal pain? The truth is that we are trained to search for “red flags,” or more serious symptoms. 

So what are these red flags? When should you worry about any sort of upper abdominal pain or middle stomach pain?

When to worry about abdominal pain

In my series, “When to Worry….” I try to give you guidelines as to when a symptom is worrisome, and when it is OK to wait to seek help. Let me emphasize, however, that this is general advice that doesn’t apply to all circumstances. It is far better to be seen for a problem that ends up not being serious than to sit at home with a dangerous condition.

It’s two in the morning and you wake up with pain in your abdomen, or perhaps your child wakes you up with a stomach ache. When should you seek immediate help, when should you make a doctor’s appointment, and when is it OK to wait? 

When the pain is accompanied by any of the following systems, it’s a good idea to call your doctor:  

1. Severity
2. Persistence
3. Tenderness
4. Loss of appetite
5. Vomiting
6. Blood in bowel movements
7. Melena
8. Dizziness

Let’s discuss why. 

Anatomy of the abdomen

The abdomen is divided into five sections. 

1. Upper right quadrant
2. Upper left quadrant
3. Upper middle section
4. Right lower section
5. Lower left quadrant

The location of the pain can sometimes help doctors tell whether pain is worrisome or not. Here are descriptions of the main regions:

Upper right quadrant: The right upper quadrant contains the liver and gallbladder, which are protected by the lower right part of the ribcage. The large intestine, or colon, also spends a little time in this section.

Upper left quadrant: The left upper quadrant contains part of the stomach and the spleen. The colon spends time here as well.

Upper middle section: Between these two sections, in the upper middle of the abdomen, is a section known as the epigastrium. This is an important section because it contains the most of the stomach, part of the small intestine, and the pancreas—all of which can cause pain.

Right lower quadrant: This quadrant contains more colon and the last part of the small intestine, where the appendix resides. In women, one of the ovaries is in this section.

Lower left quadrant: The other ovary lives in the left lower quadrant, along with the last part of the colon.

What causes abdominal pain?

There are a few common problems that are caused by certain troublemakers in the abdomen. I’ll give you the list of the “abdomen’s most wanted,” and where they tend to hang out.

• The appendix: This is a small tube that can become infected and cause a dangerous problem. Appendicitis pain usually starts as a severe pain around the naval, but then settles in the right lower quadrant. This is true the majority of time, but not all the time. More on this later.
• The gallbladder: This organ is a sack that collects a digestive juice called bile. It can get infected or get stones, and usually causes severe, intermittent upper abdominal pain on the right side with radiation to the shoulder or back in some patients, which is triggered by the ingestion of fatty or greasy foods. This occurs as the gallbladder squeezes and places pressure on an obstructing stone in the adjacent bile duct. Less commonly, this type of pain can also occur in the center of the abdomen above the belly button. Many patients often describe it as a 10/10 severe pain that is reminiscent of labor during childbirth. It is important to note that an obstructing stone that causes a nearby infection producing a fever and/or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or white part of the eyes) is a dire emergency.  
• The stomach and first part of the small intestine: Ulcers can form in these organs, causing bleeding, pain, and less commonly a perforation, leaking stomach acid into the abdominal cavity. Ulcers usually cause burning or cramping pain of variable severity in the middle of the stomach, above the belly button. Food ingestion often either improves or worsens the pain; there is often a relationship between the pain and food intake.
• The pancreas: This organ puts out strong digestive juices that break down our consumed food. These juices are so strong that they can actually digest abdominal organs if the juice gets in the wrong place.  Excessive alcohol intake or stones stuck in the nearby biliary ducts can cause “pancreatitis,” or inflammation of the pancreas. This pain also tends to be quite severe, and located in the center above the belly button. Most patients with acute pancreatitis end up hospitalized because the pain is so severe.
• The colon: Pain from the colon can occur at nearly any place in the abdomen, although one common condition, called diverticulitis, an infection of the common out-pouching that can entrap and harbor food particles, hence, causing an infection in the lining of the colon that is involved. The pain is usually in the left lower quadrant. This pain is also often described as moderate to severe on the pain scale.

SEE ALSO: House Call Doctor’s 9 Things You Don’t Know About Your Primary-Care Doctor

When should you worry about abdominal pain?

It’s better to get checked out by a doctor for nothing than to stay at home with something more serious.

Location is important, but the nature of the pain itself is even more so.

Location is important, but the nature of the pain itself is even more so. Here are some of the things that make stomach pain more worrisome:

• Severity: Pain that wakes you up out of your sleep or stops you in your tracks is always worth worrying about.

• Persistence: Pain that’s continuous or lasting more than 10 minutes is more worrisome than intermittent, brief pain.

• Tenderness: Doctors use the term tenderness to describe pain you feel when the body part is pressed upon. From a patient’s perspective, tenderness is when movement makes the pain worse. If your abdominal pain gets worse when you move or push on a spot, that’s worrisome.

• Loss of appetite: When a serious problem happens in the abdomen, the body shuts down digestion. Things stop moving through the digestive tract and you feel nauseated and don’t want to eat. It’s rare for someone with appendicitis, for example, to want to eat anything. Significant weight loss as a result of this appetite slump is especially worrisome.

• Vomiting: Vomiting becomes a concern when it is intractable, meaning without halting enough to be able to consume liquids to replace it. When vomiting is prolonged or severe, doctors worry about dehydration, which is a common reason for hospitalization and/or ER visits when patients experience abdominal pain. If you cannot keep any fluid down to replace the fluid that is being regurgitated, then it may require a visit to the ER for IV fluid replenishment.

• Blood in bowel movements: Painless bleeding is not a big concern, as it’s usually from hemorrhoids. But bleeding along with abdominal pain is a symptom that causes concern.

• Melena: The word melena describes black, tar-like bowel movements. That is a sign of bleeding from the gastrointestinal tract that started in the upper gastrointestinal tract, like the stomach. The blood in the stomach turns black by the time it reaches the rectum. If something is causing enough bleeding to cause melena, it is usually something bad, like a bleeding ulcer. Melena is serious, and people with it should go directly to the emergency room. That is true even if there is no pain.

• Dizziness: If you are getting dizzy or light-headed with abdominal pain, it may mean your blood pressure is dropping. Get seen right away for this.

When don’t you need to worry about abdominal pain?

The reassuring signs are the flip-side of the worrisome signs:

• Mild pain

• Pain isn’t worse with pressing or movement

• Pain isn’t associated with a lack of appetite

• Pain doesn’t interfere with regular activity

Furthermore, the passage of stool and gas shows that the digestive tract is working, which is also reassuring. That’s why surgeons ask people if they are passing gas after they perform abdominal surgery.

RELATED: House Call Doctor’s Why Your Muscle Health Matters

The Quick and Dirty Tip

The bottom line, of course, is that it’s better to get checked out by a doctor for nothing than to stay at home with something more serious. 

It’s also vital to point out that certain patient populations are considered higher risk when it comes to abdominal pain: those who are immune compromised or have HIV, women (due to a more complex female anatomy), and the elderly.

According to previous studies, people over age 65 have a particularly higher risk of death or complications from abdominal pain because they are more likely to have vague or non-specific symptoms. Therefore, if you are in this group, it’s best to err on the side of seeing your doctor.

Sanaz Majd, MD, also contributed to this article, which was updated on August 30, 2016.

Causes of lower abdominal pain in women

Pain in the lower abdomen is divided by type of localization: in the left / right side of the abdominal cavity and in the middle. Often, such pain can cause intractable serious diseases that need to be treated urgently.

If a woman has pain in the lower abdomen, it is necessary to urgently consult with her gynecologist at the medical center and do a full examination. Pains that do not pass over a long period of time should cause increased attention and force to understand the reasons for their appearance.

Pains are sharp, pulling, aching and cramping. The occurrence of pain negatively affects the state of health, especially for women, due to the characteristics of their body. By type, pain is divided into chronic and acute. Acute pain almost always appears suddenly, it happens that for its elimination it is impossible to do without the help of doctors. Chronic pain can be long lasting than acute pain. It can stop on its own, and after a while it appears again.

The most dangerous are pains in the groin area – this pain signals the appearance of pathologies that can be very dangerous for the body. Compression of nerve endings, lymphatic and blood vessels causes pain in the pelvic region.
For this reason, abdominal pain, even if the pain is not very severe, is a serious reason for a diagnosis.
Sometimes you can find such cases when the diagnosis becomes problematic. This happens due to the structure of the female pelvis, since the female body in terms of anatomy is the most difficult object for research, and for its examination, a council should be created from a physiotherapist, gynecologist, osteopath, urologist, proctologist and neurologist, who must make a general decision on way out of this situation.

Major diseases causing abdominal pain

Similar pain in women causes:

• Disorders of the organs responsible for digestion, reproductive organs and urinary tract. Improper diet is the main reason for the accumulation of gas inside the intestines and metabolic disorders. Eating spicy, fried and fatty foods, as well as constant overeating can provoke pain on the left / right side. Most often, this pain goes away on its own and does not require treatment.Also, the cause of such pain can be medication, their side effects or overdose.
• Functional or natural processes are gases inside the intestines, ovulation, pregnancy, menstruation. If abdominal pain is of natural origin, in some cases the woman’s condition may worsen. This can happen after a woman has consumed strong drinks (various alcoholic beverages or coffee), lifting heavy objects, insomnia, stressful situations, etc. For this reason, if pain appears, it is better to avoid such situations and adhere to the recommendations of doctors.
• During pregnancy. As the baby grows rapidly, the muscles in the abdomen begin to stretch, which causes pain. In some cases, these pains are severe enough, causing very discomfort and discomfort. If the state of health has significantly deteriorated, you should immediately consult a doctor.
• Menstruation. During menstruation, unpleasant pulling pains appear above the bosom, which occur +/- 2 days before its onset, and continue until the cycle ends.Ovulation can also cause severe pain in the left / right side during a cycle. This pain is due to the movement of the egg, ready for fertilization, inside the abdomen. These sensations can last for about 2 days.

90,000 Chronic abdominal pain

Chronic abdominal pain is a complex diagnostic and therapeutic problem in pediatrics and, at the same time, one of the main complaints of children and their parents, a frequent reason for going to a doctor.Chronic is conventionally called abdominal pain lasting more than 3 months. In children, recurrent is more common, which is talked about in cases where it is repeated at least 3 times within 3 months. and affects the normal activity of the child.

The nature of chronic abdominal pain can be organic or functional.

Organic diseases. Identification of the cause of chronic abdominal pain in children due to organic diseases is based on:

1. anamnesis;
2. physical examination;
3. laboratory research;
4. radiation and endoscopic research methods;
5. evaluating the effectiveness of empirical treatment.

Determination of the localization of abdominal pain in childhood has its own peculiarities. So, up to 3 years old, children almost always determine pain in the navel.

Older children more accurately localize pain. Of particular interest is the observation of J. Apley: “The farther the localization of pain from the navel, the greater the likelihood of organic disease.”

A parent’s diary can help in identifying the cause of chronic abdominal pain, which records the type of food taken and the symptoms observed after it for 2 weeks.In doing so, potential causes of some symptoms can be detected, for example, lactose intolerance, etc. It is also necessary to record the intake of medications and all treatment measures. A family history may indicate a predisposition to gastric ulcer and duodenal ulcer, pancreatitis, inflammatory diseases of the biliary system, intestines, and a number of other diseases.

During the study, fever, complaints of painful sensations in the joints, the presence of a rash, etc. are recorded.The presence of one or more of these symptoms suggests an inflammatory or infectious nature of the pain syndrome.

Since there is a connection between abdominal pain, nutrition and physical development of the child, data on the patient’s height and body weight are required.

A complete clinical examination is performed, followed by an emphasis on the abdomen. Soreness when examining the abdomen will be indicated by a grimace on the child’s face or a replica. Important findings – enlargement of the liver, spleen, the presence of masses, as well as the localization of pain.Further diagnostic search is carried out taking into account the data obtained.

If it is impossible to topical diagnosis at the outpatient stage, the examination is continued in a hospital or in a diagnostic center. Endoscopic examination (fibrogastroduodenoscopy, colonoscopy), biopsy (according to indications), sonography, radiography (cholecystography, irrigography), CT, MRI, scintigraphy, acidometry are performed here; determination of the enzymatic function of the digestive tract, electrophysiological research, stress tests, study of biochemical parameters of blood and urine, intestinal microbiocenosis, genetic examination, etc.

Other methods of laboratory examination are used in connection with the characteristics of the data obtained. These include the determination of liver enzymes and amylase, serological testing for H. pylori and amebiasis, and stool culture and examination for the presence of parasites. Testing for lactose intolerance is done if the empirical diet is unsuccessful. Analyzing the child’s response to treatment is part of the diagnostic process. For example, antibiotics can predispose to intestinal dysbiosis, medications for acne to esophagitis, and tricyclic antidepressants to constipation.

Main causes of abdominal pain

The most common causes of chronic abdominal pain are chronic gastritis, duodenitis, and gastroduodenitis. There are chronic type A gastritis (autoimmune), type B gastritis (associated with H. pylori), and type C gastritis (chemical or reflux gastritis). Type B gastritis is more common and is accompanied by severe pain that occurs on an empty stomach or 1-2 hours after eating. There is pain, sometimes tension of the abdominal wall in the epigastrium and pyloroduodenal zone.Structural and inflammatory changes in the antrum of the stomach are revealed endoscopically.

Duodenitis and gastroduodenitis are also characterized by pain associated with food intake or its nature (fried, spicy), as well as with long breaks in food. Dyspeptic syndrome is manifested by nausea, vomiting, which brings relief, belching, heartburn. Symptoms of chronic intoxication and vascular dystonia are often noted. Revealed soreness in the epigastric region.

Peptic ulcer and 12 duodenal ulcer in children, in contrast to adults, often does not have clear clinical symptoms, i.e.to. is often characterized by the presence of superficial ulcers. The leading symptom is pain in the epigastrium or pyloroduodenal region, which occurs on an empty stomach or after 1-3 hours after eating, more often at night and more pronounced than with gastroduodenitis. Eating temporarily relieves the condition. Latent bleeding is possible. Endoscopic examination is crucial in diagnostics.

Chronic abdominal pain may be associated with esophagitis, which develops on the basis of gastroesophageal reflux. This is characterized by pain behind the breastbone during meals, in the epigastric region, a feeling of passing the food bolus, dysphagia.Eructations with a sour odor, heartburn are observed. Relatively rarely, gastroptosis and hiatal hernia can be the cause of chronic upper abdominal pain. In this case, the pain occurs 2-3 hours after eating, especially in the horizontal position of the child, when bending forward and physical activity. This pathology can be assumed in the absence of the effect of therapy for esophagitis and gastroduodenitis.

The cause of chronic abdominal pain can be chronic enteritis, colitis, enterocolitis.In this case, the pain is localized in the navel, hypogastric region on the left and right. It often occurs in the afternoon, sometimes 1.5–2 hours after eating. The use of a large amount of fresh vegetables, fruits, milk provokes its appearance. The pain is accompanied by bloating, rumbling, and increases with physical exertion. When localizing it to the right, it is necessary to exclude acute appendicitis. For chronic intestinal damage, stool disorder is characteristic – alternating diarrhea (with enteritis) and constipation (with colitis).

Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease are characterized by recurrent abdominal pain, paroxysmal or persistent. They are localized throughout the abdomen, to the left, to the right of the navel, but more often in the lower abdomen, intensifying after eating or physical activity. The stool is unstable, diarrhea is replaced by constipation, there is a mucopurulent or bloody feces, the presence of tenesmus.

Diagnosis is relatively simple if there are bloody stools, a forced act of bowel movement at night, the presence of a perianal inflammatory process or a mass in the right iliac region (inflammatory bowel changes).Delayed puberty, anemia, aphthous oral ulcers, chronic hepatitis, synovitis or arthritis of large joints may occur. Diagnosis is by irrigography and colonoscopy with biopsy.

When analyzing the complaints of the child and his parents, you should pay attention to:

• the duration of the pain. Short-term is more often associated with motor disorders, long-term (more than 3 hours) – with inflammatory causes;
• the connection of pain with the intake and nature of food;
• with defecation;
• the presence of symptoms of “upper dyspepsia” – belching, heartburn, nausea, vomiting;
• violation of the stool.

A significant group of children with chronic abdominal pain are patients with cholepathy. This includes diseases of the gallbladder and biliary tract – developmental anomalies, inflammatory, parasitic, tumor diseases, cholelithiasis. The pain is provoked by the nature of the food (spicy, fatty, fried). Characterized by nausea, vomiting that does not bring relief, belching, bitterness in the mouth, changes in stool (constipation, diarrhea), sometimes uneven coloration of individual fragments of feces.With the inflammatory nature of cholepathy, prolonged subfebrile condition or febrile body temperature during an attack is possible. There is a pallor of the child’s skin, sometimes telangiectasia, subicteric sclera. Revealed soreness in the right hypochondrium. With severe cholestasis, an increase in the liver is possible, which disappears after choleretic therapy.

Other forms of damage to the biliary tract (cholelithiasis, developmental anomalies, tumors, parasitic diseases) do not have specific symptoms and are found mainly during paraclinical examination of the child.

Chronic abdominal pain can be associated with a pathology of the pancreas. Acute pancreatitis, in particular the edematous form, is both an independent disease and a reactive state against the background of a different pathology of the digestive system. Destructive forms of pancreatitis in children are rare. Chronic pancreatitis occurs with paroxysmal abdominal pain. Their localization depends on the area of ​​the lesion of the pancreas. Its total defeat is characterized by intense girdle pain, which is accompanied by pronounced anxiety of the child, vomiting, which does not bring relief, sometimes indomitable.There is a disorder of the stool – constipation, more often diarrhea. Symptoms of intoxication are expressed.

Chronic abdominal pain in children can be caused by helminthiases. In this case, the pain does not have any specificity, it is accompanied by chronic intoxication, decreased appetite, salivation, bruxism.

The second group, which determines the presence of chronic abdominal pain, are diseases of the urinary system: pyelonephritis, nephroptosis, vesicoureteral reflux, cystitis, urolithiasis, dysmetabolic nephropathy and a more rare kidney pathology.These diseases are characterized by pain, often not associated with food intake. With urolithiasis, nephroptosis, attacks can provoke hypothermia, physical activity. The pain is localized near the navel, in the lower abdomen, in the lower back.

With vesicoureteral reflux, it is felt along the course of the ureter. In this case, right-sided reflux can simulate acute appendicitis. With the fusion of the kidneys (horseshoe-shaped, bisque-shaped, S- and L-shaped) pain is localized in the epigastric region and is accompanied by dyspeptic disorders.Cystic kidney formation leads to epigastric pain, sometimes to renal colic. Colic is also characteristic of urolithiasis, dysmetabolic nephropathy, nephroptosis, hydronephrosis. With hydronephrosis, a pulling, dull pain in the abdomen is possible, accompanied by flatulence and dyspeptic disorders. With pyelonephritis, there is a prolonged subfebrile condition or “unmotivated” rises in temperature. In general, dysuric symptoms are characteristic of the pathology of the urinary system.

The group designated as “other diseases” in which the presence of chronic abdominal pain in children is possible is represented by a variety of pathologies, incl.h. rare. However, gynecological pathology in girls is more often observed – salpingitis, adnexitis, ovarian cysts. The pain is more often localized in the lower abdomen, in the mesogastric region, it can be acute, paroxysmal and pulling, aching, constant, radiating to the lower back. In menstruating girls, it is possible in the lower abdomen during the ovulation cycle.

Do not self-medicate.

Seek medical attention promptly.

90,000 localization, nature, causes and treatment.

Abdominal pain is a common cause of our complaints when we go to doctors. A wide variety of diseases and conditions can cause pain, and sometimes they can differ in men and women ¹³ . What to do in case of pain in the abdomen, which doctors should I go to in case of complaints?

FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD LIKE TO NOTE THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DANGEROUS SYMPTOMS ACCOMPANYING ABDOMINAL PAIN, WHICH WHICH YOU HAVE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY . ^3.

1

Dizziness

3

Increased body temperature

4

Repeated vomiting

5

Decrease in blood pressure

6

Visible bleeding

7

Increasing increase in abdominal volume

8

Tension of abdominal muscles and increased pain

It is also important to note whether the pain is acute and continues to intensify since onset.If she is accompanied by the above symptoms, then you must immediately call an ambulance ^1.3 .

Traditionally, there are three main areas of abdominal pain

³ :

Navel area

And each zone has its own description based on gender differences and associated symptoms. Let’s study them in more detail.

Lower abdominal pain is a common syndrome. It can accompany various diseases or occur during neuropsychic stress (the so-called neurogenic pain) ³ .In terms of severity, abdominal pains are unbearable, strong, moderate and weak. Of course, this gradation is conditional, because everyone has their own pain threshold and their own causes of pain.

In any case, abdominal pain requires careful attention: professional diagnostics to find out the true reason why and from what the stomach hurts, and the appointment of treatment ^2.3 .

Possible causes of lower abdominal pain in men and women

^3.13

• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Infectious and inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract
• Pathology of the urinary system and kidneys
• Renal colic

In addition, if the patient experiences pain in the lower abdomen, it is worth paying attention to the kidneys and urinary tract: for example, chronic pyelonephritis and urolithiasis can cause similar pain ^3.4 .And finally, the cause of such pain in men can be inflammatory processes of the genitourinary system, such as prostatitis. It is accompanied by pain that can be localized in the lower abdomen (pelvic pain) ^5.6 .

But in women, the lower abdomen can hurt not only due to diseases of the urinary system or gastrointestinal tract, but also for gynecological reasons ¹³ . For example, pain can occur in the uterus and spread to and below the navel, to the suprapubic region.The most common cause of such pain in women is dysmenorrhea (pain during menstruation that occurs in the first days of bleeding) ^7.8 .

Cramping or persistent, pulling, aching, sometimes sharp and stitching pains during menstruation may occur due to spasm ⁷ .

In this condition, it may be recommended to relieve spasm within the framework of auxiliary therapy with the help of antispasmodics (for example, using the drug No-shpa ^® forte), which can lead to a decrease in pain syndrome ^{7, 11} .It should be clarified that we are talking about cases when pain in women is associated precisely with dysmenorrhea and occurs only for this reason. To make sure of this, you need to be examined by a gynecologist: to exclude other diseases of the female genitourinary sphere. In addition, other serious pathologies of the digestive system and small pelvis can be hidden under such pain. If the pain appears regularly, then you need to consult a doctor to find the source of the pain ^2-7 .

PAIN IN THE BOTTOM OF THE ABDOMINAL IN MEN CAN BE CAUSED BY VARIOUS DISEASES.PAIN CAN WEAR A STITCH-CUTTING CHARACTER, RARE IS GIVEN TO OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY, AND THE PAIN CAN BE WHERE IT IS MOST DIFFICULT TO FIND THE TRUE SOURCE OF PAIN. THESE CONDITIONS MAY BE ACCOMPANIED BY AN INCREASE IN TEMPERATURE AND EXPRESSED DISEASE. IN THIS CASE, YOU SHOULD CONTACT A DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY ³ .

No-shpa ^® forte acts selectively on smooth muscle spasm as the main cause of abdominal pain ¹² , gently relaxing tense muscles ¹¹

Pain around the navel is distinguished by the greatest variety of subjective sensations and causes.Pain in the navel after eating can be associated with various spastic conditions of the internal organs localized in this area. For example, aching, dull pain around the navel can be caused by a spasm of the small intestine due to a variety of causes ³ .

In the treatment of such conditions that cause abdominal pain, antispasmodics can be additionally used – drugs that help reduce spasm ^9.10 .

Complaints that the stomach hurts after eating may indicate the presence of diseases of the stomach, esophagus, for example, it may be associated with gastritis.Abdominal pain on an empty stomach may be a sign of duodenal ulcer ³ . But the aching, dull pain, radiating to the right or under the spoon, can talk about the pathology of the biliary tract ^3.4 .

Pain in the upper abdomen, above the navel, that is, in the epigastric region, is an important diagnostic sign.

All of the above diseases need to be diagnosed and treated by doctors of the appropriate profile: gastroenterologist, surgeon, and in acute conditions, immediately seek emergency help.

Five causes of pain in the lower abdomen

Pain in the lower abdomen may go away on its own, but it is best to see a doctor.

Pain in the lower abdomen appears for a variety of reasons. We have identified five main reasons for which it occurs.

Pain in the lower abdomen – just below the navel – may go away on its own. But only if it appears due to a specific medical condition, such as constipation, diarrhea, or stomach flu.

Pains are acute and chronic.If pain occurs unexpectedly, you need to seek emergency medical help as soon as possible. Chronic pelvic pain lasts more than six months, occurs intermittently, or constantly bothers you.

If painful sensations are not associated with constipation or diarrhea and you experience them for several days, you should see a doctor. For example, a therapist, urologist or gynecologist. The main causes of pain can be divided into five parts.

Urinary tract infection

Diseases associated with urinary tract infection have common symptoms.These are frequent urge to use the toilet, inability to urinate to the end, as well as cloudy urine of a saturated color and pain in the lower abdomen. If a man encounters a urinary tract infection, he may experience pain between the scrotum and rectum, and urination will be slow and sluggish.

Kidney stones

Urolithiasis is characterized by special acute pain. It appears because the body tries to get rid of unnecessary stones and does this through the urinary tract.In addition to severe pain in the lower abdomen, the patient experiences painful sensations when urinating, due to infection, his urine becomes colorless, and the body temperature increases and fever appears.

Inflammation of the pelvic organs

This is a problem that is unique to women. Very often, pain and inflammation in these organs occurs due to genital infections, for example, gonorrhea or chlamydia. Symptoms include pulling pain in the lower abdomen, irregular menstruation, an unpleasant odor from the genitals, and unpleasant painful sensations during intercourse.

Genital herpes

With genital herpes, pain in the lower abdomen may occur, but this is not the main symptom. The main things to look out for are inflamed and irritated areas of the skin, as well as blisters that produce fluid.

Urethral stricture

This problem and lower abdominal pain occurs when the opening of the urethra narrows and urine flow becomes restricted. Stricture occurs due to inflammation or scar tissue that appears after injury, surgery, or a catheter.

In any case, only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis. At the slightest suspicion of any of the above diseases, you should consult a doctor for advice as soon as possible.

The patient can relieve discomfort with pain relievers such as ibuprofen or ketorolac. But any self-medication for pain in the abdomen is contraindicated. And do not forget that pain relievers do not solve the problem, but simply eliminate its symptoms.

Stomach hurts: What do different pains talk about and what to do about it – Archive of Tula news

Everyone has had stomach pain at least once. It can hurt in different places and in different ways. “Sloboda” will help you navigate the symptoms.

Elena Lebedeva.
Fotolia / PhotoXPress.ru

1 Acute, cutting, unbearable pain in the right side
Possible causes:
– If the pain radiates upwards – to the shoulder or neck – acute cholecystitis or hepatic colic.
– If the pain radiates to the lower abdomen, to the genital area – renal colic.
– If severe pain is located at the bottom – perhaps acute appendicitis or “female” pain.
– Acute twisting pains in the abdomen, which subside after a bowel movement and are accompanied by diarrhea (without blood) – irritable bowel syndrome.
– Recurrent abdominal pain on the right or left with bloody diarrhea – Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis.
Call an ambulance as soon as possible.

1 Dull, aching pain in the right side
Possible causes: chronic cholecystitis, urolithiasis or pyelonephritis on the right.
You need to see a doctor .

Severe pain
Possible causes: Acute intestinal infection, poisoning, appendicitis.
Call an ambulance .

2 Drawing or dull pain in the lower abdomen
Possible causes:
– In women: ectopic pregnancy, inflammation of the fallopian tubes or ovaries.
– In women and men: cystitis, urethritis.
You need to see a doctor .

3 Back pain
Possible causes: pyelonephritis, kidney tumors, urolithiasis.
You need to see a doctor .

4 Dull, aching pain in the left side
Possible causes: urolithiasis on the left.
You need to see a doctor .

4 Acute, cutting, unbearable pain in the left side
Possible causes: renal colic, problems with the spleen.
Call an ambulance as soon as possible.

If it hurts rarely …

In healthy people, abdominal pain is most often associated with overeating. In addition to short-term sharp pains, they usually complain of bloating, a feeling of fullness, and stomach discomfort. In case of overeating, abdominal pain goes away on its own within a few hours or one day. This pain does not require any special treatment. But if bloating is repeated often and is not associated with overeating or the use of “wrong” food – then you need to see a doctor and undergo treatment.

… and if often

Lyudmila Atyasheva , gastroenterologist, says:

– If you have a stomach ache, then there must be a reason explaining the pain. Stomach pain is always a reason to see a doctor. Self-medicate, you can’t wait for improvement! This can be dangerous to health and life. Abdominal pain can occur not only as a result of “problems” in the gastrointestinal tract, but can also be a symptom of other diseases, such as kidney disease, infectious or surgical.

It is advisable to visit a general practitioner for preventive appointments once a year.