All of us have suffered from abdominal pain which is also known as stomach ache in general at least once in our lifetime. An abdominal pain can be severe to mild. We tend to take serious action if the pain is severe and most of us almost ignore the pain if it is mild. Ignorance can lead to a much worse condition. Abdominal pain occurs between our chest and the pelvic region of our body. This pain can be crampy, achy, dull or even sharp which is difficult to bear.
This abdominal pain can be caused due to an inflammation or diseases that mostly affect the organs present in our abdominal region. Organs present in this abdominal region are small and large intestine, kidneys, appendix, spleen, stomach, liver, pancreas and even the gallbladder. Doctors suggest to CT abdomen and pelvis scan in Bangalore to know the exact cause of the abdominal pain. Infection in the stomach due to virus, bacteria or any kind of parasitic infections may also cause severe abdominal pain.
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Causes
Abdominal pain can arise due to several reasons. The main causes may include a severe infection, abnormal growths of cells, inflammation, obstruction (blockage), and even intestinal disorders are responsible.
If you have infections in your throat, intestines or blood, then it can cause the bacteria to enter your digestive tract, resulting in abdominal pain. Improper digestion, diarrhea or constipation can also be held responsible for your abdominal pain. Menstruation cramps are the cause of lower abdominal pain which commonly known as pelvic pain.
Below are some of the common causes related to abdominal pain.
- constipation
- diarrhea
- gastroenteritis
- acid reflux which is caused when stomach leak backward into our oesophagus which can also result in heart burn along with abdominal pain
- Stress
- Vomiting
A CT abdomen and pelvis scan in Bangalore can help to know the exact cause of pain. Diseases affecting the digestive system are responsible for chronic abdominal pain. This can be due to gastroesophageal reflux disease, irritable bowel syndrome or spastic colon and Crohn’s disease which is an inflammatory bowel disease. Lactose intolerance i.e., indigestion due to milk or milk products due to the presence of lactose, which is a sugar found in them.
Severe abdominal pain can be caused due to a rupture in an organ or a burst in the appendix, gallbladder stones, kidney stones or an infection in the kidney.
Types of abdominal pain
An Abdominal pain can be either be localised or it can also be crampy.
If it is a localized pain then it will be limited to only one region of our abdomen. Problem in a particular organ can cause this type of pain. The most common type are the pain arising due to stomach ulcers which is an open sore present on the inner lining of the stomach.
Cramp-like pain may be caused mainly due to diarrhea, constipation, bloating, or even flatulence. In women, a cramp like abdominal pain can be caused due to menstruation, miscarriage, or complications occuring in the female reproductive organs. This type of pain can subside naturally without any treatment.
Colicky pain in case of abdominal pain is a symptom of much more severe conditions, like the occurrence of gallstones or kidney stones. This type of pain tends to occur all of a sudden and may even feel like a severe muscle spasm.
Location of pain
The location of the abdominal pain can be a clue to the actual cause of the pain or it can help the doctors to know what is causing the pain. For example, of the pain is generalized throughout our abdomen region but not in a specific area then it can be caused due to an inflammation in the appendix region commonly known as appendicitis, Crohn’s disease, flu, traumatic injury, irritable bowel syndrome or an infection in the urinary tract.
Lower abdominal pain can be the cause of either an appendicitis, intestinal obstruction or an ectopic pregnancy.
In most women, a pain caused in the reproductive organs present in the lower abdomen can be caused mainly due to severe menstrual pain also known as dysmenorrhoea, fibroids, occurrence of ovarian cysts, miscarriage, endemetriosis, ectopic pregnancy or pelvic inflammatory disease.
Upper abdominal pain can be caused due to gallbladder stones, heart attack, hepatitis or pneumonia.
Pain occuring in the central region of the abdomen might be caused due to appendicitis, a gastroenteritis, an injury or uremia.
Lower left abdominal pain are caused due to Crohn’s disease, cancer, kidney infection, ovarian cysts, appendicitis.
Upper left abdominal pain is caused mainly due to an enlarged spleen, faecal infection which is hardened stool which are difficult to eliminate, injury, kidney infection, heart attack or cancer.
Abdominal pain in the lower right abdomen can be the cause of hernia, appendicitis, kidney infection, cancer or flu.
Upper right abdominal pain may be caused because of hepatitis, injury, pneumonia, appendicitis etc.
Treatment
Usually a mild abdominal pain may subside naturally without any further treatment. However, in some severe cases, consulting the doctor in the right time may be compulsory if the abdominal pain becomes severe or is associated with a trauma because of an early accident or injury or pressure or pain occuring in the chest.
An immediate medical attention is to be given in case the pain becomes so severe that it becomes difficult for you to sit still or you need to curl into a ball in order to get comfortable, or if you have bloody stools, high fever, vomiting up blood commonly known as hematemesis, persistent nausea or vomiting, appearance of yellow skin or eyes, difficulty in breathing and swelling of the abdomen.
Make sure to make an appointment with your doctor if you experience an abdominal pain that is lasting longer than 24 hours along with prolonged constipation, vomiting, a burning sensation when you urinate, loss of appetite, fever and drastic weight loss.
Immediately consult a doctor if you are pregnant or even breastfeeding and having an abdominal pain.
So, an abdominal pain can be the result of several causes which should never be ignored at any cost.