Abdominal pain is a very common complaint that occurs even more often than a complaint of a headache. In this case, the localization of pain can be different, and each of them may have its own reason. What to do if your stomach hurts, and to which doctor with this problem to apply?
What could be the pain?
Pain sensations in the abdomen can be chronic or acute, and manifest paroxysm. They may increase gradually, but may appear suddenly. As a rule, chronic pain is not clearly expressed, eventually pass, but tend to return.
In a number of cases, the pain has a certain localization and the patient can show exactly where it hurts. But, it also happens that it covers the entire abdomen, and only a specialist can determine the source.
Possible causes of
- Cramping pains( colic), may be caused by irritated nerve receptors that are located inside hollow organs. As a result, the smooth muscle of the corresponding organs spasms. Gastralgia can be strong and painful, but not lasting long. After a few minutes it passes. There may be several seizures in a row, with increasing and decreasing unpleasant sensations.
- A very common cause of colic is the bias in the diet( overeating, fatty foods, spicy or strongly salty foods).
- Painful attacks can occur with fever, a strong chill, a change in the color of urine and feces.
- If there was a trauma to the abdominal region, colic may subsequently arise due to the extension of the ligamentous apparatus of the organs or their descent.
- Disturbance of blood circulation, can also provoke gastralgia. With stasis in the vessels of the peritoneum, pain occurs when the digestive organs are most active, for example, after eating.
- Acute arthralgia may occur during an attack of appendicitis, with a developing ulcer or perforation, with a developing tumor and other causes.
- The appearance of astralgia may cause pathologies of other organs located not in the abdominal cavity. For example, with a heart attack, pleurisy or diseases of the esophagus, often discomfort radiates to the abdomen.
- Stress or fright - can also become an impetus to the emergence of gastralgia, in some cases, even acute.
Pain localization
A person's abdomen can be divided into several areas. For clarity, these areas can be seen in the figure below.
Epigastric area
The epigastrium is located centrally, in the upper abdomen, just below the ribs. As a rule, pain in this area appears, with diseases of the stomach. It can be just inflammation of the mucosa( gastritis) or developed ulcer of this organ. The same sensations, can cause inflammation in the duodenum( doudenitis).As a rule, the symptoms come after taking salty, spicy or fried foods.
Sensations are dull, aching and very rarely can be sharp. An exception can be called perforation( perforation) of the ulcer, when an attack of very severe pain occurs, from which the abdominal muscles "stain".With such symptoms, immediate surgical care is required.
Left hypochondrium
Since the location of the stomach grasps not only the center of the trunk, but also the left, upper abdomen, gastralgia can also be caused by diseases of this organ. But, except the stomach, in this zone is located and the pancreas. With its inflammation( pancreatitis) there is a sharp pain, surrounding nature. In this area, astralgia can also be caused by the spleen. On the irradiation of heart pain in this area was mentioned above.
Right hypochondrium
Because the liver does not have nerve endings, it can not hurt. A painful attack can cause a gallbladder spasm in cholelithiasis or cholecystitis. Aching, mild pain, may occur with the dilatation of the body capsule, liver obesity or hepatitis.
Area around the navel
In this zone, the small intestine manifests itself, in the presence of infection, inflammation, with a lack of enzymes, ulcerative colitis.
Right and left side areas of
The pains in these parts of the body can be triggered by a large accumulation of gases( flatulence), as well as the presence of inflammation of the intestine( colitis) or diverticulosis( protrusion of the intestinal wall).Constipation - are no exception, and can cause unpleasant sensations on the sides of the abdomen.
Right iliac zone
In this zone there is an appendix, an appendix on the cecum. With its inflammation, there are severe cutting pains that occur suddenly. In rare cases, pain can grow gradually. In the beginning it can be localized around the navel, then it shifts to the right. There were cases when irradiation was in the lower back, or in the kidney region. This is a dangerous disease that requires urgent surgical intervention.
In women, this area can give pain in polycystic ovarian pits. It is important not to confuse the symptoms and make a diagnosis correctly. Since procrastination - is fraught with serious consequences, life-threatening.
Left iliac region
In this area there is a sigmoid colon. If it is inflamed, there may be pain in this area.
In women, the cause of pain can be various gynecological diseases of the uterus, ovaries and appendages.
In men, the lower abdomen( left) can ache a bit when the seminal vesicles located to the right and left of the prostate are inflamed.
Suprapubic area
Most often in the lower abdomen, pain is caused by pathology in the bladder and urinary tract. Acute seizures can cause bladder stones.
For women, the localization of pain in the suprapubic part is typical for various gynecological diseases: inflammation of the appendages( acute and chronic), the presence of adhesions in the fallopian tubes, cysts and ovarian tumors, ectopic pregnancy. Also, the cause can serve as the omission of the ureter or varicose veins of the small pelvis( happens only in women).In such cases, pain can increase after coition or after physical work.
For men, the presence of pain in the suprapubic zone, in addition to problems with the bladder, can signal problems with the prostate. With inflammation of the gland, its chronic course, there are aching, pulling pains in the lower abdomen. With an acute prostatitis, sharp and sharp pains appear, giving off in the perineum. Also, pain syndrome can occur with inflammation and cysts of seminal vesicles.
Constipation, colitis and flatulence - this is another reason for gastralgia inherent in both sexes.
When should I see a doctor?
If you suspect that the cause of the pain lies in overeating or other confectionery excesses, then give the body time to clean up so that it can come to life naturally. It is useful to drink herbal medicinal herbs: chamomile, marigold and others.
A compulsory visit to a doctor is necessary when:
- has been painful for the first time;
- you feel discomfort( not pain) in the stomach for several days. If there was a pain syndrome, then do not wait more than 1 day, and go to the hospital;
- torments flatulence for more than 2 days;
- when you urinate, you feel a burning sensation or rubbing, and it has become frequent;
- Stool disorder more than 1 day;
- you feel pain, and there is a temperature increase;
- irradiation of pain in the neck, shoulders in the chest area;
- during pregnancy, any abdominal pain, require immediate medical attention.
When is an emergency medical care required?
There are conditions when one can not do without urgent medical help:
- a sudden acute pain;
- the person has changed his behavior( he suddenly became listless, apathy appeared);
- sudden vomiting with pain syndrome;
- lack of stool for several days;
- person refuses to eat;
- weakness, accompanied by cold sweat, pale skin, frequent pulse;
- fever( high fever);
- the wall of the abdomen is very tense, as if zaderevenela.
If any of these symptoms appear, it is required, without delay, to cause an ambulance.
Which doctor should I attend?
If the pain is not acute, then for outpatient treatment you need to contact such physicians:
- if epigastric pains you notice after eating or on an empty stomach, or on the other signs listed above indicate gastrointestinal illnesses, then you should seek help from a gastroenterologist;
- if the symptoms are similar to problems with the bladder - to the urologist;
- for women, with obvious signs of gynecological diseases - to the gynecologist;
- with the appearance of pain in the groin - to the proctologist or urologist( for men);
- in other cases - to the therapist, who can, to clarify the diagnosis, appoint advice from other specialists;
- for any diseases in children, including those accompanied by pain syndrome, requires a visit to the pediatrician.
It should be noted that the human body pre-signals a pain syndrome about the presence of any problem. It is very important not to delay the visit to the doctor at the first appearance of discomfort, which can occur in any parts of the body. Timely initiation of treatment can protect you from the development of a serious illness.
