There are many organs in the abdomen. Pain in the abdomen can originate from any one of them, including:
Organs related to digestion -- the stomach, the end of the esophagus, the small and large intestines, the liver, the gallbladder, and the pancreas.
The aorta -- a large blood vessel that runs straight down the inside of the abdomen.
The appendix -- an organ in the lower right abdomen that no longer serves much function.
The kidneys -- two bean shaped organs that lie deep within the abdominal cavity.
However, the pain may originate from somewhere else -- like your chest or pelvic region. You may also have a generalized infection affecting many parts of your body, like the flu or strep throat.
The intensity of the pain does not always reflect the seriousness of the condition causing the pain. Severe abdominal pain can be from mild conditions, such as gas or the cramping of viral gastroenteritis. On the other hand, relatively mild pain or no pain may be present with life-threatening conditions, such as cancer of the colon or early appendicitis.
Many different conditions can cause abdominal pain. The key is to know when you must seek medical care right away. In many cases you can simply wait, use home care remedies, and call your doctor at a later time only if the symptoms persist.
Possible causes include:
Excessive gas
Chronic constipation
Lactose intolerance (milk intolerance)
Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu)
Irritable bowel syndrome (sensitive stomach with intermittent episodes of diarrhea and constipation)
Heartburn or indigestion
Gastroesophageal reflux
Ulcers
Cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) with or without gallstones
Appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix)
Diverticular disease, including inflammation of small pouches that form in the large intestines (diverticulitis)
Bowel obstruction -- in addition to pain, this causes nausea, bloating, vomiting, and inability to pass gas or stool
Food allergy
Food poisoning (salmonella, shigella)
Hernia
Kidney stones
Urinary tract infections
Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)
Intussusception (telescoping intestines) -- while uncommon, this is a serious possible cause of pain in an infant who may be drawing his or knees to the chest and crying to indicate the pain
Dissecting abdominal aortic aneurysm -- bleeding into the wall of the aorta
Parasite infections (Giardia)
Sickle cell crisis
Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis (two different types of inflammatory bowel disease)
When an inflamed organ in the abdomen ruptures or leaks fluid, you not only have excruciating pain, your abdomen will be very stiff (board-like) and you will likely have a fever. This occurs when you have peritonitis due to an infection spreading in the abdominal cavity from the ruptured organ, like the appendix. This is a medical emergency.
Abdominal pain that occurs during menstruation may be from menstrual cramps or it may indicate a problem in a reproductive organ. This includes conditions such as endometriosis (when tissue from the uterus is displaced to somewhere else like the pelvic wall or ovaries), uterine fibroids (thick bands of muscular and fibrous tissue in the uterus), ovarian cysts, ovarian cancer (rare), or pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) -- infection of the reproductive organs, usually from a sexually transmitted disease.
Abdominal pain may actually be caused by an organ in the chest, like the lungs (for example, pneumonia) or the heart (like a heart attack). Or, it may stem from a muscle strain in the abdominal muscles.
Cancer of the colon, stomach, or pancreas are serious but uncommon causes of abdominal pain.
Other more unusual causes of abdominal pain include a type of emotional upset called somatization disorder, reflected as physical discomfort (including recurrent abdominal pain). Strep throat in children can cause abdominal pain.
For mild pains:
Sip water or other clear fluids.
Avoid solid food for the first few hours. If there has been vomiting, wait 6 hours. Then, eat small amounts of mild foods.
If the pain is high up in your abdomen and occurs after meals, antacids may provide some relief, especially if you feel heartburn or indigestion. Avoid citrus, high-fat foods, fried or greasy foods, tomato products, caffeine, alcohol, and carbonated beverages. You may also try H2 blockers (Tagamet, Pepcid, or Zantac) available over the counter. If any of these medicines worsen your pain, CALL your doctor right away.
AVOID aspirin, ibuprofen, and narcotic pain medications unless your health care provider prescribes them. If you know that your pain is not related to your liver, you can try acetaminophen (Tylenol).
Call 911 if you
Have sudden, sharp abdominal pain
Have chest, neck, or shoulder pain
Are vomiting blood or have blood in your stool (especially if maroon or dark, tarry black)
Have a rigid, hard abdomen that is tender to touch
Are unable to pass stool, especially if you are also vomiting
Call your doctor if you have:
Bloating that persists for more than 2 days
Diarrhea for more than 5 days
Abdominal discomfort that lasts one week or longer
Fever (over 100°F for adults or 100.4°F for children) with your pain
A burning sensation when you urinate or frequent urination
Pain in your shoulder blades and nausea
Pain that develops during pregnancy (or possible pregnancy)
Prolonged poor appetite
Unexplained weight loss
As with any medical condition, it is always best to seeek medical advice from your health care provider.
2007-01-11 20:19:45
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answer #8
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answered by angel_life_paradise 2
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