Discomfort in the abdomen can occur after overeating or poisoning, as a result of infection with intestinal infections or a bacterium that settles in the stomach and leads to the destruction of its wall, or due to a malfunction of the internal organs.

Regardless of the cause of dysfunction, a person always feels pain. It is he who makes it clear that a failure has occurred in a debugged system. By the nature of the pain, its intensity and localization, one can assume the cause of its occurrence. But sometimes there are radiating or wandering pains in the abdomen, which complicates the diagnosis.

What causes abdominal discomfort

To understand what treatment is needed, you need to figure out how the stomach hurts and where it hurts. The abdominal cavity contains the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, pancreas, liver, spleen, kidneys, bladder. Pathological processes occurring in the peritoneum can cause pain of varying intensity and duration.

So, prolonged aching or dull pain, the intensity of which varies depending on the position of the body, may be the result of a violation of the intestines, which leads to a delay in feces and accumulation of gas.

In this case, a bowel movement will help relieve the pain. To help yourself, you need to take a laxative, change your diet by adding more fiber and dairy products to it. Prolonged sharp, burning or cutting pain occurs if inflammation develops in the abdomen. It can be a stomach or duodenal ulcer, cholelithiasis, pancreatitis.

Paroxysmal pain is possible with irritable bowel syndrome, with diarrhea caused by a bacterial or viral infection, as well as with severe stress.

Aching painful sensations that appeared at the bottom of the epigastrium, and radiating to the perineum, accompanied by weakness, chills, indicate the presence of gynecological problems in women or intestinal disease in men.

The nature of the pain and the cause of its occurrence are interconnected

If it hurts in the upper abdomen, then this may indicate pathological processes in the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen. Pain in the lower abdomen can be a sign of appendicitis, poisoning, or a gynecological disease.

What is wandering abdominal pain

In order for the doctor to be able to guess what kind of disease the patient has and direct him to undergo the necessary tests and studies that confirm or refute his guess, the patient must accurately describe what type of pain that appeared in the abdomen, where exactly it occurs and how long it has been bothering.

But sometimes it is quite difficult to understand the exact localization of pain, since it can move and appear either on the left or on the right. As a rule, such wandering pain indicates dysfunction of one organ, and not neighboring ones.

In most cases, it hurts exactly in the area where the organ whose work is disrupted is located. But it also happens that the pain gives a completely different place. In this case, the pain is called radiating. For example, the liver does not have nerve endings, so it cannot get sick.

Discomfort in the patient appears when the size of the organ as a result of inflammation is significantly increased, and it begins to put pressure on the adjacent anatomical regions. Another example, the patient complains of severe abdominal pain localized to the left and top, and the study shows that the function of the right lung is impaired.

Causes of wandering abdominal pain:

• shingles;
• diarrhea;
• ulcerative colitis;
• blockage of the ureter with a stone;
• acute appendicitis;
• ectopic pregnancy;
• inflammation of the pelvic organs (cyst, tumor of the ovary, uterus).

Disruption of the digestive tract can lead to the failure of all body systems

What can cause wandering pain

Acute appendicitis begins with wandering pain, then after a few hours it is already localized in a certain area, namely in the right upper abdomen under the ribs. With inflammation of the appendix, the patient takes a forced position of the body, as this alleviates the condition. One of the signs of appendicitis is that the pain subsides if the patient lies on the right side, and vice versa increases if the patient lies on the left.

If the stomach hurts on the left and at the same time gives to the lower back, while there are problems with urination, puffiness and bags under the eyes appear, then this is a sign of a disease of the excretory system, mainly the kidneys. If in the left side it hurts in the hypochondrium or at the ilium, then the cause is in the wandering kidney. The peculiarity of the disease is that the pain disappears in the supine position.

Wandering pain that spreads from the lower back to the lower abdomen may be a sign of bladder disease or urolithiasis. With urolithiasis, a stone can form in any organ of the urinary system. These stones are able to migrate to the underlying organs.

For example, a kidney stone can descend into the ureters, bladder, urethra. When the ureter is blocked, paroxysmal pain occurs, which increases with active movement, an increase in body temperature is observed. Pain in renal colic can be given to the lower back, lower abdomen, inguinal region.

While the stone “wanders”, the person will experience pain

Diarrhea can start for a variety of reasons. They can be relatively harmless (for example, overeating, eating too fatty foods), and be the result of serious poisoning. With diarrhea, motor function increases, which leads to accelerated bowel movement.

This symptom is dangerous because dehydration of the body occurs and the necessary substances do not enter the bloodstream. Diarrhea is considered especially dangerous, in which wandering pain in the abdomen is noted, this may be a sign of a violation of the structure of the intestinal mucosa.

Shingles is an infection that affects the central nervous system. Its symptoms are an increase in body temperature, rashes in the form of bubbles that appear along the perimeter of the affected nerve. The patient feels severe itching and pain at the site of the lesion.

Pain can be of a different nature. It can be permanent, with patients describing it as a severe burning sensation, or allodynic, where a burning, sharp pain occurs when the affected nerve is affected.

Pain in the abdomen without a clear localization may appear on the nerves. In this case, the pain does not occur in the area of ​​​​a particular organ, it is rather “spilled” throughout the abdomen. She is not sharp. In this case, there may be a violation of the stool and an imperative urge to defecate.

Wandering soreness in the navel is a sign of irritable bowel syndrome. In this case, the patient is also observed swelling, rumbling in the abdomen, diarrhea, replacing constipation. If the patient is worried about wandering abdominal pain, the doctor will prescribe a comprehensive examination.

You will definitely need to pass urine, blood and stool tests. Based on them, the doctor will be able to judge the work of the excretory and digestive systems. Also, the necessary hardware studies will be assigned, which will help to detect the causes of failure and the appearance of wandering pain in the abdomen.

What to do if your stomach hurts

You should not solve the problem yourself if abdominal pain is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• discomfort does not go away for a long time or the intensity increases;
• body temperature increases;
• blood is visible in the feces;
• the pulse is quickened;
• if discomfort arose after an injury;
• if the urine is of an unusual color or has blood in it;
• dark vomit appeared.

If these symptoms are present, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Before the arrival of the doctor, you need to ensure complete rest. If appendicitis is suspected, it is not recommended to give pain medication, as this may affect the objectivity of tests confirming inflammation of the appendix. If the symptoms do not look like appendicitis, then you can drink an antispasmodic drug (No-shpu, Papaverine) to relieve pain.

Without the permission of a doctor, with severe pain in the abdomen, you can not drink and eat, take laxatives or do enemas. It is forbidden to warm the abdomen, because if the cause is a bacterial infection, then this will contribute to its development.

If there is a wandering pain in the abdomen, then you should not self-medicate, you should immediately consult a general practitioner. After the study, he will find out in which organ the failure occurred and refer him to a highly specialized specialist, for example, a urologist, gynecologist, hepatologist, gastroenterologist.

Complaints about abdominal pain as common as for headaches. Patients say “my stomach hurts”, “twisted” or “grabbed” the stomach, “pulls the lower abdomen”, “stomach hurts”.

When we say that the stomach hurts, we mean a fairly large area - down from the chest and all the way to the groin. In this area there are various organs, primarily the digestive and genitourinary systems. The first includes the stomach, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, intestines. To the second - the kidneys, bladder, in women - the ovaries, uterus, in men - the prostate gland. And any of these organs can hurt.

Pain is different. It is useful to distinguish exactly where and how the stomach hurts. This will allow you to more accurately describe the problem at the doctor's appointment, and a little earlier - to separate the pain caused by a random factor (for example, poor-quality food) from the really fearful one. The appearance of pain in the abdomen (often in combination with other symptoms) can be a sign of a serious, dangerous disease.

The causes of abdominal pain in children are collected in a separate article (). The present one is more general.

What is abdominal pain?

The pain is acute and chronic.

Acute pain can be paroxysmal in nature, or it can be constant. It can occur abruptly, suddenly (in this case, they sometimes say “grabbed the stomach”), or it can be weak at first and gradually increase. Chronic pain in the abdomen, as a rule, is weaker, passing, but always returning. Exacerbation of chronic pain can be caused, for example, by eating.

The strength of pain does not always correspond to the severity of the disease. An attack of severe pain can be caused by a banal accumulation of gases (due to overeating or a specific food) or a viral infection that does not pose a serious danger. Whereas habitual chronic pain can be the result of, for example, colon cancer.

Sometimes the pain is localized (the patient can clearly indicate the place where it hurts), and sometimes it is distributed (a significant part of the abdomen hurts).

Causes of abdominal pain

Cramping abdominal pain (colic) caused by irritation of the nerve receptors of the inner surface of the hollow organs. In this case, a spasm of smooth muscles occurs - the muscle tissue lining the corresponding organ. Such pains are usually very strong, painful, but do not last long - a few minutes, after which they pass. Attacks can follow one after another, the pain first increases, then decreases ...

Attacks can be caused by the movement of stones (in the kidneys, in the gallbladder or duct, in the ureters), inflammatory diseases, poisoning. One of the common reasons is a violation of the diet (too spicy, salty, fatty foods, excesses in eating).

Attacks of pain can be combined with other symptoms - fever, chills (typical of infections and blockage of the biliary tract), discoloration of urine and feces (during blockage of the biliary tract, the urine darkens and the feces become lighter).

Pain can be caused stretching of hollow organs or tension of their ligamentous apparatus(for example, due to injury). It is usually aching or drawing and may not have a clear localization.

Pain may be caused local circulatory disorders(congestion in the vessels of the abdominal cavity), the so-called "abdominal toad" - an attack of pain at the time of the greatest functional activity of the digestive organs.

Acute pain occurs when pathological structural changes or damage to internal organs- inflammation, tumor growth, ulcer formation, rupture (perforation), transition of the inflammatory process to the peritoneal tissue (peritonitis).

Pain in the abdomen is not always associated with diseases of the organs located there. Quite common referred pain. In this case, the pain is said to radiate: its source is elsewhere, but the patient feels pain in the abdomen. This is possible with heart disease, pleurisy, diseases of the esophagus and in some other cases.

Abdominal pain may also psychogenic origin. Stress, emotional tension, fear can lead to pain, in some cases quite severe.

Localization of abdominal pain: in which disease where does it hurt

Epigastric (epigastric) region

The epigastrium (pit of the stomach) is located in the center of the body between the costal arches, below the sternum. Pain in this area is mainly associated with diseases of the stomach (, duodenitis,). Similar pains occur after taking sour or spicy food. With a stomach ulcer, pain is possible during long breaks in food (for example, at night). The pain is usually dull, aching, less often acute. Pain in the epigastric region can also be caused by occasional digestive problems (indigestion, heartburn). In the same area, radiating pain is possible in case of heart disease.

Right hypochondrium (stomach hurts from the side of the right side above the navel)

Left hypochondrium (stomach hurts from the left side above the navel)

The stomach is not located directly in the center of the body, but is shifted to the left, so pain in the left hypochondrium can also be of gastric origin (gastritis, stomach ulcer). The pancreas is also located on the left side, so pain in this area can occur with. Pain can also be caused by diseases of the spleen. Heart pain can also radiate to this area.

Umbilical region

In this area, the intestines (small intestine) make themselves felt. Pain can be caused by reasons such as lack of enzymes (problems with digestion of food), intestinal infection, serious inflammatory diseases (Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis). It can also hurt here with.

Left and right lateral areas of the abdomen

Pain that is displaced to either side of the middle part of the abdomen can be caused by problems with the urinary system. The cause may be inflammation of the urinary tract. However, with kidney disease, pain is still more often localized in the lumbar region. Pain on the side of the abdomen can be caused by constipation and gases in the colon (). The left side more often becomes the area where bowel diseases affect. Pain here can also be a manifestation of colitis or diverticulosis.

Right iliac region (stomach hurts below the navel and on the right)

In this area, most people have an appendix - a appendix of the caecum. Inflammation of the appendix - appendicitis - a dangerous disease. The development of appendicitis is usually characterized by sudden and sharp pain, but in some cases the pain may increase gradually. Sometimes at first the pain is felt in the umbilical region and only then it shifts to the right iliac region. There are people in whom the appendix is ​​located higher, respectively, and the pain of appendicitis will have a different localization.

Pain in the lower abdomen

Pain in the lower abdomen is typical for diseases of the urinary system, in women - for gynecological diseases. It can be caused by kidney stones, inflammation of the kidneys (), prolapse of the ureter, gynecological problems: acute and subsequent adhesions, tumors that have arisen, and ectopic pregnancy. Depending on the location of the problem, pain may be concentrated in the left or right iliac region or in the center (suprapubic region). Another possible cause is varicose veins of the small pelvis (more typical for women). In this case, discomfort in the lower abdomen occurs from time to time, intensifying after physical exertion, shortly before menstruation or after intercourse.

Also, the cause of pain in the lower abdomen, especially in the left iliac region, can be intestinal diseases: inflammation of the sigmoid colon (sigmoiditis), irritable bowel syndrome, worms, colitis, intestinal dysbacteriosis and some other diseases.

What to do if your stomach hurts?

Be sure to see a doctor, if:

• pain arose for the first time;
• a feeling of discomfort in the abdomen persists for a significant time (more than a week). If it is not about discomfort, but already pain, do not wait more than 1-2 days;
• bloating (flatulence) does not go away within 2 days;
• pain is accompanied by a burning sensation during urination (or);
• more than 5 days upset stool;
• pain is accompanied by fever;
• pain radiates to the chest, neck and shoulders.

In case of pregnancy, the appearance of abdominal pain is a serious reason to consult a doctor.

Conditions of serious concern(immediate medical attention required):

• sudden and/or very severe pain;
• change in behavior (a person becomes lethargic, apathetic);
• pain sensations are accompanied;
• lack of stool;
• refusal to eat;
• increased heart rate, cold sweat, pallor of the skin;
• heat;
• tension in the abdominal wall.

Which doctor should I contact for abdominal pain?

For outpatient treatment of abdominal pain, you should contact your doctor:

• if gastrointestinal diseases are suspected (this may be indicated by the relationship of pain attacks with food intake) - to;
• if you suspect a disease of the urinary system - to;
• women with suspected gynecological diseases - to;
• for pain in the groin - to or;
• in other cases, to

Man, woman, child face pain in the abdomen. Why does it hurt inside the abdominal cavity? This unpleasant condition may indicate malnutrition, or it may signal more serious illnesses and possible medical attention.

The whole character of pain can tell a lot. Sometimes there are aching, pulling sensations, and sometimes it burns, cuts, and pricks. Sometimes unpleasant sounds come from the stomach, twitches, twists. It is necessary to listen to pain in the abdominal region, all vital organs are located here, except for the brain.

Often, discomfort occurs for a short period of time and disappears. For example, a person ate a lot or was very worried. These symptoms do not require treatment or medication. But abdominal pain is not always so harmless. Sometimes they become a signal of serious changes inside and calling an emergency ambulance.

According to the location of the pain syndrome, it is possible to tell which disease caused the sensation. Why do you need to know? To tell the doctor where it hurts, what kind of pain. And the doctor will be able to correctly diagnose. But first it is necessary to be able to determine the accuracy of pain, their location.

It is characterized by sharp, stabbing, dull, aching or bursting sensations. Able to give in the chest. At the same time, the patient has nausea, vomiting, bloating and flatulence. All of the above are signs of gastritis or stomach ulcers.

Gastritis

This is a disease of the stomach. Violation of the mucous membrane of the body, when food cannot be digested normally. The patient feels general weakness.

Gastritis is today recognized as the most common disease. Among the patients of the gastroenterologist there are children, men, women.

There are acute and chronic gastritis. As a rule, the acute stage of the disease proceeds quickly. In the absence of treatment, it becomes chronic.

Unpleasant sensations in the upper abdomen accompany the chronic stage of gastritis, and the presence of other signs will make it clear that the gastric mucosa is damaged, treatment is required:

• Feeling of heaviness in the abdomen;
• Heartburn;
• Belching;
• Vomiting, nausea;
• There may be constipation or diarrhea;
• Bloating, flatulence;
• Smell from the mouth.

stomach ulcer

The inflammatory process, which remains untreated for a long time, creates wounds in the mucous membrane and in the walls of the stomach - ulcers. Medicine indicates the main source of the disease is an infection - Helicobacter pylori. Microorganisms, penetrating into the stomach, attach to the walls, penetrating through the mucous membrane. Gradually, the number of bacteria increases, which leads to the destruction of the mucosa and the gradual death of the affected tissues, a hole is formed in the organ.

The stomach is divided into several sections and each produces its own pain symptoms, helping the doctor to correctly diagnose and prescribe adequate treatment.

myocardial infarction

Cardiac ischemia. The pain syndrome is disguised as malaise in the abdomen in the region of the stomach, with a return to the right hand.

Appendicitis

Inflammation of the appendix of the large intestine. Symptoms of appendicitis: incomprehensible and weak pains begin at the top under the spoon, passing to the right side. With such signs, it is better not to delay and call an ambulance. It is forbidden to take medication to relieve discomfort, this will make it difficult to make a diagnosis.

What to do

For pain in the upper abdomen, if there is no need for emergency hospitalization, in the near future you will need to visit doctors: a general practitioner or a gastroenterologist. Undergo an examination, including a gastroscopy. Today, this is the only type of analysis that can show a reliable picture of the disease.

To eliminate spasms, directional drugs are taken: No-shpa, Drotaverine.

Pain in the right hypochondrium

Accompanying the pain syndrome with a feeling of heaviness, nausea, vomiting and at the same time gives to the right shoulder. Complaints about acute, arising sharply and suddenly feelings, bloating is felt. Still the pain is sometimes felt as squeezing. This is suspicion.

biliary colic

When a stone formed in the gallbladder begins to move along the ducts and enters the bile duct, an unbearable unpleasant sensation arises. The reason that set the stones in motion:

• A feast with an abundance of fatty, spicy foods and alcoholic beverages.
• Strong emotional stress.
• Severe shaking while driving.
• Physical activity, when the main posture is inclined.

Myocardial infarction is capable of causing pain in the right hypochondrium if the patient already has cardiovascular diseases.

Biliary dyskinesia

The cause of pain in the right hypochondrium with discomfort, with dull pain and loss of appetite becomes. With dyskinesia, the motor function of the system that carries bile from the liver to the duodenum is disturbed. As a result, the process of digestion of food is poor.

A well-known disease that causes discomfort in the hypochondrium on the right is hepatitis A and hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis C (exacerbation stage), cirrhosis of the liver. It rarely happens if a preliminary diagnosis of the presence of diseases is made. But you should pay attention to the stool - with light, an unambiguous consultation with a doctor and an examination are necessary.

What to do

Calling a doctor is a must! Do not refuse hospitalization. Upon arrival at the medical facility, visit a surgeon, urologist and gastroenterologist. If the patient is a woman, it is necessary to report the pills taken, for example, birth control.

At home, be sure to follow a diet and take medication prescribed by a doctor. Exclude fatty, salty foods and flour products from the menu. Do not eat or drink for the next 12 hours. During and after treatment, try to control body weight.

With dyskinesia, hepatitis and cirrhosis - immediately do an examination with a gastroenterologist and hepatologist. Be sure to follow the diet.

Pain in the lower abdomen on the right

Unpleasant strong sensations are given to the rectum, amplification occurs when walking - it is worth assuming appendicitis. These symptoms are accompanied by nausea and fever.

Pain in the left hypochondrium

It is characterized as aching, girdle, the source is felt in the left hypochondrium - pancreatitis.

pancreatitis

There are additional symptoms: nausea, flatulence, dyspepsia. The reason is the intake of fatty, spicy foods and alcoholic beverages. Feeling of dryness and unpleasant aftertaste in the mouth. This is a disease that indicates a violation in the function of the pancreas. The produced enzymes and pancreatic juice do not enter the small intestine for the main digestion of food, but remain inside the organ. There is a gradual processing of the tissues of the gland. The inflammatory process without the effects of drugs can spread to a significant area inside the abdomen, affecting not one organ, but many. If the nearby organ is healthy and did not get sick, then in this situation a violation of its functions is possible. Internal bleeding occurs, leading to peritonitis.

What to do

To get rid of pain, it is supposed to stick to a diet, crush the food taken by 5-6 times. Do not drink alcoholic beverages, butter and fatty broths. If the pain syndrome intensifies, the condition worsens - call an ambulance and go to the operating table.

Pain in the middle of the abdomen and at the waist

The nature of the pain is extremely strong, sharp, felt like a dagger, radiates to the lower abdomen, frequent urge to urinate, especially after taking diuretic products -.

Renal colic

Feelings are undulating in nature, periods of amplification are replaced by periods of decline. Symptoms occur with spasms of the muscle tissue of the kidneys. From the kidney, urine passes through the urinary tract and enters the bladder - this is during the normal operation of the entire system. When a stone from the kidney enters the ducts, blockage occurs and the fluid does not pass into the bladder, but accumulates in the ducts, which leads to spasms, to girdle pain along the waist, radiating to the leg corresponding to the damaged kidney.

Adnexitis

A female disease associated with an inflammatory process in the ovaries. The feeling of blunt injections is localized closer to the lower abdomen, intensifies with physical exertion and hypothermia. The menstrual cycle is disturbed, there is an increase in temperature for a long time, sexual function decreases.

Osteochondrosis, if the pain syndrome radiates to the lower back and appendicitis (its inflammatory process radiates everywhere and in all organs), has similar symptoms.

What to do

When the situation repeats, it is permissible to take pills to relieve pain, or an antispasmodic. Do not put off a visit to the urologist.

If the case appears for the first time, you must do the following. You don't need to take painkillers. Call an ambulance and visit a neurologist and surgeon in the hospital. The woman is additionally examined by a gynecologist.

Pain in the middle of the abdomen

There is bloating, the presence of excess gases, the stomach boils, there is an aching feeling and short-term spasms. Possible causes of pain - in the banal overeating. The digestive organs cannot cope with the flow of food. As a result, a lot of gases are formed, moving along the intestinal tract and causing discomfort.

Dysbacteriosis and lactose intolerance can also cause cramps in the middle of the abdomen.

What to do

Pharmacies sell many medicines containing enzymes. They will quickly help to cope with a large amount of food and restore the intestinal microflora.

Pain under the navel

The nature of the pain cannot be accurately described, it is vagrant with possible localization under the navel. In this case, there is bloating and alternating diarrhea and constipation.

irritable bowel syndrome

It is not a disease, but it brings a lot of unpleasant moments. Does not appear in one day, lasts for years. Symptoms manifest themselves in many ways: constipation, diarrhea, nausea, etc. Medicine believes that this disease refers to the psychosomatic states of the body. For example, fear can cause irritable bowel syndrome.

Viral infection or gastroduodenitis

Inflammatory processes on the mucous membranes of the digestive organs caused by infections, and Helicobacter pylori is most common.

Pain in the lower abdomen

With pain, characterized as pulling, discharge and fever appear, possibly the cause in the genitourinary system. In women, the symptoms indicate problems with the internal genital organs.

In men

There is a paroxysmal pain that radiates to the lower back, to the external genital organs, to the inguinal region, suprapubic and iliac. Localization of pain in the ureters. Possible difficulties with the urinary system: kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra.

• Pyelonephritis. Kidney disease associated with penetration into the organ of infection. Dull and aching pain in the lower back radiates to the groin, up and down the abdomen, the body temperature rises, and a headache appears. Increased sweating, nausea and vomiting.
• Urolithiasis disease. Pain in the lumbar region extending to the lower abdomen and urinary tract. Even at rest, the pain syndrome does not subside. If there is nausea, vomiting and blood appears in the urine, then it is urgent to call an ambulance team and an appointment with a urologist and surgeon.
• Cystitis. There is aching pain and discomfort in the lower abdomen. Painful urination more than 20 times a day. At the same time, cramps appear, the urine darkens, because blood, nausea, and vomiting appear.

Oncology of the bladder causes, there is blood in the urine, frequent visits to the toilet are possible.

Among women

If a pulling pain is felt, it is inflammation of the appendages, cystitis, endometriosis, or an ectopic pregnancy. Perhaps the cause is an irritable bowel and the resulting constipation.

The banal cause of pain in a woman is periodic menstrual pain, which constantly appears during the cycle and stops with completion.

What to do

If the patient is a man, you will need to visit a urologist and a proctologist.

If the patient is a woman, a gynecologist will help.

You need to get tested and tested. The doctor will draw up a plan for adequate treatment, then you should begin to take action, following a diet. You should always follow the doctor's recommendations.

Abdominal pain (med.: abdominal pain) or abdominal cramps occurs at least once in every person. Most of the time, they go away after a while. However, in some cases, the pain is prolonged and chronic.

The causes of pain are very diverse - most of them are relatively harmless. But there are also serious diseases that manifest themselves through abdominal pain. It is important to recognize when you need to see a doctor urgently.

Pain can be caused by changes in intra-intestinal pressure in the small and large intestines, stretching of the lumen or contraction of the muscular membrane, as well as circulatory disorders.

Abdominal pain should be distinguished by the following features:

• how long does the pain last
• kind of pain
• what area of ​​the abdomen hurts,
• to which areas of the body it irradiates (gives off or spreads).

Depending on the duration of the pain, there are:

• acute - acutely arising, which are repeated after a while,
• chronic - persistent pain in the abdomen for several weeks, which can either increase or subside,
• chronically recurrent - for a long time they either occur or are absent.

Acute abdominal pain that appears suddenly is quite common, for example, due to a gastrointestinal infection or stress.

Chronic persistent abdominal pain is rare.

Chronic pain with relapses is much more common. They are characteristic, for example, of irritable bowel syndrome or chronic inflammatory bowel diseases such as Crohn's disease.

The abdominal cavity contains a large number of internal organs. These are primarily the digestive organs, in women the uterus and ovaries, in men the prostate gland. Problems with any of these organs can cause abdominal pain.

The heart and lungs are also in close proximity to the abdominal cavity, and their diseases can cause abdominal pain.

Conditionally pain in the abdominal cavity can be divided into three groups:

• pain in the intestines
• pain in other organs of the abdominal cavity,
• pain that has no connection with the abdominal organs.

Table of symptoms and causes of abdominal pain and first aid

Bowel disease

1. For diseases, an increase in pain in the second half of the day is characteristic.
2. If the cause of abdominal pain is diseases of the left departments, then the pain on the left side of the abdomen appears before the stool, as a result of bloating and decreases after the passage of gases and defecation.
3. Quite often there are complaints of abdominal pain and the urge to defecate, which appear immediately after eating. Such symptoms are most often associated with intestinal dyskinesia.
4. When pain in the abdomen gets worse with walking, exercise, or shaking, it is a dangerous symptom. It indicates the presence of a deep inflammatory process in the abdominal cavity. It could be a hernia or chronic appendicitis.
   With such symptoms, you should immediately consult a doctor, since the spread of the pathological process can eventually lead to peritonitis.
5. If problems arise in the right half of the large intestine, then they are manifested by pain after a rather long time. In contrast to this change in the left, narrower, part of it quickly leads to pain.
6. Paroxysmal pain can be the result of both functional intestinal spasm and an attack of partial intestinal obstruction due to scarring or partial occlusion of the intestinal lumen by a tumor.

Other non-abdominal causes

1. Abdominal pain can be associated with brain damage and other diseases of the internal organs outside the abdominal cavity. However, in these cases, it is rarely the main or primary symptom of the disease.
2. Such diseases of the spine as curvature, arthritis, arthrosis, tuberculosis, tumors of the spine and spinal cord, displacement of intervertebral hernias can also cause pain in the abdominal cavity in combination with pain in the spine, and sometimes without pain in the spine.
3. Severe pain in the abdomen can also be felt as a result of pain in the abdominal muscles, abdominal muscles when they are overstrained during physical exertion.
4. Sometimes soreness of the skin can also be perceived as pain in the abdominal cavity.
5. Pain around the navel may be associated with increased sensitivity of the nerve plexuses and mesenteric plexuses.
6. If you are worried about constant aching pain in the abdomen, which lasts for months and years, and it is not related to the physiology of the intestine, and if there are no organic changes in the intestine, then such pain can be psychogenic. It is often difficult to distinguish psychosomatic gastrointestinal pain from gastrointestinal flu, or from pain for other reasons, because the symptoms may be the same. If the examination does not reveal problems with the intestines and other organs, then the cause of these pains may be psychological discomfort. Feelings such as fear, stress or grief have a destructive effect on the nervous system. No wonder experts call the abdominal cavity the “second brain”. The gastrointestinal tract has its own nervous system, consisting of 100 million nerve cells. Therefore, psychological problems can cause not only pain, but also diarrhea, flatulence and bloating.

It is difficult to objectively assess pain.

Their intensity depends on a number of factors: the type of higher nervous activity, the emotional background, the environment in which the patient is located.

Pain in the upper abdomen

The cause of this localization of pain may be the spleen (left), liver (right) or stomach (center). The pancreas is located in the upper abdomen.

1. Gastritis of the stomach. With gastritis of the stomach, cramping abdominal pains are characteristic. Other symptoms of gastritis are loss of appetite, flatulence, and a feeling of fullness.
2. Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). With inflammation of the pancreas, there may be abdominal cramps, but more often shingles colic (give to the back).
   During exacerbations, nausea, vomiting, bloating, and fever are possible.
3. Heartburn. With heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux disease, ascending burning pains occur. In most cases, they occur after eating fatty foods. The pains pass behind the sternum, but are also possible in the upper abdomen and partially even in the throat. Often there is an eructation.
4. Stones in the gallbladder. With gallstone pain, they can also occur after eating fatty foods, they are in the nature of severe spasmodic colic. Sometimes there is girdle pain in the upper abdomen. Pain, appearing on the right, can sometimes radiate to the shoulder, in addition, fever, vomiting and chills often occur.
5. Hepatic porphyria. Severe abdominal cramps can also be a sign of porphyria. This is a group of various metabolic diseases that result in the formation of toxic intermediates that can lead to liver damage.
6. Liver disease. There are pains in the right hypochondrium and up to the middle of the abdomen, for example, with cirrhosis of the liver or hepatitis. In this case, the pain is not localized at a specific point. An additional symptom is loss of appetite.
7. stomach ulcer. Pain in the upper abdomen can also indicate a stomach ulcer. Cutting pains are felt on the left or in the center and occur immediately after eating or some time after eating.
8. and. This pain occurs on an empty stomach. With an empty stomach, there is a sudden severe pain in the middle of the upper abdomen, most often this occurs at night. If you eat something, then the pain subsides.
9. Crayfish. Sometimes cancer can lead to severe cutting pain in the upper abdomen, such as stomach cancer, colon cancer, or pancreatic cancer. This pain is accompanied by a feeling of pressure, weakness, severe weight loss, and other symptoms.

Pain in the lower abdomen

There are also many reasons that can cause pain in the lower abdomen. In addition to causes related to the intestines, such as inflammation of the colon and cecum, urinary tract diseases and gynecological diseases or prostate diseases in men can cause pain.

1. . Pain with inflammation of appendicitis begins, as a rule, in the navel, then descends to the lower right side of the abdomen. Pain comes on suddenly and sharply. Symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting are also characteristic.
2. . The pain begins sharply, often in the right lower abdomen. Accompanied by vomiting, fever, nausea.
3. - another reason for cramping pain in the intestines, almost always accompanied by vomiting, nausea, diarrhea (diarrhea).
4. . Increased accumulation of intestinal gases can lead to bloating and pain.
5. . With irritable bowel syndrome, pain is associated with violations of the tone of the small and large intestines. The pain is perceived as dull or as spasms. It occurs at different times after eating, often provoked by emotional stress. The pain does not occur at night, but often interferes with sleep. Pain usually lasts for many years and is of varying intensity and duration on different days. Pain points on the abdomen coincide with the projection of the rectum.
6. . Pain in Crohn's disease occurs mainly in the right lower abdomen, but it can also radiate throughout the abdominal cavity. This disease is characterized by diarrhea, intestinal cramps, and fever. Another symptom is weight loss.
7. Hernia. Men are more likely to suffer from hernias. They cause bloating and aching pain in the groin.
8. Gynecological diseases. In women, diseases such as endometriosis, inflammation of the ovaries or ectopic pregnancy lead to pulling pains in the lower abdomen. In this case, there is a discharge from the vagina.
   Many women suffer from menstrual cramps.
9. . When inflammation of the intestinal diverticula occurs, severe intestinal pain occurs, manifested as colic.
10. Renal colic. Pain occurs in attacks in the lumbar region. Severe pain can be caused by kidney diseases such as pyelonephritis or kidney stones. Pain comes in jerks and can radiate to the leg. Nausea and vomiting often occur.

Pain in the entire abdominal region

Sometimes it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact location of abdominal pain.
Possible causes of such pain include:

• gastrointestinal infections,
• stress,
• peritonitis,
• circulatory disorders,
• intestinal obstruction.

Acute abdomen. It is a sign of a medical emergency and requires an urgent call for an ambulance. The typical symptoms are a hard stomach, pressing pains, sweating and weak pulse.

For more information on the topic of abdominal pain, see the following articles:

When do you need to urgently see a doctor?

If abdominal pain is accompanied by such symptoms, you should immediately call a doctor:

• blood in stool or urine
• severe abdominal pain and nausea
• high or low blood pressure
• hard stomach
• heat
• yellow skin color
• tingling in the chest cavity
• dyspnea.

Any pain in the abdominal cavity deserves the attention of a doctor and requires an examination to identify the causes.

Attention! Our site provides you with primary information on the topic of abdominal pain on the left. However, this information cannot replace medical advice. Any pain in the abdomen requires a medical examination.

The most common symptom of many diseases is abdominal pain of various localization and it depends on the correct diagnosis whether the correct treatment is offered. Some types of abdominal pain are classified as medical emergencies that require immediate medical attention or hospitalization. It is important to distinguish it from the usual one and provide first aid, and then call an ambulance.

Abdominal pain may occur with diseases of the abdominal cavity and retroperitoneal space, genital organs, spine, abdominal wall muscles, nervous system, or radiate to the abdomen with diseases of the chest organs (for example, right-sided pleurisy, myocardial infarction and pericarditis may occur with pain in the right or left hypochondrium, epigastrium).

Pain in diseases of internal organs can be caused by impaired blood flow, spasm of smooth muscles of internal organs, stretching of the walls of hollow organs, inflammatory changes in organs and tissues. The spread of an inflammatory process or tumor involving the intercostal or splanchnic nerves can cause referred pain.

Spasmodic pain in the abdomen is noted with lead intoxication, in the precomatous stage with diabetes mellitus, as well as with hypoglycemic conditions, with porphyria.

To find out the cause of abdominal pain, first of all, you need to establish its localization (the exact place that hurts), its type ( sharp, piercing, cutting), appearance history ( increasing, intermittent or constant) and concomitant symptoms.

The figure shows the location of the abdominal organs and the zones of pain distribution from the organ are marked:

Localization of pain does not always correspond to the location of the affected organ. Sometimes in the first hours of the disease, it is not clearly localized and only later concentrated in a certain area. In the future (for example, with generalization of peritonitis), it can again become diffuse. With appendicitis, pain may initially occur in the epigastric or umbilical region, and with a covered perforated gastroduodenal ulcer, by the time of examination, it can only persist in the right iliac region (when gastric contents flow into this region).

In addition, complaints of fairly severe abdominal pain can also occur in a number of extraperitoneal diseases. So, abdominal pain in children often accompany infectious diseases, in particular, precede the rest of the symptoms of scarlet fever and appear a few days before the rash (rash) on the body. They can also disturb the flu, SARS and other infections.

It is of great diagnostic value the nature of the pain. Cramping pain is most often observed with spastic contractions of the smooth muscles of hollow organs, most characteristic of mechanical intestinal obstruction, for renal and hepatic colic. Gradually increasing pain is characteristic of inflammatory processes, however, even with these diseases, it is often constant. Cramping pain in 10-20% of patients is also possible with acute appendicitis, which is due to contraction of the muscular membrane of the process in response to blockage of its lumen. Sometimes periodically aggravated pain can give the impression of cramping:

Sudden onset of stabbing pain indicates an intraperitoneal catastrophe (breakthrough of a hollow organ, abscess or echinococcal cyst, intraperitoneal bleeding, embolism of the vessels of the mesentery, spleen, kidney). The same beginning is typical for renal colic.

The behavior of the patient during pain attacks is of diagnostic value. A patient with an attack of renal or hepatic colic rushes about, takes various postures, which is not observed with lumbar sciatica, which has a similar localization of pain. With mental disorders, a painless course of severe pathological processes (perforated ulcer, etc.) is possible.

Treatment of abdominal pain

With unknown pains in the abdomen, you can not drink painkillers before the doctor arrives, they only drown out the pain and at the same time extinguish the clinical picture of the disease. The doctor, not finding a banal appendicitis or mesenteric thrombosis, cannot make any other diagnosis. 25 out of every 1,000 people with appendicitis die because of a misdiagnosis.

For severe, prolonged, recurring abdominal pain, be sure to consult a doctor and in no case self-medicate. Abdominal pain can be a symptom of a very dangerous disease!