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 OTHER NAMES
- Stomachache.
- Abdomen pain.
- Bellyache.
- Abdominal spasm.
- Sharp abdomen.
DEFINITION
The abdominal pain is a symptom that takes place in the abdominal area, so much at high level (stomach), or more down (at intestinal level).
REMARKS
The abdominal pain is a very unspecific symptom in itself and it can owe to many processes of the digestive tract, but sometimes it is an above-mentioned symptom of problems that take place in other places of the human body.
Sometimes the abdominal pain can owe to a fever picture for a tonsillitis and others for problems of the kidney or of the artery aorta to itself there being no problem at level of the digestive or gastrointestinal tract.
The abdominal pain can be caused by toxins, infections, problems of the vesicle ó biliary routes, of the liver, renal illnesses, menstruation, ovulation, illnesses of the reproductive organs of the man and of the woman, vascular problems, tumors, gastroduodenal ulcer, intestinal perforation, illnesses of the pancreas, ruptures abdominal traumatism, and other diverse illnesses.
The intensity of the pain does not imply his gravity level, sometimes a very intense pain can stem from the presence of intestinal gases without much ado, and a light pain can stem from intestinal tumors.
To be able to do a good diagnosis of the pain it is necessary to describe it with more precision and to associate it with other symptoms.
In such a way that it is better to describe it with another information as it is: When there began the pain, the duration of the pain, precise place of the pain, as it appears (constant, colic, where the intensity spreads, etc...), and his possible relation with the menstrual cycles (in the women), etc...
The extension of the pain is very important, for example a punctual pain can face to an appendicitis and a diffuse and general fraud to a peritonitis.
In the babies an abdominal pain will present to itself like a tearful and worried child, who usually collaborates to colics of the nursing one, very common problem and that is more frequent in the nights in babies between the third one and the veinteava week of life. In the women the intense abdominal pain that takes place during the menstruation can be normal but sometimes it can indicate the presence of cysts of ovaries of an endometriosis or other pelvic problems.
The appearance of other symptoms can be of big meaning, especially the presence of fever, discomfort, morning sickness and/or vomiting, constipation or diarrhea.
CAUSES OF THE ABDOMINAL PAIN
The most frequent illnesses associated with an abdominal pain can be:
- Aerofagia and intestinal gases
- Food allergy
- Colics of the nursing one
- Renal colics
- Endometriosis
- Pelvic inflammatory illness
- In the children it can be a pneumonia symptom
- The abdominal pain appellant in children and adolescents can be an emotional somatización and not a physical problem.
- Pharyngitis estreptocócica
- Uterine fibromas
- Viral gastroenteritis
- Rupture
- Indigestion and fill
- Infections of biliary vesicle
- Intolerance of lactose (intolerance of milk)
- Food poisoning
- Litiasis (stones) in the biliary vesicle
- Painful menstruation
- Ovarian cysts
- It ulcerates gastroduodenal
Other illnesses with abdominal pain but less frequent they are:
- The ebb gastroduodenal
- The hiatus rupture
- Chronic constipation
- Infections for intestinal parasites (Giardia lambria)
- Illness of Sickle
- Illness of Crohn
In less occasions but with more gravity the abdominal pain can be a symptom of:
- Appendicitis
- Ovary cancer
- Cancer of colon or another abdominal cancer
- Peritonitis
- Intestinal obstruction
- Infarction mesentérico
There are pictures of abdominal pain that must be attended promptly: Abdominal pain with fever and morning sickness (appendicitis, diverticulitis) Abdominal pain with morning sickness, fever, and diarrhea or constipation (intestinal obstruction) Abdominal pain with hard belly or "in table" (peritonitis) Abdominal pain with vomiting of blood or bloody diarrhea. Persistent high abdominal pain and with vomiting (pancreatitis)
INITIAL CARE OF AN ABDOMINAL PAIN
For the light abdominal pain it is necessary to drink water or liquids in small gulps, avoiding the solid food. It is possible to take some antacid or gastric protector, and it is not necessary to take analgesics for the pain.
Later it will have to come to his doctor in case:
- The abdominal pain is very intense
- The abdominal pain lasts more than 2 to 3 days
- The abdominal pain develops during the pregnancy
- The abdominal pain collaborates to fever, nauseas / vomiting, or intolerance to the food.
- The abdominal pain collaborates to abdomen "in table".
- The abdominal pain collaborates to vomiting of blood or dregs with blood
USEFUL TESTS FOR THE DIAGNOSIS OF AN ABDOMINAL PAIN
After a case history of the symptoms and the suitable exploration his doctor can request a few diagnostic tests that are used for the diagnosis of an abdominal pain:
- Abdominal ultrasound scan.
- Study of the gastrointestinal transit with barium.
- Study of the blood presence in dregs and urine.
- I study endoscópico (gastroscopia and colonoscopia).
- Abdomen radiographies.
- Scanner (TAC) of abdomen.
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