- Main causes of abdominal pain
- Types of abdominal pain
- When it can be serious
- How the treatment is done
- Abdominal pain in pregnancy
Abdominal pain is mainly caused by changes in the intestine, stomach, bladder, bladder or uterus. The place where the pain appears may indicate the organ that is in trouble, such as, for example, the pain that arises from the left side of the abdomen, at the top, may indicate a gastric ulcer, while the one on the right side may indicate problems in the liver.
The reasons for pain vary from simple situations, such as excess gas, to more complicated ones, such as appendicitis or kidney stones. So, if there is a very severe abdominal pain or that lasts more than 24 hours or that is accompanied by other symptoms, such as fever, persistent vomiting and blood in the stool or urine, one should go to the emergency room or consult the general practitioner.
Main causes of abdominal pain
Abdominal pain can appear in several places according to the affected organ:
According to where the pain arises, the main causes are:
|
Belly location (Number corresponding to the region indicated in the image) |
||
| Right side | Middle | Left side |
| 1 | 2 | 3 |
|
Stone or inflammation in the gallbladder; Liver diseases; Problems in the right lung; Excessive gases. |
Reflux; Indigestion; Gastric ulcer; Gastritis; Inflammation in the gallbladder; Heart attack. |
Gastritis; Gastric ulcer; Diverticulitis; Left lung problems; Excessive gases. |
| 4 | 5 | 6 |
|
Inflammation in the intestine; Excess gases; Inflammation in the gallbladder; Renal colic; Spine problems. |
Gastric ulcer; Pancreatitis; Gastroenteritis; Appendicitis onset; Constipation. |
Gastritis; Intestinal inflammation; Excess gases; Spleen disease; Renal colic; Spine problems. |
| 7 | 8 | 9 |
|
Excess gases; Appendicitis; Intestinal inflammation; Ovarian cyst. |
Menstrual cramps; Cystitis or urinary tract infection; Diarrhea or constipation; Irritable bowel; Bladder problems. |
Intestinal inflammation; Excess gases; Inguinal hernia; Ovarian cyst. |
This rule is for the main causes of pain in the belly, but there are abdominal problems that cause pain in more than one place, such as pain caused by gas, or that manifest in distant places of the organ, as in the case of inflammation of the gallbladder, for example.
Understand better when abdominal pain may just be a symptom of gas.
Persistent or chronic abdominal pain that lasts more than 3 months is usually caused by reflux, food intolerances, inflammatory bowel disease, pancreatitis, intestinal worms or even cancer, and can be more difficult to identify.
Types of abdominal pain
The way in which pain manifests can also help to find its cause, such as:
- Burning pain: the pains that arise in the stomach due to gastritis, ulcers and reflux, usually appear with a burning or burning sensation in this region. Colic-type pain: bowel problems, such as diarrhea or constipation, and also gall bladder can manifest as colic. They also appear in pain caused in the uterus, such as menstrual cramps. Pointed or needled: pain caused by excess gas, or inflammation in the abdomen, such as appendicitis or intestinal inflammation. See other signs of appendicitis.
There are still other types of abdominal pain, such as feeling full or swollen, tightness-type pain or unspecified sensation of pain, when the person does not know how to identify the pain well.
In these cases, the cause is usually only identified after diagnostic tests such as ultrasound and blood tests or through personal history, performed by the general practitioner or gastroenterologist.
When it can be serious
There are alarm signs that, when they appear in conjunction with pain, can indicate worrying illnesses, such as inflammation or serious infections, and in the presence of any of them, it is advised to seek assistance in the emergency room. Some examples are:
- Fever above 38ºC; Persistent or bloody vomiting; Bleeding in stools; Severe pain that wakes up in the middle of the night; Diarrhea with more than 10 episodes per day; Weight loss; Presence of apathy or pallor; Pain that appears after falling or knock.
A symptom that deserves special attention is pain in the stomach area, burning, as it may indicate a heart attack, so if this pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, cold sweat, pain in the chest or radiating to the arms, if you seek immediate emergency care.
Learn how to correctly identify a heart attack.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of pain in the belly depends on its cause and its location. Thus, the general practitioner, or gastroenterologist, indicates the most appropriate treatment after physical exams, blood tests and, if necessary, abdominal ultrasound. Some of the remedies most used to treat mild problems are:
- Antacids, such as Omeprazole or Ranitidine: used in cases of pain in the stomach area caused by poor digestion, reflux or gastritis; Anti-flatulent or antispasmodics, such as dimethicone or Buscopan: relieve pain caused by excessive gas or diarrhea; Laxatives, such as lactulose or mineral oil: speed up the intestinal rhythm to treat constipation; Antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or penicillin: are used to treat infections of the bladder or stomach, for example.
In the most severe cases, in which there is infection or inflammation of an organ, such as appendicitis or inflammation of the gallbladder, surgery may be recommended to remove the affected organ.
Also check out some home remedies to treat the main causes of belly pain.
In addition to the use of these drugs, in some cases, the doctor may also recommend making changes to the diet, such as avoiding fried foods and soft drinks, as well as eating less flatulent foods such as beans, chickpeas, lentils or eggs, since the diet is one of the main causes of abdominal pain, as it can increase gas production. Check out in the video below what to eat to stop the gas:
Abdominal pain in pregnancy
Abdominal pain in pregnancy is a common symptom that arises due to changes in the woman's uterus and constipation, characteristic of this phase.
However, when the pain worsens over time or is accompanied by other symptoms, such as bleeding, it can indicate more serious problems, such as ectopic pregnancy or abortion, and in these cases, consult the obstetrician as soon as possible.
In addition, abdominal pain at the end of pregnancy is also normal and is generally related to the stretching of muscles, ligaments and tendons due to the growth of the belly and, therefore, the pregnant woman must rest several times during the day.
