The abdominal area is where the largest number of organs in the body is concentrated, so abdominal pain can be the effect of many reasons. So, for a medical expert, it is difficult to reach the origin of abdominal pain to give a definitive solution. Most people from childhood suffer from mild abdominal pain, known as stomach aches that fade quickly, but there are more critical conditions that cause fever, vomiting, muscle inefficiency or diarrhea, which makes necessary to go to a doctor to investigate the cause and eliminate it. This area is located between the chest, lower abdominal and the groin, which is why it is also known as stomach area or belly.
To understand the origin of abdominal pain it is vital to know where the pain is located, but unfortunately the form of innervation of many of the abdominal organs does not allow the brain to know with certainty the exact point where the pain is; most of these pains are diffuse and are concentrated in the center of the abdomen, with the exception of problems in the kidneys, vesicle, ovaries or appendix where the point of extreme pain is more localized towards the laterals of the abdomen.
In summary, knowing where the pain comes from can be helpful, even though it is not enough to make hasty diagnoses. It is also important to evaluate the type of abdominal pain if it is burning, cramping or by pinching and pressure, the duration of pain, intensity and other symptoms associated with abdominal pain such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever or jaundice; or if there are obvious aggravating factors.
The types of abdominal pain are associated with the way it manifests itself, the provoked sensation has specific causes.
- Burning stomach pain. The person must feel the sensation of fire in the stomach, and it is associated with gastritis, the presence of ulcers and reflux.
- Colicky pain or stomach cramps. These are painful contractions that are felt in the abdomen area, which is frequent in indigestion, ulcers in the stomach and duodenum. Also, stomach problems, such as diarrhea or constipation, and problems in the gallbladder. It is also caused by pain originated in the uterus as menstrual cramps.
- Dull stomach pain. This pain has a very low intensity and bearable for those who suffer from it. It is constant and has no exact location, it could be due to some types of gastritis.
- Pulsating stomach pain. It is as if whips were received in the stomach. It can be caused by excess gas or inflammation due to appendicitis or intestinal inflammation.
In the abdomen, the organs of the digestive, reproductive and urinary system are concentrated, as well as blood vessels, muscles, nerves and other tissues. When they are atrophy or affected somehow, can generate severe abdominal pain. If you continuously have an agonizing abdominal pain, it is a sign that there is a serious problem behind it. It is necessary to know the origin of the pain to give it a rigorous treatment or the situation could get worse. The most common reasons that can cause such severe pain in the abdomen are:
- Appendicitis. It occurs when the appendix swells, causing unbearable pain in the lower abdominal area, precisely on the right side, giving a warning that the appendix must be removed. Additional, vomiting, loss of appetite and fever are generated.
- Hemorrhage or rupture of stomach ulcer. Abdominal pain is felt at its highest level due to bleeding from the lining of the stomach or duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. There is even Vomiting blood or also known as hematemesis.
- Gallbladder Inflammation, where the abdominal pain is caused by the presence of gallstones, and it knots to other symptoms such as sweating, vomiting, fever and chills.
- Kidney stones. Those large stones, that the body cannot discard, clog the kidney tubes causing severe abdominal pain. And there are also back pains, nausea, dysuria or painful urination and the inability to remain immobile.
- Diverticulitis. Inflammation of small pouches in the intestine that also cause abdominal distension and high fever.
- Food poisoning. It causes unbearable stomach cramps along with diarrhea, fever and chills.
- Severe abdominal pain may also be due to acute gastroenteritis that comes in the form of stomach cramps along with vomiting and diarrhea.
Severe abdominal pain can also be the result of an endometriosis that is pelvic pain associated with menstruation, acute pancreatitis or because of Crohn’s disease which consists in the inflammation of the intestinal tract also causing diarrhea, blood in the stool and fever. Also caused by the ovarian cyst that when moving from its position generates severe abdominal pain, and the intestinal obstructions by the swelling and the inability to expel gases and feces that generates a strong intestinal pain that affects the abdomen.
To know when an abdominal pain begins to be severe, in addition to the high-intensity pain, we must be aware of the other associated symptoms and limits. These will be the warning signals that will indicate the seriousness of the condition so that you immediately look for medical care. Based on what we have already explained, these signals can be:
- Continuous vomiting or vomiting with blood.
- Fevers that exceed 38 degrees Celsius.
- The presence of blood in the stool.
- The intense pain that can make you wake up at midnight.
- Paleness, fading.
- Diarrhea with more than 10 diarrhea stools a day.
- Excessive weight loss.
- Burning type abdominal pain can also be an indicator of a heart attack, so you should be aware if it is knotted to the lack of air, cold sweat and pain in the chest that moves to the arms to go to emergencies quickly.
Unlike the term abdominal pain, which is referred to a more severe condition that can start suddenly and unexpectedly, stomach pain is more associated with stomach cramps, a mild pain in the abdomen that usually lasts little and is not so serious. The stomach ache manifests itself in different ways and although it is a fairly common pain it is not considered a disease as such. Most of the time, the stomach pains are intestinal cramps due to poor diet, high-fat diets or food poisoning in particular. The stomach pains are light, of short duration, almost always appear by intestinal pain because of gases. The anxiety can also cause mild abdominal pain due to increased gas in the intestines.
No stomach pain should be overlooked, your health is the most important. If you have a strong pain in the abdomen you can try to recognize it with the explained here but the best thing you should do is visit your doctor, especially if that stomach pain happens constantly.
