Abdominal pain

What are the causes of frequent abdominal pain?

Abdominal pain occurs alone or accompanies other digestive symptoms. Occasional abdominal pain often arises from overeating or eating too much harmful foods such as fatty or gaseous foods or dairy products for people who are lactose intolerant, and the pain usually goes away within a few hours or lasts for a day or two in the presence of a viral or bacterial infection.

Recurrent abdominal pain that lasts and is severe or accompanied by other signs and symptoms may indicate a potential risk, and the location of the pain will help the doctor narrow the list of possible causes. However, the location of the pain can sometimes be misleading.

navel area. Pain near the navel often results from a disorder of the small intestine or from appendicitis. The appendix is ​​a worm-shaped pouch protruding from the outside of the colon, which would become clogged with the rest of the food, which can lead to inflammation, swelling and filling with pus. If the patient does not receive the necessary treatment, the appendix may burst, causing a serious infection (peritonitis). Symptoms of appendicitis sometimes include, in addition to pain in the right side of the lower abdomen, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite.

Above the navel: It is the place where a person should feel the pain suggested by stomach acids. Continuous pain in this position would also indicate abnormalities in the upper part of the small intestine (duodenum), pancreas or gallbladder.

under the navel. Pain that begins under the navel and extends to the sides may indicate a disorder of the colon. In women, more common causes of pain in this area are a urinary tract infection or pelvic inflammatory disease.

The left side of the upper abdomen. It is not common to feel pain in this area, but if you do feel it, it may be due to a problem in your colon, stomach or pancreas.

The right side of the upper abdomen. Acute pain in this location is often associated with cholecystitis (a gallbladder attack). The pain would extend to the center of the abdomen and penetrate to the back. Sometimes, pain in this area may be caused by inflammation of the pancreas or duodenum.

The left side of the lower abdomen. In most cases, the pain here indicates a problem with the descending colon, where the rest of the food is expelled. Possible disorders include an infection in the colon (diverticulitis) or colitis (Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis).

The right side of the lower abdomen. Colitis can also cause pain in this area. However, another, more serious possibility is appendicitis.

Migrant pain. An unusual characteristic of abdominal pain is its ability to travel through deep nerve pathways and to appear far from the source of the problem. The pain caused by inflammation of the gallbladder, for example, can extend to the chest and right scapula to the top of the right shoulder. Pain associated with a disorder of the pancreas may extend upward between the shoulder blades. This is called referred pain.

Given the large number of vital organs in the abdomen and the complex signals it sends, it is recommended to consult a doctor if you suffer from:

Severe, recurrent or persistent pain.
The pain seems to be getting worse.
Pain accompanied by high fever, bleeding or vomiting.