What is acute abdominal pain? How is it diagnosed?

Abdominal disease, which manifests itself with abdominal pain that starts suddenly within six hours, is defined as acute abdominal pain . An inflammatory event in the intestine manifests itself with symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting. Every patient with sudden onset abdominal pain should be dealt with in detail. ‘Acute abdomen’ is not considered in a patient with abdominal pain for more than a week, but this should be examined by a physician.

Causes of abdominal pain?

Pain in different parts of the abdomen can be a symptom of diseases of organs specific to that region. Abdominal pain may occur due to stomach and intestinal disorders, kidney stones, diseases of male and female reproductive organs, diabetes, adrenal gland diseases, menstrual pain in women, some blood diseases, poisoning of substances such as lead and morphine, and diseases such as shingles. Not only the organs in the abdominal cavity, but also lung infections, heart attacks and rib fractures can cause abdominal pain.

Can abdominal pain be confused with other diseases?

Diseases of the liver, gallbladder and ducts and ulcer problems may be responsible for pain in the upper right part of the abdomen. The cause of the pain in the upper left part of the abdomen may be diseases of the spleen, pancreas, and the aorta. Diseases of the esophagus, stomach and duodenum such as gastritis, ulcer and reflux should be considered in pain in the upper part of the navel. Pain in the lower left part of the abdomen can be caused by inflammation of the large intestine, ovarian problems, diseases of the abdominal jugular vein, urinary problems, ectopic pregnancy and appendicitis.

For pain in the lower right part of the abdomen, appendicitis, urinary problems, ectopic pregnancy, ovarian problems, hernia strangulation, gall bladder and duct problems should be considered.

What are the ways to treat abdominal pain?

Since there may be different reasons behind the complaint of abdominal pain, it is necessary not to take drugs unconsciously. However, it is recommended to drink slightly iced water, eat toast, drink apple juice or eat bananas for mild abdominal pain that develops after meals.

The most important point to note is this:

“Unless the exact cause of abdominal pain is known and has not been previously diagnosed by a physician, it is better not to take pain medication.”

Conditions in which you should definitely go to the doctor for abdominal pain

• Severe, recurrent, increasing and persistent pain
• Shortness of breath with pain, feeling of faintness, bleeding, vomiting and high fever
• Abdominal pain spreading to the chest, neck and shoulder
• Seeing blood in the stool
• Abdominal tension and swelling
• During these researches, the experience, manners and knowledge of the physician are of great importance.
• The treatment is completely arranged according to the detected problem. If a stone is detected in the urinary tract, treatment with drugs is planned in the foreground, while emergency surgery is recommended in case of a surgical problem such as appendicitis.