What Is Abdominal Pain And How To Treat It? Types, Causes, Treatment, FAQs, More
Does your tummy hurt sometimes or often? That’s exactly what doctors call Abdominal Pain. A range of causes plays as the key driving factors behind it. But stomach pain doesn’t necessarily mean there is something extremely serious health concern.
Are you looking for the exact causes and treatment regime for a sore stomach? Well, you are at the right place today. We have covered every detail about this specific health issue in this guide.
Keep scrolling to find all of your answers….
Contents
What Is Abdominal Pain?
Let’s clarify what is Abdominal pain at first before jumping on to the causes, solutions, and beyond.
Abdominal pain, also known as Stomach pain, is the discomfort in the areas between the chest and pelvis. Specifically, it’s a pain from the outer abdominal muscle wall inside the abdomen ranging from mild to temporary to severe discomfort. The nature of the pain can be achy, dull, crampy, sharp, and intermittent.
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8 Different Types Of Stomach Pain
Definitely, not every abdominal pain is the same. The symptoms vary from one type to another and resolve most of the time with basic treatment. Now you know what is abdominal pain, below are the 8 different types of stomach pain are mentioned:
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Jabbing Sharp Abdominal Pain
Location: Upper right side abdominal pain.
Possible Explanation: Gallstones.
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Uncomfortable Bloating
Location: Digestive Tract.
Possible Explanation: Excessive gas.
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Pain Due To Burning Sensation
Location: Upper Stomach Pain.
Possible Explanation: Peptic Ulcer.
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Sharp Abdominal Pain In Lower Stomach
Location: lower right abdominal pain.
Possible Explanation: Appendicitis.
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General Abdominal Pain With Diarrhea
Location: Gastrointestinal Tract, Upper Abdomen.
Possible Explanation: Gastroenteritis.
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General Abdominal Pain With Bloating
Location: sharp lower stomach pain.
Possible Explanation: Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
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Cramping Or Pain With Bloody Diarrhea
Location: Lower right abdominal pain.
Possible Explanation: Crohn’s Disease or Ulcerative Colitis.
-
Lower Abdominal Pain In Women
Location: sharp lower stomach pain commonly in the middle part.
Possible Explanation: Menstruation.
Added Tip: What Causes Lower abdominal pain in females? It’s menstruation and this pain is quite common. Nonetheless, if it gets unbearable, look for a gynecologist check-up.
What Causes Abdominal Pain? The Possible And Uncommon Causes
Sore stomach is nothing new. But the causes might be different from one person to another. So, what causes abdominal pain? We have listed some common and less common causes below:
Common Causes | Uncommon Causes |
1. Gastroenteritis
Common symptoms: Vomiting, Nausea, lower right abdominal pain, Fever, Gas, Bloating |
Appendicitis |
2. Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Common symptoms: Stomach cramping, Constipation, Diarrhea, Gas and Bloating, Fatigue |
Kidney Infection |
3. Acid Reflux
Common symptoms: Burping, bloody stools, bloating, abdominal ache, heartburn |
Hepatitis |
4. Constipation
Common symptoms: Bloating, Burping, Loss of appetite, sore stomach |
Gallbladder stones |
5. Food Intolerances
Common symptoms: Nausea, Stomach pain, vomiting, heartburn |
Parasitic Infections |
6. Stomach Ulcers
Common symptoms: Bloating, Weight Loss, Dull pain in stomach, nausea/vomiting, acid reflux, heartburn, appetite loss |
Stomach, pancreatic cancer |
7. Crohn’s Disease
Common symptoms: Diarrhea, fever, fatigue, bloody stool, mouth sores, reduced appetite |
Congestive heart failure |
8. Celiac Disease
Common symptoms: Vomiting, Abdominal pain, weight loss, persistent diarrhea, bloating |
Cysts |
9. Menstrual Cramps
Common symptoms: Sharp lower stomach pain, continuous ache, cramps near waist area and thighs. |
Kidney infection or stones |
10. Urinary Tract Infection
Common symptoms: Persistent urge to urinate, burning sensation during urinating, small amounts of urine, blood in urine, stomach hurts especially lower left abdominal pain. |
Hepatitis |
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Diagnosis And Treatment Of Abdominal Pain
The basic treatment of regular stomach cramps is having an antacid, anti-bloating, pills, ORS, etc. But if it’s serious and if you approach a doctor, then the 4 questions you may face are:
- Where is abdominal pain?
- How severe is the pain?
- Is the pain consistent?
- How about your bowel movements?
Furthermore, according to your answers, the health care practitioner might recommend some tests like Colonoscopy, Endoscopy, Upper GI, Ultrasonography, etc. The next course of treatment will depend on the test results.
What Do I Do During Abdominal Pain? The Immediate Home-Remedies
I personally experience abdominal pain rarely. Maybe that’s because of my healthy lifestyle, diet, and exercise routine. However, I don’t usually visit a doctor’s chamber for this reason as most of the time, I manage to cure it. How? Let me share my secret tips with you:
- Occasional sore stomach means either of the two – gastritis, stomach flu, or indigestion. I usually take an anti-wind or anti-acid reflux medication before meals.
- Moreover, I eat smaller and less-spicy meals to relieve wind or heartburn. And guess what – It gets cured within a few hours.
- Also, ginger, chamomile tea, heating pad, hot shower, peppermint, apple cider vinegar, etc., give effective results.
Do You Need To Call A Doctor If Your Tummy Hurts
Wondering whether to seek medical care if your stomach hurts? In most cases, there is nothing serious with these kinds of pain. Over-the-counter medicines work pretty well in this situation.
Nevertheless, there are symptoms when you should actually seek medical attention. These are as follows:
- Prolonged lower right side abdominal pain.
- Prolonged lower left abdominal pain.
- Rectal bleeding.
- Uncontrollable bloody Vomit.
- Unexpected weight loss and exhaustion.
- Extremely painful abdomen.
- Unable to urinate.
- Fever above 102 degree Fahrenheit.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Q1. Where Is Abdominal Pain?
Telling exactly where is abdominal pain can be difficult at times. Abdominal pain is a painful discomfort happening anywhere in your belly from ribs to the pelvis. It’s also known as stomach ache or stomach pain.
Q2. What Causes Abdominal Pain?
There is not one but a plethora of causes behind abdominal pain. This includes but is not limited to food poisoning, gallbladder inflammation, gallstones, bloating, inflammatory bowel disease, appendicitis, ulcers, pancreatitis, gastritis, pregnancy, etc.
Q3. What Causes Lower Abdominal Pain In Females?
The predominant causes of lower abdominal pain in females are: menstrual cramps, ovulation, interstitial cystitis, Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Endometriosis, etc.
Q4. How To Ease Abdominal Pain During Pregnancy?
Mild belly pain is not always a symptom of labor. To ease the abdominal pain during pregnancy:
- Take a warm bath.
- Drink lots of fluids.
- Take complete bed rest until you feel better.
- Try gentle stretching.
Q5. Lower Abdominal Pain When Coughing – Why It Happens?
If you experience mild to severe lower-abdominal pain while coughing, sneezing, or laughing, you might have a hernia. This discomfort is associated with indigestion, frequent heartburn, or regurgitation if it’s a hiatal hernia.
The Takeaway
To summarize, abdominal pain, although is very common in both children and adults, can be a trouble if left untreated. However, you shouldn’t leap to a conclusion every time you come across such discomfort. It will only give you unnecessary anxiety, hypertension, and nothing else. Also, do not forget to consult a health expert if your stomach hurts progressively and consistently.
Wanna share any queries or point-of-views regarding abdominal discomfort with us? Drop them in the comment area below; we would be happy to hear you out.
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