File Under: Gas, Stomoch Pain, Health, Gastritis, Diverticulitis, Appendicitis, Pancreatitis and Gallstones, Heart Attack, Ovarian Cancer, Kidney Stones, Hernia,Testicular Torsion, gastroenterology, liver diseases
What Your Stomach Pain MeansWe're all familiar with abdominal pain, but sometimes it's tough to know what they mean. The abdominal area houses the digestive and reproductive systems and is full of nerve endings that make us especially sensitive to sensations there. But sometimes a bellyache is a sign of a problem elsewhere. When does abdominal pain require a trip to the doctor, and when can you ride it out? We asked Lisa Ganjhu, an attending physician in gastroenterology and liver diseases at St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital in New York, about some common and not-so-common sources of abdominal pain.
Gas
Some of the worst stomach pain is caused by the most mundane problems. "Gas is the No. 1 cause of stomach pain," Ganjhu said.
Gas pain feels like a stretching, sharp or cramping pain. It's often felt in the upper-left quadrant of the abdomen, under the rib cage where the colon, small bowel and stomach are located. That area is "the highest part of the colon and air tends to rise, so [gas] tends to feel like it's under the rib cage," Ganjhu said.
Along with gas can come constipation -- a more generalized discomfort. You may feel bloated, and your belly might look a little bigger than usual. While these pains aren't a sign of anything too serious, they can make babies -- and their parents -- miserable. Over-the-counter meds and sometimes dietary or lifestyle changes can help you or your baby; ask your doctor.
Gastritis
If you feel a burning or knife-like pain in the middle of your belly -- below the rib cage but above the belly button -- you might have gastritis. The condition develops when the wall of your stomach becomes inflamed from the overproduction of acid or an infection and can cause ulcers to form. Aspirin and certain pain medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, often used to treat arthritis, also can cause gastritis. It can be treated with drugs called proton pump inhibitors that neutralize or reduce the production of stomach acid. While the symptoms are similar to those of heartburn, the cause is different, said Ganjhu. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid rises into the esophagus (the tube that food travels down from your mouth), causing irritation and discomfort.
Diverticulitis
About half of people over age 60 have one or more bulging pouches in their colon called diverticula. The condition, known as diverticulosis, is often harmless, but between 10 and 25 percent of people with it will go on to develop inflammation and pain called diverticulitis. Because diverticula are usually in the left colon, you'll tend to feel pain in the lower-left quadrant of your abdomen. People without symptoms are treated with a high-fiber diet, Ganjhu said. But you'll need antibiotics or surgery if you develop pain, infection or an abscess in the wall of your colon, or if a diverticulum stretches, bleeds or tears.
Appendicitis
Pain that starts suddenly around your belly button, gets worse and travels to the lower-right quadrant of your abdomen can be a sign of appendicitis or inflammation and infection of the appendix. If the pain is accompanied by fever, chills, nausea, vomiting or the inability to pass gas, seek medical attention immediately. Appendicitis can cause the appendix to burst, releasing dangerous toxins into the abdomen, and requires surgery to remove the organ.
Pancreatitis and Gallstones
Sharp pain across the middle of the belly, or that burrows from there to the back, can be a sign of pancreatitis -- inflammation of the pancreas. Don't ignore it: Pancreatitis is common in alcoholics and can cause all of your organs to fail if it's not treated, so get checked out. While the condition improves with time, patients need to be monitored in the hospital and given intravenous fluids and pain medication, Ganjhu said.
Another related pain you shouldn't ignore comes from cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder. (Gallstone disease or stones can cause either pancreatitis or cholecystitis.) Cholecystitis pain can be sharp, crampy or dull and comes in waves. You'll feel it in the upper-right quadrant of your abdomen, and it will radiate to underneath your right shoulder blade. Gallbladder disease is common among overweight women and may require surgery or antibiotics.
Heart Attack
Some abdominal pain is related to problems in other parts of the body. A heart attack is a prime example. Depending on where the heart tissue damage occurs, a heart attack can cause pain in the mid-chest to the mid-abdominal area, on the left side. Get help if the pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, or sweating or if the pain radiates into your shoulder or arm. Nausea, vomiting and heartburn are more common heart attack symptoms in women than they are in men.
Ovarian Cancer
If you've had bloating, constipation or the sensation of abdominal pressure for two months or longer, ask your doctor to check for ovarian cancer. The disease doesn't tend to cause symptoms in its early stages, when it's most treatable, but women with vague GI symptoms may get a pelvic sonogram to rule out tumors, Ganjhu said. Less serious ovarian problems, such as cysts, may also cause sharp abdominal pain or pressure if the cyst is really big. Cysts often go away on their own but occasionally need medication or surgery if they're large, growing or very painful. And crampy or burning pain in your lower-left or -right quadrant can also be related to your ovaries -- but not for a reason you need to worry about. Some 20 percent of women experience this minor pain (called mittelschmerz) for a few hours to a day or two when they ovulate, about two weeks before their period.
Kidney Stones
It's tough to ignore the pain that accompanies a kidney stone, a mass of crystals that forms in the urinary tract and can restrict the flow of urine. You'll feel it along your left or right flank, depending on which kidney is affected, and the pain can radiate into your lower abdomen and groin. Pain when you urinate and blood in your urine are other telltale signs of a stone (though they can also be symptoms of a less serious urinary tract infection).
"The pain can be pretty intense," Ganjhu said. "It's worse than childbirth."
Hernia or Testicular Torsion
Listen up, guys: You're likely to put off going to the doctor for as long as possible, but some types of pain can put a real crimp in your manhood if you ignore them. Testicular pain from a hernia or testicular torsion (the twisting of a testicle) can radiate into your abdomen. Get medical attention, even if the pain goes away on its own, because testicular torsion can happen more than once and cause you to lose a testicle if the twisting cuts off your blood supply there.
"That would be a medical emergency," Ganjhu says.
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By Jordan Lite
Gas
Some of the worst stomach pain is caused by the most mundane problems. "Gas is the No. 1 cause of stomach pain," Ganjhu said.
Gas pain feels like a stretching, sharp or cramping pain. It's often felt in the upper-left quadrant of the abdomen, under the rib cage where the colon, small bowel and stomach are located. That area is "the highest part of the colon and air tends to rise, so [gas] tends to feel like it's under the rib cage," Ganjhu said.
Along with gas can come constipation -- a more generalized discomfort. You may feel bloated, and your belly might look a little bigger than usual. While these pains aren't a sign of anything too serious, they can make babies -- and their parents -- miserable. Over-the-counter meds and sometimes dietary or lifestyle changes can help you or your baby; ask your doctor.
Gastritis
If you feel a burning or knife-like pain in the middle of your belly -- below the rib cage but above the belly button -- you might have gastritis. The condition develops when the wall of your stomach becomes inflamed from the overproduction of acid or an infection and can cause ulcers to form. Aspirin and certain pain medications called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatories, often used to treat arthritis, also can cause gastritis. It can be treated with drugs called proton pump inhibitors that neutralize or reduce the production of stomach acid. While the symptoms are similar to those of heartburn, the cause is different, said Ganjhu. Heartburn occurs when stomach acid rises into the esophagus (the tube that food travels down from your mouth), causing irritation and discomfort.
Diverticulitis
About half of people over age 60 have one or more bulging pouches in their colon called diverticula. The condition, known as diverticulosis, is often harmless, but between 10 and 25 percent of people with it will go on to develop inflammation and pain called diverticulitis. Because diverticula are usually in the left colon, you'll tend to feel pain in the lower-left quadrant of your abdomen. People without symptoms are treated with a high-fiber diet, Ganjhu said. But you'll need antibiotics or surgery if you develop pain, infection or an abscess in the wall of your colon, or if a diverticulum stretches, bleeds or tears.
Appendicitis
Pain that starts suddenly around your belly button, gets worse and travels to the lower-right quadrant of your abdomen can be a sign of appendicitis or inflammation and infection of the appendix. If the pain is accompanied by fever, chills, nausea, vomiting or the inability to pass gas, seek medical attention immediately. Appendicitis can cause the appendix to burst, releasing dangerous toxins into the abdomen, and requires surgery to remove the organ.
Pancreatitis and Gallstones
Sharp pain across the middle of the belly, or that burrows from there to the back, can be a sign of pancreatitis -- inflammation of the pancreas. Don't ignore it: Pancreatitis is common in alcoholics and can cause all of your organs to fail if it's not treated, so get checked out. While the condition improves with time, patients need to be monitored in the hospital and given intravenous fluids and pain medication, Ganjhu said.
Another related pain you shouldn't ignore comes from cholecystitis, or inflammation of the gallbladder. (Gallstone disease or stones can cause either pancreatitis or cholecystitis.) Cholecystitis pain can be sharp, crampy or dull and comes in waves. You'll feel it in the upper-right quadrant of your abdomen, and it will radiate to underneath your right shoulder blade. Gallbladder disease is common among overweight women and may require surgery or antibiotics.
Heart Attack
Some abdominal pain is related to problems in other parts of the body. A heart attack is a prime example. Depending on where the heart tissue damage occurs, a heart attack can cause pain in the mid-chest to the mid-abdominal area, on the left side. Get help if the pain is accompanied by shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, or sweating or if the pain radiates into your shoulder or arm. Nausea, vomiting and heartburn are more common heart attack symptoms in women than they are in men.
Ovarian Cancer
If you've had bloating, constipation or the sensation of abdominal pressure for two months or longer, ask your doctor to check for ovarian cancer. The disease doesn't tend to cause symptoms in its early stages, when it's most treatable, but women with vague GI symptoms may get a pelvic sonogram to rule out tumors, Ganjhu said. Less serious ovarian problems, such as cysts, may also cause sharp abdominal pain or pressure if the cyst is really big. Cysts often go away on their own but occasionally need medication or surgery if they're large, growing or very painful. And crampy or burning pain in your lower-left or -right quadrant can also be related to your ovaries -- but not for a reason you need to worry about. Some 20 percent of women experience this minor pain (called mittelschmerz) for a few hours to a day or two when they ovulate, about two weeks before their period.
Kidney Stones
It's tough to ignore the pain that accompanies a kidney stone, a mass of crystals that forms in the urinary tract and can restrict the flow of urine. You'll feel it along your left or right flank, depending on which kidney is affected, and the pain can radiate into your lower abdomen and groin. Pain when you urinate and blood in your urine are other telltale signs of a stone (though they can also be symptoms of a less serious urinary tract infection).
"The pain can be pretty intense," Ganjhu said. "It's worse than childbirth."
Hernia or Testicular Torsion
Listen up, guys: You're likely to put off going to the doctor for as long as possible, but some types of pain can put a real crimp in your manhood if you ignore them. Testicular pain from a hernia or testicular torsion (the twisting of a testicle) can radiate into your abdomen. Get medical attention, even if the pain goes away on its own, because testicular torsion can happen more than once and cause you to lose a testicle if the twisting cuts off your blood supply there.
"That would be a medical emergency," Ganjhu says.
Source: Aol Health ........Visit For More Info
By Jordan Lite
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