Abdominal pain is pain or other uncomfortable sensations in your belly region – between your chest and pelvis. While most people think of abdominal pain as stomachache, the pain in your abdomen could stem from other organs such as the liver, gallbladder, pancreas, or intestines. Abdominal pain takes many forms – from mild to severe or constant to intermittent. Fortunately, most cases of abdominal pain are not serious, and Dr. Bharat Pothuri can easily diagnose and treat the problem. However, sometimes abdominal pain can be a serious health problem that needs medical attention.
What does my belly hurt?
There are numerous reasons why your stomach might hurt. Abdominal pain might be due to disease, infection, injury, or digestion. The pain may also originate from an organ within your abdomen or the muscle in your abdominal walls. Pain may also come from somewhere else, like your chest, back, or pelvis. To establish the cause of your abdominal pain, your healthcare provider will ask you detailed questions about your pain. The intensity of your abdominal pain does not necessarily determine its severity. Some common conditions can cause a lot of pain, and you may experience mild pain with life-threatening conditions.
When to see your doctor bout abdominal pain
You want to talk to your doctor if your abdominal pain is severe, persistent, or recurrent. You should also seek immediate help if your belly hurts due to a recent injury or if it is accompanied by chest pain. Medical attention is also vital if your abdominal pain co-occurs with other symptoms such as inability to have a bowel movement, dehydration signs like increased thirst, urinating frequently, and dark-colored urine.
Other symptoms that could indicate an underlying problem that needs prompt treatment include vomiting blood, trouble breathing, swollen belly, yellow skin, bloody or black bowel movements, and unexplained weight loss.
Diagnosing abdominal pain
Your abdomen is home to many organs, including your liver, pancreas, stomach, gallbladder, and small and large intestines. Therefore, your healthcare provider needs to narrow the pain you are feeling by establishing the region where you are feeling it. Most often, doctors divide the abdomen into four parts: upper or lower and right and left sides. Upper abdominal pain is anywhere above your navel, and lower abdominal pain is below it. The mid
Expect to answer several questions about your abdominal pain, including its location, duration, how it feels, whether it is constant or intermittent, or if you have other symptoms. Your healthcare provider uses the answers to these questions to determine if you need emergency treatment. Sometimes your doctor can establish immediately that your pain is temporary and not serious. If your healthcare provider suspects a serious condition, they may run some tests. Other times your doctor may not establish the cause of your abdominal pain during the first visit, and you may have to return for further investigation.
Treatments for abdominal pain
Depending on the cause of your abdominal pain, your doctor may recommend medications or surgery to treat a problem with an organ. If your pain is caused by gas and indigestion, your doctor may recommend diet and lifestyle changes.
If you have abdominal pain, visit your doctor at GastroDoxs PLLC for diagnosis and treatment.
