Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment of Abdominal Pain in Adults

ABDOMINAL PAIN IN ADULTS

Abdominal pain is a common discomfort that can be experienced at any stage of life, from infancy to old age. If this discomfort is experienced continuously over the long term in adults, it may be a sign of a chronic disease. However, when it is short-term, it can be defined as acute abdominal pain. These abdominal pains can be an indicator of a few simple troubles as well as potentially life-threatening problems. If abdominal pain is observed in adults, a healthcare institution should be consulted as soon as possible to resolve the underlying problem. Otherwise, it may cause serious problems in the long run. In this article, you can get information about the causes of abdominal pain in adults, how it is diagnosed, how it is treated, and frequently asked questions about abdominal pain.

What Are the Causes of Abdominal Pain?

Many conditions can cause abdominal pain. Abdominal pain can be listed in several types. These are as follows;

Acute abdominal pain; is pain that occurs intermittently in less than 3 months.

Chronic abdominal pain; is pain lasting longer than 3 months.

Gastrointestinal abdominal pain; is pain lasting longer than 6 months.

Abdominal pain in the dangerous category; may be pain that starts suddenly within 24 hours, progressively worsens, and in some cases is accompanied by serious symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, and altered mental status. In some cases, there is only severe abdominal pain without any other symptoms.

Acute abdominal pain can be caused by bowel obstruction, inflammation of organs such as kidneys, spleen, and liver, kidney stones, and gastroenteritis caused by viruses or bacteria in the intestines. On the other hand, various infectious diseases such as appendicitis, defined as the inflammation of the point where the small and large intestines meet, inflammation of the pancreas; pancreatitis, inflammation of the gallbladder; cholecystitis, and urinary tract infections can also cause acute abdominal pain. At the same time, inflammation of reproductive organs such as during the monthly menstrual cycle or fallopian tubes can manifest with lower abdominal pain.

Chronic abdominal pain is a type of pain that is constantly seen due to a disease. Diseases that can cause this pain include cancer of organs in the abdominal region such as stomach, intestines, liver, sickle cell anemia, inguinal hernia, gallstones, splenomegaly (enlarged spleen), irritable bowel syndrome, endometriosis, ovarian cysts, and uterine cancer.

Gastrointestinal abdominal pain; can be intermittent like acute or continuous like chronic. This situation may vary from person to person. Diseases or conditions causing this type of abdominal pain can be listed as gastritis, ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux, hiatal hernia, swallowing disorders, IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), celiac disease, and Crohn's disease.

Potentially dangerous abdominal pain can be caused by problems that require immediate intervention, such as appendicitis, viral or bacterial gastroenteritis, heart attack, and lung problems.

In addition to these causes, abdominal pain can also be observed during pregnancy, menstruation, lying down or sleeping immediately after eating, or in cases of food poisoning.

All these problems causing abdominal pain should be treated in the most appropriate way and prevented before they cause more serious troubles.

Is Suddenly Starting Abdominal Pain Dangerous?

Abdominal pain that can be considered dangerous in adults generally increases gradually within hours and reaches its maximum level hours later. If this sudden onset of pain is accompanied by symptoms such as high fever, low blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, altered mental status, shortness of breath, abdominal distension, and diarrhea, the nearest healthcare institution should be visited as quickly as possible. Because a sudden onset of pain that progressively worsens or is cramping and stabbing may be a harbinger of a dangerous condition. A problem in the heart or lungs can also cause the pain to radiate and be felt severely in the abdominal region. Many of these diseases, when not intervened as soon as possible, may have a serious cause such as a heart attack, ruptured appendix, intestinal obstruction, diverticulitis, pelvic inflammatory disease, and acute gastroenteritis. Therefore, if there is abdominal pain, if it worsens over time, and if additional symptoms are added, a healthcare institution must be visited as soon as possible and it should not be neglected.

How Is Abdominal Pain Diagnosed?

Abdominal pain is a broad complaint that can be a symptom of many diseases. In this respect, disorders of many organs in the abdominal region can cause abdominal pain. Problems originating from the stomach, liver, intestines, kidneys, or reproductive organs can generally cause abdominal pain. To make a diagnosis, taking all these into account, an expert physician first performs a physical examination. They usually try to diagnose the region by applying physical pressure where the pain originates from. Afterwards, imaging techniques such as blood tests, urine analysis, abdominal ultrasound, MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), and CT (Computed Tomography) can be used to generally diagnose which organ the condition originates from. As a result of general examinations, diagnostic procedures specific to that organ can be performed depending on which organ it originates from. For example, if abdominal pain suspected to originate from stomach and intestinal problems is present, these organs can be examined in detail with endoscopy and colonoscopy. Taking all these evaluations into consideration, the specialist physician can make the diagnosis that causes the abdominal pain.

Which Department Treats Abdominal Pain Complaints?

If acute or chronic abdominal pain is experienced, you can visit the "Internal Medicine" department of the nearest healthcare institutions. The specialist internal medicine physician in this department plays an active role in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease causing the abdominal pain by requesting the necessary tests and examinations. If acute or chronic abdominal pain is experienced, an expert internal medicine physician should be consulted as soon as possible and it should not be neglected.

Hisar Hospital Intercontinental Hospitals provide services in the internal medicine department with expert physicians.

How Is Abdominal Pain Treated?

Treatment methods may vary depending on the type of abdominal pain. If it is a mild discomfort caused by the digestive system, the internal medicine physician can apply drug treatment with medications that regulate stomach acid, facilitate the passage of gas and defecation in the intestines, antibiotics, and some digestion-aid drugs, depending on the type of disease. In addition, it is aimed to solve the problem causing abdominal pain with home care recommendations. If pain caused by a chronic disease is diagnosed, a treatment protocol specific to that disease is applied. However, in cases that start acutely, progressively worsen, and are dangerous to the human body, for example, if there is a cause such as appendicitis, surgical intervention may be required.

Frequently Asked Questions About Abdominal Pain

There are many disorders that start with abdominal pain. Disorders that may occur in organs such as the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys, and pancreas can manifest with abdominal pain. At the same time, some problems in organs such as the heart and lungs can also radiate and cause pain in the abdominal region. Disorders starting with abdominal pain can be generally listed as gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux, constipation, celiac disease, Crohn's disease; liver, stomach, intestinal infections, viral or bacterial gastroenteritis. Abdominal pain can be a symptom of many dangerous diseases. However, acute problems such as constipation, diarrhea, gas entrapment, and indigestion can also generally manifest with abdominal pain. In these cases, although not very dangerous, abdominal pain may pass with a few basic activities that can be done at home after visiting a doctor. However, visiting a doctor should still not be neglected, and it must be ensured that there is no serious underlying cause. When abdominal pain is experienced, a doctor should be consulted first. Because even if it is only a symptom of abdominal pain, it can be a harbinger of a serious problem. After the expert doctor's diagnosis and treatment procedures, if there is no serious problem, abdominal pain can be alleviated with some interventions at home. A hot water bottle applied to the abdomen or a hot shower can support the passing of the pain. At the same time, massaging the abdomen can also be beneficial. In addition, consuming easily digestible foods and plenty of water can comfort the stomach and intestines. Some herbal teas such as mint, lemon, ginger, fennel, and cinnamon can also relieve the stomach and intestines and alleviate abdominal pain. Alcohol, dark tea, and coffee, which will make digestion difficult, should be avoided. Resting by lying down may be recommended during this process. Abdominal pain can manifest with the inflammation of the area where the small and large intestines meet, which is defined as appendicitis. On the other hand, pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. These types of infections can manifest with abdominal pain. At the same time, urinary tract infections or infections of the liver and internal organ linings can also cause abdominal pain. In this respect, abdominal pain can be an indicator of an infectious disease. Since the infection of internal organs will cause disruption in their functions, if there is abdominal pain, an expert internal medicine physician should be consulted as soon as possible and treatment for abdominal pain caused by infection should be started.

Abdominal pain in adults can be a symptom of many diseases and in some cases can be a harbinger of serious health problems. If there are other symptoms accompanying the pain, the risk may be high. Instead of waiting at home even for a simple reason, it is important to apply to a healthcare institution as soon as possible.

Our specialist physicians in the Internal Medicine department at Hisar Hospital Intercontinental quickly diagnose the cause of abdominal pain with the most extensive examinations and laboratory tests.

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