Possible Causes of Stomach Pain: When to See a Doctor

To prescribe effective treatment, the doctor must make the correct diagnosis. To make a diagnosis, the doctor must first find out what is bothering the patient. As a rule, the profile specialist receives the answer to this question at the reception. Therefore, the success of therapeutic measures largely depends on the patient himself, namely on the timeliness of contacting the doctor and the clarity of the description of the symptoms that disturb him. But not every one of us, when the slightest pain appears, seeks medical help, because in most cases this is not necessary. How to determine how serious the cause of abdominal pain is – one of the most common complaints of both adults and children?

Location matters: how to narrow down the potential causes of abdominal pain  

To narrow down the "circle of suspects", it is important to understand in which part of the abdomen pain occurs: pain in the right side, in the left, in the center, below or above – Pinpointing the exact location of discomfort will help identify the potential source of the problem.

So, the stomach is conventionally divided into five parts (quadrants):

• upper right (liver, gallbladder, which are protected by the lower right side of the chest; also in this quadrant is part of the large intestine);
• left upper (part of the stomach and spleen are located in this quadrant, as well as the large intestine);
• middle upper (in the upper middle part of the abdomen is an area called the epigastrium - most of the stomach, part of the small intestine and pancreas);
• right lower quadrant (contains the large intestine, part of the small intestine, appendix, and ovaries (in women));
• lower left quadrant (large intestine and left ovary).

What organs can cause pain in the right side

There are a number of standard and most common causes of abdominal pain – disturbances in the functioning of these organs in most cases are the first cause of concern for patients complaining of abdominal pain.

1. Appendix

We all know the word appendicitis, which describes the inflammation of this small process of the caecum. It is not recommended to delay with a call to an ambulance in the case of a sharp pain in the navel, which then shifts to the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. In most cases, the picture of pain in appendicitis looks like this, however, there are other alarming symptoms: vomiting, fever, lack of appetite.

2. Gallbladder

Abdominal pain can be caused by infection of the gallbladder or the formation of stones in this organ. If the gallbladder is affected, patients often complain of severe but transient pain in the right side of the abdomen, which can also radiate to the back and even the shoulder, especially after eating fatty foods. Less commonly, pain appears above the navel. Some patients note such a high intensity of pain that they compare it with the pain of childbirth.

It is important to note that fever and/or jaundice that accompanies abdominal pain is a serious reason to call an ambulance.

3. Stomach and small intestine

One of the consequences of a stomach or small intestinal ulcer is burning pain of varying intensity that appears in the middle part of the abdomen, above the navel. After eating food, the pain intensifies or, on the contrary, weakens.

4. Pancreas

With inflammation of the pancreas, quite strong pain sensations occur in the navel. Alcohol abuse often leads to this disease, however, inflammatory processes can also be a consequence of the presence of small stones in the gallbladder.

5. Large intestine

Pain caused by bowel problems can occur in any part of the abdomen. However, one of the most common diseases – diverticulitis (characterized by the presence of sac-like protrusions containing food particles) – most often causes pain in the left lower quadrant of the abdomen.

Causes of abdominal pain: should I be concerned?

Call an ambulance, make an appointment with the doctor, or wait until the pain subsides? What factors need to be taken into account in order to answer this question correctly?

The doctor will be able to determine exactly how serious the cause of abdominal pain is after performing standard diagnostic measures.

The doctor can determine exactly how serious the cause of abdominal pain is after carrying out standard diagnostic measures. If you are in doubt whether to consult a doctor or not, pay attention to the following factors:

• intensity of pain – it’s worth worrying and not postponing a visit to the doctor if the pain “wakes up” you in the middle of the night or makes movement impossible;
• duration of pain – constant pain that does not subside within 10 minutes should alert you;
• sensitivity – if the pain increases with pressure on the problematic part of the abdomen, it is better not to take risks and not delay the diagnosis;
• loss of appetite – an abnormal lack of desire to eat is often one of the serious symptoms of disorders in the gastrointestinal tract;
• vomiting, especially prolonged – such a symptom may indicate a serious poisoning;
• blood in stool – in no case should you leave a specialist unattended;
• melena – tarry (black) stools, which is a sign of bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract.

The causes of abdominal pain can be many, and in many cases it is impossible to determine the source of the problem on your own. Do not turn a blind eye to the symptoms of potentially life-threatening diseases and their complications, accompanied by the appearance of pain in the abdominal region.