Abdominal Pain
By Marcos Otero, Gulf Coast Immediate Care Center, Fort Walton Beach
Everyone at one time or another gets some type of abdominal pain. It is a very common and affects young and old alike. There are many possible reasons for abdominal pain. Over the next few months I will discuss some of the more common reasons. Symptoms can include all or some of the following: bloating, belching, gas, indigestion, discomfort in the upper left or right; middle; or lower left or right abdomen, constipation, diarrhea, gastro-esophageal reflux, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, chest pain, pelvic pain, bloody stools, black tarry stools, dehydration, painful urination, lack of urination, abrupt cessation of bowel movements, and or dehydration.
This week, I will discuss how your provider directs his attention to specific reasons so that he can determine what is the reason for the pain. There will be a series of questions they will ask.
How and when did the pain begin? Did the pain come quickly or did it slowly build? Does it come and go? Was it after travel or certain foods?
Where is the pain located?
When it comes to abdominal pain, location is an important clue to finding the problem.
We divide the abdomen into sectors. Right and left hypochondriac, right and left lumbar, right and left iliac, epigastric, umbilical, and hypogastric area. Some just divide it into quadrants. (See diagram) This helps us reduce the number of causes. Each sector has different structures. An example is right upper quadrant or hypochondriac is where the liver and gallbladder are located. So, pain in that area leads us to search for those causes. The different structures are listed in the diagram. An example is pain in the right upper hypochondriac would lead us to believe the liver or gall bladder may be the reason as these structures are located there.
What is the pain like? Is it sharp or dull? Does movement make it worse?
How long does the pain last? Does it last few minutes or have you had this pain hours, or days?
What makes the pain better or worse? Does going to bathroom help or make it worse? Does eating certain foods aggravate it? Does laying still make it better. Does movement make it better?
What other symptoms are there? Fever, nausea, etc.
There is a long list of conditions that cause abdominal pain. Over the next few months we will discuss some of the most common and some of the most serious causes. Each of these questions will be addressed according to the specific cause of abdominal pain.
