Due to unhealthy lifestyle and underlying health problems, we all have faced stomach pain once in our lifetime. Sometimes the pain is severe while other times it’s mild. If you’ve also been facing the problem of sudden and severe stomach pain, then you should definitely need to find its underlying causes. Causes and symptoms of stomach pain vary. There are different types of pain that occur in different regions. General characteristics of stomach pain are –
What stomach pain feels like?
You may experience a cramp, sharp, stabbing, twisting, perching, etc. These are the common types of pain that you may experience
How long does stomach pain last?
Your stomach pain can last from a few minutes to several hours and more. Some people experience sudden strong pain in a particular area of the stomach which gets mild after some minutes, while some people experience continuous mild or severe stomach pain.
What are the events that trigger sudden stomach pain?
Some sudden stomach pains can be due to gas, acidity, food, injury, disease, constipation, gallstones, etc. The pain may be worsened or relieved in a certain time or require medical attention. If you are experiencing pain in right side, left side, upper side, lower side and middle, you should seek medical help.
Your stomach pain might be indicating some severe ailments. By understanding the region of pain, you can actually understand the type of pain you are experiencing. By understanding the region of pain, you can get the correct diagnosis and treatment as the symptoms worsen.
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Regions of abdomen
Your stomach is divided into 9 regions to simplify diagnosis. Let’s understand the stomach region division –
Region 1 – On the upper right, there is Right Hypochondriac Region, in which Liver, Gallbladder, Right Kidney and Small Intestine is present.
Region 2 – On upper-middle, there is Epigastric Region, in which liver, pancreas, duodenum, spleen and adrenal glands are present.
Region 3 – On the upper left, there is Left Hypochondriac Region, in which spleen, colon, left kidney and pancreas is present.
Region 4 – On the middle right, there is Right Lumbar Region, in which Gallbladder, Liver, and Right Colon are present.
Region 5 – On the middle center, there is Umbilical Region, in which Umbilicus (navel), Jejunum, Ileum and Duodenum are present.
Region 6 – On the middle left, there is Left Lumbar Region, in which Descending Colon and Left Kidney is present.
Region 7 – On the lower right, there is Right Iliac Fossa, in which Appendix and Cecum are present.
Region 8 – On the lower middle, there is Hypogastric Region, in which Urinary Bladder, Sigmoid Colon and Reproductive Organs are present.
Region 9 – On the lower left, there is Left Iliac Fossa, in which Descending Colon and Sigmoid Colon is present.
If you are facing troubles in these regions, then it doesn’t really mean that you have a medical problem. It might not be because of any disease. But getting a diagnosis of the problem is important before undergoing any treatment.
Indications of problems as per location
- Pain in upper left abdomen indicates enlarged spleen.
- Pain in upper right abdomen indicates Gallbladder disease, hepatitis
- Pain in lower left abdomen indicates diverticulitis, ovarian cysts, ovarian torsion
- Pain in lower right abdomen indicates appendicitis, right ovary problems
- Pain in upper abdomen indicates stomach ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis
- Pain in lower abdomen indicates Urinary tract infections, gynecologic problems like uterine fibroids and cancer
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If you’ve been troubling with left side pain, then it might because of Hernia, Kidney stones, Shingles, Indigestion and Gas. In women, lower abdominal pain might be due to menstruation, endometriosis, ovarian cyst, ovarian torsion, ectopic pregnancy and Pelvic inflammatory disease.
If you are a man and suffering from pain in lower left abdomen, then it might be because of inguinal hernia and testicular torsion. So, you need to seek an expert’s advice.
There can be different causes of upper stomach pain like gallstones, hepatitis, liver abscess, GERD, hiatal hernia, gastritis, peptic ulcer, gastroparesis, functional dyspepsia, pneumonia, ruptured spleen, jaundice, enlarged spleen, pancreatitis, cancer, blind loop syndrome, etc.
Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of Right side pain in the lower abdomen. You should definitely get it diagnosed and take complete treatment.
Signs that your stomach pain is not normal and requires medical attention
- Severe pain in any part of the stomach
- Long-lasting pain for several hours
- Pain that’s worse when you move
- Knife-like pain in the abdomen
- If you are pregnant and experiencing pain and/or vaginal bleeding
- If you are a male and experiencing pain in your scrotum
- Stomach pain with constant vomiting
- Shortness of breath due to pain
- Stomach pain with blood vomiting
- If you are experiencing blood in your bowel motions or urine
- Upper abdominal pain between the ribcage
- Severe pain that spreads to your chest, neck or shoulder
- Stomach pain with fever and sweats
- Your entire body becoming pale and clammy
- You are unable to pass urine
- You are unable to move your bowels or pass gas
- Crampy pain with diarrhoea or constipation
- Severe stomach pain in your liver after eating a fatty meal
It may be impossible for a specialist to be completely sure about the problem as to the origin of the condition with so many organs and systems in your abdomen. The doctor will ask you a couple of questions and then carefully examine you. No more testing may be performed by the specialist. Your condition might be severe or not. If the doctor is still unable to identify the reason for your stomach pain and after hours or days the pain gets stronger, then you might need to get diagnosed via ultrasound, blood test, X-ray, endoscopy, MRI, etc. The doctor will only make sure that no operation or hospitalization is needed for the treatment. If required then, you might need to get hospitalized to resolve your problem. Your problem will definitely cure after complete treatment.
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Conclusion
Stomach pain is very common, and some of you probably have got better after sometimes. Extreme abdominal pain can be troubling because too many triggers will make it impossible to decide whether the stomach pain is severe or not. To prevent severe stomach problems, you need to take care of yourself by drinking warm water and eating healthy food. Regular exercise is also very important to keep your stomach healthy. If you want to improve your gut health then eat foods that contain probiotics.