Saturday, May 21, 2016

Diagnostic Procedures For Abdominal Pain

By Jason Gray


Pain in the abdomen occurs in the upper or lower abdomen and sometimes in the stomach. It is estimated that almost everybody in the world experiences abdominal pain at some point in their lives. The pain may be caused by simple occurrences such as indigestion in some cases. However, it could also a signal or symptom for a more serious underlying medical condition such as an STI or cancer. Either way, it is good to have the pains checked out as soon as possible.

The causes of discomfort in abdomen are many and diverse. Some common causes are ulcers, cancers, appendicitis, diverticulitis, vascular problems, gallbladder disease, and food poisoning among others. Female diseases such as STDs, cysts, and fibroids are also common causes. In some cases, pregnant women may experience the pains during any of the three trimesters. If pregnancy is the cause, the pains usually go away immediately after delivery. They also occur irregularly but frequently.

The way the pains occur differ from ne individual to the next. Health, cause and other factors may define the characteristics of the aching. Commonly, the discomfort may be knifelike, cramp-like, dull, piercing, sharp, stabbing, and twisting. Severity and frequency of the discomfort can vary a lot.

How long the pains last vary also. In some cases, it may only occur for a short while and disappear while in others, it may take several hours or even days in severe cases. The level of intensity may be constant or it may start intensively and lessen over time. It is good to record and be aware of the way the pain behaves so as to give the doctor a proper description to assist with the diagnosis. A personal narration of what one feels also helps in making a diagnosis.

Aching has specific triggers that may cause it. However, in other cases, it may not need a trigger to occur. Triggers are in form of events that cause, stop, worsen, or relieve the problem. They include vomiting, eating, standing, lying down, bowel movement, and running. There are many positions in the abdomen where pain occurs. They includeupper, lower, middle, lower left/right side and upper left/right side. The point of occurrence of the pain can be an effective indicator of the cause.

Aching of the abdomen may be caused by causes that are seated elsewhere away from the abdominal organs. For example, the problem may occur as a result of certain kinds of heart attacks or pneumonias. Shingles and other forms of skin rashes also cause aching in the abdomen. Surprisingly also, this problem can occur because of poisoning from the black widow spider.

Diagnosis is usually done through a combination of physical examination, testing, and history of the disease. Testing is done through diagnostic methods such as blood tests and x-rays. The patient has to answer a series of questions from the doctor first before a physical examination follows.

Treatment is given depending on the cause of the problem. Treatment options are many and they include surgery, over-the-counter drugs, endoscopy, and observation. Treatment works better if diagnosis is done earlier.




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