Abdominal pain is pain that is felt in the area above the pelvis / hip but below the rib cage. This pain is a common symptom experienced by people of various ages, and especially comes from one of the organs in the stomach. Abdominal pain can be caused by a number of diseases and surgical results, ranging from simple discomfort to complex and life-threatening illnesses.
Most cases of abdominal pain are harmless and can be handled traditionally. The most common cause of abdominal pain is an infection of the gastrointestinal tract, which is found in about 13% of cases, followed by irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition caused by intestines that are too sensitive, experienced by 8% of patients. Other common causes include indigestion, inflammation of the stomach wall or gastritis, constipation, and lactose intolerance (inability to digest protein in milk).
Abdominal pain can appear in several ways. Based on its location, abdominal pain can be distinguished as a whole or a specific place. Overall abdominal pain is pain that appears in more than one part of the stomach. Indigestion and gastrointestinal infections (gastroenteritis) generally have symptoms of overall abdominal pain. While abdominal pain in a particular place is a type of abdominal pain that is felt in certain areas of the abdomen and is generally caused by an illness or inflammation of the organs in the stomach at that location. For example, appendicitis generally has symptoms of pain in the lower right, ulcer / peptic ulcer has symptoms of epigastric pain / ulcers, and cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder) has symptoms of pain in the upper right, under the rib cage. Abdominal pain that radiates to the back can be caused by pancreatitis or aortic aneurysm.
Abdominal pain can generally be treated at home. However, in cases where abdominal pain cannot be stopped and severe, you are strongly encouraged to see your doctor. It would be wise to go to an emergency department (ED) if your abdominal pain is accompanied by an inability to defecate for a few days, and you cannot eat anything. You should also see a specialist if you feel pain persisting or getting heavier for a few days or weeks, if your stomach feels pain when touched, if you vomit blood and if you remove stool with blood. Also, you should seek medical attention immediately if you have any injuries to the stomach.
