Types Of Abdominal Pain
There are different types of abdominal pain depending on the structures involved.
Visceral pain comes from the organs within the abdominal cavity . The viscera’s nerves do not respond to cutting, tearing, or inflammation. Instead, the nerves respond to the organ being stretched or surrounding muscles contract. Visceral pain is typically vague, dull, and nauseating. It may be hard to pinpoint. Upper abdominal pain results from disorders in organs such as the stomach, duodenum, liver, and pancreas. Midabdominal pain results from disorders of structures such as the small intestine, upper part of the colon, and appendix. Lower abdominal pain results from disorders of the lower part of the colon and organs in the genitourinary tract.
Somatic pain comes from the membrane that lines the abdominal cavity . Unlike nerves in the visceral organs, nerves in the peritoneum respond to cutting and irritation . Somatic pain is sharp and fairly easy to pinpoint.
Referred pain is pain that is felt in an area that is distant from the source . For example, a person who has gallbladder disease may feel pain in the shoulder blade. The source of the pain is the gallbladder, which is located in the abdomen, but the pain is felt in the shoulder.
When Should I Visit My Doctor
If your pain worsens, talk about it with your doctor. If your dull pain is a result of a previous known injury such as an ankle twist, bruise, or another condition, monitor it for changes.
If your pain isnt due to a known injury and lasts more than two to three weeks, bring it up to your doctor. If youre feeling dull pain deep in your bones, you may be suffering from a serious condition, such as arthritis or bone cancer.
Your doctor will ask you questions about your pain. Keeping a pain diary may help you describe your pain to your doctor.
Improve Spinal Health With The Spine And Rehab Group
Constipation is a possible cause for lower back pain, but you should always get a full diagnosis before your doctor before settling it as the only cause. There are a myriad of factors that can trigger the symptoms of lower back pain, and its important to check for all possible conditions to catch any serious illnesses that may be developing.
At the Spine And Rehab Group, we believe in providing high-quality medical care and assistance for any sort of back pain, combined with a commitment to long-lasting solutions and excellent customer service. We have years of experience in treating most causes of back pain, with clinics all over New York that you can visit today.
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Pain In The Right Side When To See A Doctor
The reasons for experiencing pain on the right side of your body are many and varied. If right-sided chest pain and abdominal pain persist and natural remedies dont give you relief, you should visit your doctor.
Dr. Jennifer Robinson on WebMD advises that persistent upper body pain can be a sign of a serious health condition and needs professional medical advice.28
You should see a doctor for pain in the right side of your upper body if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- A sudden crushing pain under your breastbone
- Any type of chest pain that radiates to your left arm, jaw, or back
- Along with the right-side pain, you have nausea, dizziness, or a rapid heartbeat
- You have signs of an infection like a fever or chills
- Your urine is a red or pink color and/or you have pain urinating
- You have swelling in your abdomen
- You pass bloody stools
- Your chest pain doesnt go away
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Myth: Stress Does Not Affect Back Pain
Truth: Stress is an emotional experience that can cause behavioral and psychological alterations in the body â elevating the perception of lower back pain. Depression and anxiety are thought to be the most common stress-related conditions associated with lower back pain.10
Research suggests that certain life stressors such as lack of social support and demanding jobs are associated with musculoskeletal back pain.11 For treating back pain associated with stress, individual psychological management is recommended as the primary treatment, followed by medical treatment for the back problem.10
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What Are The Potential Complications Of Abdominal Pain
Complications of abdominal pain depend on the underlying cause, but can range from missed school or work to malnutrition to life-threatening infections. Getting an accurate diagnosis and following your treatment plan will help you avoid complications. Over time, abdominal pain can lead to serious complications including:
- due to blood loss
- Dehydration due to loss of fluids
- Organ failure
Pelvic Pain During Pregnancy
Some women experience pelvic pain during pregnancy. Pelvic pain can affect one or both sides of the lower back.
This pain may also affect the perineum or radiate to the thighs. It may worsen while walking, standing up, or rolling onto the side.
The following tips may help reduce pelvic pain during pregnancy:
- doing exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor
- stretching
- avoiding standing for too long
- getting plenty of rest
Women can also try applying ice or heat packs to help ease the pain. OTC acetaminophen is generally safe to take during pregnancy. However, it is advisable to speak to a doctor before taking any medications while pregnant.
Testicular torsion can cause back pain on the lower right side in males.
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How Do The Intestines Work
The intestines are part of the digestive system and run from the abdomen to the anus. Most nutrients are absorbed in the intestines. The intestines are a few metres long. On average, the small intestine is 6 metres and the large intestine one and a half metres. Via peristaltic movements the small intestines transport undigested food to the large intestines. In the large intestines, this food is processed and various rotting and fermentation processes take place. This is where bowel problems, such as flatulence or wind, often occur.
In most of the cases, the cause of bowel problems is an incorrect lifestyle, such as smoking and lack of exercise. Also, food with too much fat and too few fibres may cause diarrhoea or constipation. To prevent or reduce bowel problems, it is recommended to ensure you eat high-fibre foods .
Fibres are parts of vegetable foods that your small intestines cannot digest or absorb. They go to the large intestines undigested. Due to a lack of fibres in food, there will be fewer indigestible material in the intestines. In the absence of sufficient bulk and the stimulating action of the food fibres, the intestines are insufficiently stimulated. This is detrimental for proper digestion of food. Moreover, too little fluid is absorbed causing hard stools and making bowel movements difficult.
Spleen Pancreas And Part Of The Liver
Although your liver is located under the right rib cage, part of it is located on the left side just under your heart. Below your heart under the left part of your rib cage are your liver, spleen, and pancreas. These organs, along with your liver, are an important part of your digestive system and help to break down food to extract nutrients and filter out waste products.
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How Can I Prevent Constipation
Use the same home-based methods you used to treat constipation to prevent it from becoming a chronic problem:
- Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of fiber. Good sources of fiber are fruits, vegetables, legumes, and whole-grain breads and cereals. Fiber and water help the colon pass stool. Most of the fiber in fruits is found in the skins, such as in apples. Fruits with seeds you can eat, like strawberries, have the most fiber. Bran is a great source of fiber. Eat bran cereal or add bran cereal to other foods, like soup and yogurt. People with constipation should eat between 18 and 30 grams of fiber every day.
- Drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Liquids that contain caffeine, such as coffee and soft drinks, can dehydrate you. You may need to stop drinking these products until your bowel habits return to normal.
- Exercise regularly.
- Treat mild constipation with a dietary supplement like magnesium.
- Move your bowels when you feel the urge. Do not wait.
Constipation Pain On The Right Side
The lower right part of your abdomen is where your colon is situated and it differs for some women that include ovaries. There are several reasons you can find that may cause you pain in your right side or under your ribs where the colon is situated. But most of the time, it goes away after some days without needing any special taking care of it.
One of the most obvious reasons to get pain in the right side under the ribs can be constipation. When you have constipation, you might experience pain in your abdominal on the right side. And thats because hard-to-pass stools can cause some issues like gas buildups in your stomach. It can also make you feel uncomfortable and bloated all the time.
But if the pain persists and you experience it more often, then maybe its time to take a look at it. If it becomes something of continuity, your best option would be to go to a doctor so that they can assess the situation properly. But there are things that you can do before you go and if the situation isnt very serious.
Now the main point we need to talk about here is the link between constipation with pain in the right side. Now constipation and abdominal pain are pretty much common together. Its a very common symptom of commonly seen constipation problems.
This constipation can cause you less than three bowel movements in a whole week and your stools can be dry and very lumpy. It causes the inability to feel relieved by emptying the bowels completely.
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How To Treat Your Constipation & Back Pain
We know it is difficult to live with constipation and lower back pain. Try the following some lifestyle changes for a better tomorrow:
- Drink water: Drink at least eight glasses of water every day. Keep a water bottle with you as it helps you to remember to drink more often. Being hydrated makes it easier for stool to move through your bowels and flushes toxins from your body.
- Eat more fiber: A higher fiber intake can help you achieve healthy bowel movements. Beans, nuts, and whole grains are a rich source of fiber. Adults need about 21-38 grams of fiber every day.
- Exercise regularly: Regular exercise is the best way to keep you fit and healthy. It strengthens your back and abdomen and helps relieve lower back pain over time.
- Laser therapy: Commonly known as Photobiomodulation therapy . You do not need to go in for surgery. Just wear your laser therapy device for 30 minutes a day to reduce the spasms and discomfort in your lumbar area.
If you are experiencing unbearable pain, you are in the right place. Book an appointment with one of our doctors at Rheumatology Care Of North Houston. For more information, call us at
Gastrointestinal Causes Of Abdominal Pain
Abdominal pain may arise from problems in the digestive tract including:
- : You may experience early signs of appendicitis in the center of the abdomen, but the telltale sign is lower right abdominal pain and fever. Appendicitis is often a medical emergency because an inflamed and infected appendix can rupture and spread the infection.
- Bowel blockage or obstruction: Marked by stomach pain, and swelling, constipation, , bloating and nausea, a bowel obstruction can lead to intestinal tearing and infection if not treated promptly.
- Celiac disease: You may experience abdominal bloating and pain, , weight loss, and fatigue. There is no cure for celiac diseasea chronic, immune-mediated condition that causes your body to overreact to gluten and damages the lining of the small intestinebut eliminating gluten from your diet is a must.
- Colitis: An infection or inflammation of any part of your colon. Colitis is less severe than a form of inflammatory bowel syndromebecause UC is a chronic, lifelong condition. Antibiotics can clear bacterial colitis, and viral colitis will typically clear on its own.
- : An uncommon, but possible cause of abdominal pain. Symptoms may also include fatigue, blood in stool, a change in bowel habits, bloating, and gas.
- Gallstones: Upper-right abdominal pain is a classic sign of , especially after eating a meal. Medication may dissolve small gallstones, but is the most common treatment.
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Back Spasms / Cramping
A sudden contraction or spasms in the back can cause a very severe pain. This condition is known as muscle cramping. However, this type of pain may disappear without you noticing it. With muscle spasms, this could either tell you that whatever it is you are doing should NOT be done again, or there is a more serious underlying issue in your spine. For immediate relief, seek muscle relaxant medication, heat/cold therapy, and slowly stretch the affected area by walking or rubbing it as much as possible. If the spasm occurs again and more frequently, seeking medical attention for the spasm would be in your best interest.
Avoid activities that could lead to back cramping or spasm.
When you experience any of these pains, it is good to visit a Pain Management Doctor to help you diagnose the source of your lower left side back pain. At first you may use over-the-counter pain relievers pain-relieving creams can be of help as well. However, as time goes by and this pain increases, your doctor may recommend certain medication or medical procedures if your pain is severe.
If medications arent helping, your Pain Management Doctor may recommend injections. These injections target irritated nerves by using a nerve root block method. Steroid medication are usually found in these injections. However, if you experience long back pain and is interfering with your daily life, then surgery may need to be an option for you.
Can Physical Therapy Help Lower Back Pain
Physical therapy is one of the best ways to treat lower back pain, and if your bowel problems are related to back pain, it will ease those symptoms as well. Physical therapy will help ease lower back pain and help you find relief in motion. If you are struggling with this, it is best to seek physical therapy as soon as possible. This will help prevent any need for an operation down the line. In the worst cases, if you do need surgery, our team will be by your side every step of the way helping you recover.
To learn more about lower back pain treatment and our other physical therapy services, call ProFysio Physical Therapy at 812-5200 or contact us online.
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What Are The Symptoms Of Constipation
Symptoms of constipation include:
- You have fewer than three bowel movements a week.
- Your stools are dry, hard and/or lumpy.
- Your stools are difficult or painful to pass.
- You have a stomach ache or cramps.
- You feel bloated and nauseous.
- You feel that you havent completely emptied your bowels after a movement.
Constipation And Back Pain
Overview
Constipation is very common. Sometimes, back pain can accompany constipation. Lets take a look at why the two may occur together and how you can find relief.
Constipation is defined as infrequent bowel movements or difficulty passing bowel movements. Normal bowel movements usually occur one to two times a day. With constipation, you may experience only three bowel movements a week.
Additional symptoms of constipation include:
- hard or lumpy stool
- feeling of fullness
- straining to pass fecal matter
Often, constipation swells the intestines with retained fecal matter. This can lead to discomfort in both the abdomen and back. This type of back pain is typically reported as a dull, aching type of discomfort.
- colon or rectal cancer
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Myth: Gas Causes Back Pain
Truth: Abdominal bloating and intestinal gas can cause mild to severe discomfort in the upper body. An increased feeling of bloating and gas can result in tightness in the chest, occasionally accompanied by sharp pain. Back pain is usually not related to abdominal bloating and intestinal gas unless the pain from the abdomen is referred to the back, which is rare.
Back pain may result from gas bubbles within the spine and/or the cerebrospinal fluid, which is the fluid that covers and protects the spinal cord.2 This gas differs from the intestinal gas and is not related to the symptoms caused by it. The spinal gas bubbles may move slightly depending on the posture and cause focal areas of pressure on the spinal tissues, resulting in upper or lower back pain.2
What Lab Tests And Other Medical Tests May Be Done To Find The Cause Of My Constipation
Your doctor can order no tests or many types of tests and procedures. The decision of which ones your doctor might order for you depends on your symptoms, medical history, and overall health.
Lab tests: Blood and urine tests reveal signs of hypothyroidism, anemia, and diabetes. A stool sample checks for signs of infection, inflammation, and cancer.
Imaging tests:Computed tomography , magnetic resonance imaging or lower gastrointestinal tract series may be ordered to identify other problems that could be causing your constipation.
Colonoscopy: A colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy an internal view of your colon with a scope may be performed. During this procedure, a small sample of tissue may be taken to test for cancer or other problems and any found polyps will be removed.
Colorectal transit studies: These tests involve consuming a small dose of a radioactive substance, either in pill form or in a meal, and then tracking both the amount of time and how the substance moves through your intestines.
Other bowel function tests: Your doctor may order tests that check how well your anus and rectum hold and release stool. These tests include a certain type of x-ray , done to rule out causes of outlet dysfunction constipation, and the insertion of a small balloon into the rectum .
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