Stomach Pain

Stomach Pain Overview

The stomach is notoriously one of the most difficult areas to diagnose based on symptoms and physical for a physician. The reason is that it houses so many organs. These include: the stomach, the duodenum, the small intestine, the large intestine, the pancreas, the gallbladder, the liver, the mesentery, the various lymph nodes, and so much more. It is also an area that is not wired as well as the rest of the body. When you pinch your skin you know exactly where it is coming from. That is because it is wired directly from the spinal cord. The abdomen is not wired the same way. In fact it is mostly supplied by one nerve which is caused the vagus nerve. This nerve comes out of the brainstem and is not able to sense and do as much as the entirety of your spinal cord. That means that your pain is highly misrepresented by the actual location, cause and organ that is causing the pain. Your pain could be located in the middle every time, but the organ affected could be anywhere in the abdomen. That means that when a physician gets a history of your pain, and does a physical exam, additional testing will be needed if there is a shot at diagnosing your abdominal pain. And whether that pain is an emergency or not can be sense based on the severity of the pain, but sometimes not. Stomach pain is the most difficult pain to diagnose based on symptoms and almost always needs a physician evaluation in order to solve the many problems with the various organs your abdomen caries with it. If you have questions about abdominal pain then do not hesitate to contact your physician. If you have inquiries you can call our 24 hour hotline now.

Stomach Pain: non-emergencies

Dyspepsia/indigestion: This is a very common and benign cause of stomach pain. It is not associated with abdominal emergencies typically. This is the result of you eating foods that can irritate the stomach such as foods heavy in grease, meats, and acidic meals. These foods can cause what is commonly known as upset stomach. The best way to treat indigestion is to avoid foods that cause your stomach irritation.

Biliary Sludge: Right upper belly pain can be caused by your gallbladder. Your gallbladder secretes materials that let you absorb fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A,D,E and K. These vitamins are vital for your health. If you do not have the you will have serious problems. It also secrets the materials that give stool its characteristic brown color. Sometimes gunk can build up in the gallbladder and cause blockages. This can manifest as painful belly pain. This can go on to cause gallstones and should be worked up by a physician if possible. If you can undergo gallbladder removal before you have a gallbladder infection secondary to gallbladder stones then its best to get it over with.

Acid Reflux: This is a common cause of burning stomach pain as well as chest pain. Your stomach is known for harboring highly acidic contents. If you do not have the means to contain these acidic juices they can get into places they should not, such as your food pipe. Your food pipe can get burned by these acidic juices causing stomach burning and pain.

Stomach Pain: Emergencies

Stomach Ulcer: This can be caused by Helicobacter Pylori infection as well as caffeine, nicotine, ibuprofen, alcohol, or aspirin usage. Your stomach's gastric acidic juices can completely eat through the lining of the stomach causing the stomach to digest itself. This can lead to painful sore/ulcer formation and severe symptoms. You could have severe belly pain with vomiting of blood. If you have any blood in your vomit, or what is otherwise known as "coffee ground" vomiting, go to your physician immediately for evaluation at the nearest emergency department.

Appendicitis: This is when the tissue in your small bowel gets infected and inflamed to the point that it is ready to bust. This is a very quick and painful cause of abdominal pain that needs attention immediately. It is often associated with loss of appetite, as well as stomach pain that starts in the belly button and moves to the right lower abdominal area. It is associated with fever and chills and should be addressed immediately at the nearest emergency department.

Gallbladder Infection: This is caused when you have a blockage in your gallbladder due to a stone. Your gallbladder is responsible for absorbing fat soluble vitamins such as vitamin A,D,E and K. It can sometimes get cholesterol stones that build up inside its walls if there is two much cholesterol in a persons diet. This can go on to block the opening of the gallbladder causing the prime environment for stable bacterial growth and proliferation. This can cause a life threatening infection that can be severely painful. The pain is typically located in the right upper abdominal area.