What is Good for Abdominal Pain? How to Relieve Abdominal Pain?

Abdominal pain is a health problem that is frequently encountered in emergency departments and that everyone may experience from time to time. If the pain lasts less than a week, it is considered acute abdominal pain, and if it lasts longer, it is considered chronic abdominal pain. Although abdominal pain caused by different reasons mostly develops due to simple and temporary factors, in some cases it can be a sign of serious health problems. Complaints of abdominal pain due to conditions such as peptic ulcer, gastritis, duodenitis, appendicitis, intestinal obstruction and hernia are also extremely common. The time of onset of the pain, its location, its spread, other symptoms that develop with abdominal pain, conditions such as diarrhea and constipation should be evaluated. The diagnosis is made after these evaluations, analysis and imaging tests. However, the majority of abdominal pain cannot be diagnosed. There are many methods that can be good for abdominal pain, but these methods should be used as supportive methods after consulting with specialist physicians. Hot water bottle application, consumption of herbal tea, relaxing exercises and creating a healthy nutrition routine are among the methods that can be considered.

What are the Causes of Abdominal Pain?

Abdominal pain is a symptom that develops due to disorders in the organs in the abdominal area. Therefore, it may occur due to many different reasons. Although the causes of abdominal pain vary from person to person, the main reasons can be mentioned as follows:

• The most common cause of acute abdominal pain is appendicitis. Most of the time, abdominal pain that develops for this reason is accompanied by the symptom of loss of appetite.
• In case of peptic ulcer, the patient may feel a stabbing abdominal pain in the area below the rib cage and just above the stomach.
• With gastroenteritis, cramp-type abdominal pain accompanied by abnormal motility in the intestine develops before diarrhea attacks.
• The abdominal pain symptom that develops with cholecystitis is a pain that usually starts after a heavy meal and spreads towards the back.
• Abdominal pain due to pancreatitis radiates towards the waist, and patients try to reduce the pain by leaning forward.
• With familial Mediterranean fever, which is an autosomal inherited disease, abdominal pain and fever may develop for up to 3-4 days.
• Abdominal pain may develop due to acute intestinal ischemia, which occurs due to a sudden decrease or interruption of blood flow in the intestines.
• Ectopic pregnancy is among the causes of sudden onset abdominal pain.
• Although it is mostly bilateral, people with pelvic inflammatory disease may experience abdominal pain that radiates to the right side and can be confused with appendicitis.
• Urinary tract infection is a disorder accompanied by abdominal pain symptoms.
• Severe abdominal pain occurs due to stones and calcium deposits formed in the kidney and urinary tract. Nausea and vomiting are usually among the symptoms accompanying abdominal pain.
• Diarrhea and constipation are common causes of abdominal pain.
• Abdominal pain symptoms occur most frequently in women during menstruation, ovarian cysts and childbirth.
• Acute diverticulitis, which is common in elderly patients, is a disease characterized by nausea, vomiting and lower abdominal pain near the groin area.
• In case of viral hepatitis and liver infections, abdominal pain may occur.
• Metabolic causes include Addison crisis, diabetic ketoacidosis, hyperlipidemia and hyperparathyroidism.
• Abdominal pain is frequently encountered in cases of hematological disorders, acute leukemia, sickle cell anemia crisis and hemolytic anemia.
• Other causes include lead toxicity, sudden discontinuation of narcotic medications, insect bites, and osteomyelitis.
• Patients with immunodeficiency, undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, and taking immunosuppressant medications may experience abdominal pain.
• Depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and a history of sexual abuse can cause abdominal pain.
• A nutritional routine rich in lactose, fructose and sorbitol intake may cause the progression of irritable bowel syndrome cases and cause the development of abdominal pain.

What are the Symptoms of Abdominal Pain?

Abdominal pain can be a sign of a simple illness or it can indicate a serious illness. Therefore, abdominal pain symptoms need to be evaluated carefully. If one or more of the symptoms persist for a long time, a doctor’s opinion should be sought. These symptoms can be listed as follows:

• Abdominal pain can occur in many different ways. It may be concentrated or spread in a certain region. Pain types are aching, aching, squeezing, stinging and cramping.
• The symptom of abdominal pain is often accompanied by symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Abdominal pain, especially due to gastrointestinal system diseases, develops with these symptoms.
• Diarrhea and constipation due to digestive system disorders may be a sign of abdominal pain.
• High fever may develop due to infection and inflammation.
• Symptoms that are serious and require immediate medical attention include blood in the urine or stool.
• Symptoms include swelling and discomfort in the abdominal area.

What are the Types of Abdominal Pain?

Abdominal pain is a short-term (acute) or long-term (chronic) discomfort experienced by people of almost all age groups at certain periods of their lives. These pains can occur with many different reasons and symptoms. Depending on these differences, abdominal pain can be evaluated under three main headings: visceral pain, somatic parietal pain and referred pain. The details of these pain types are as follows:

Visceral Pain

It is a type of pain that occurs when various stimuli trigger visceral receptors. This pain is a type of pain whose location cannot be precisely determined, usually in the midline abdominal region, in the epigastrium located under the rib cage and just above the stomach, in the periumbilical region known as the belly button and around the navel, or in the lower abdomen. The reason why the pain area cannot be analyzed completely is the small number of visceral nerve endings. Symptoms accompanying visceral abdominal pain can be listed as sweating, restlessness, pallor, nausea and vomiting. People exposed to visceral pain are constantly fidgeting in an attempt to relieve the pain. Visceral pain is divided into three different groups:

• Tension-type pain: This pain is a type of visceral pain that develops due to peristaltic movement and is also known as colic pain. It is a deep pain whose localization cannot be determined exactly. The patient tends to relieve pain by constantly moving. Constipation, gastroenteritis and acute pancreatitis can be included in this pain group.
• Inflammatory pain: It is a deep pain that cannot be pinpointed, such as tension-type pain. It usually occurs due to inflammation developing in the peritoneum (inner membrane). Unlike tension-related pain, in inflammatory pain the patient tries to lie still.
• Ischemic pain: Although it is the least common type of pain, it is the most serious. It is a sudden onset, severe and persistent progressive pain. Unlike other abdominal pain, it is not relieved by painkillers.

Somatic Parietal Pain

It is a type of pain that develops due to stimulation and irritation of the membrane covering the inner surface of the abdomen, known as the parietal peritoneum. It is felt suddenly, clearly and sharply following stimulation. It is a more severe and more clearly localized pain than the visceral type. If asked, the patient can often point to the location of the pain. The patient prefers to lie still because he thinks that the pain will worsen if he moves. Pain felt in cases of cholecystitis and appendicitis can be given as examples of somatic parietal pain.

Referred Pain

It is defined as pain felt in a place distant from the diseased organ. Referred pain may be felt in the skin or deeper tissues, but is usually easily located. As the visceral stimulation becomes more intense, referred pain occurs.

What is Good for Abdominal Pain?

The most important points when evaluating abdominal pain are taking an effective anamnesis and performing a physical examination to make an early and accurate diagnosis. During the treatment phase, psychiatry and pain clinics must take a multidisciplinary approach simultaneously with gastroenterologists.

With the help of complete blood count, stool analysis, various imaging tests, liver function tests, TSH measurements, computed tomography and gastrointestinal endoscopy, the cause of abdominal pain is diagnosed and the most appropriate treatment methods are determined by specialist physicians.

Many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) and aspirin-type drug groups used unconsciously in case of abdominal pain do not provide any benefit in relieving the pain. Narcotic drug groups can cause abdominal pain with chronic use. However, tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) and serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRI) are beneficial in relieving abdominal pain.

What are the methods that can be applied at home for abdominal pain?

There are many methods and practices that can be beneficial in case of abdominal pain. However, these methods and practices may vary from person to person, depending on the cause and severity of pain. Home remedies for abdominal pain:

• Resting in a stress-free environment,
• Taking a hot shower, applying hot towels and hot water bottles,
• Consuming relaxing herbal teas such as mint, fennel and linden,
• Doing exercises that do not strain the body too much, such as walking and yoga,
• Consuming plenty of water,
• It can be listed as creating a balanced and healthy nutrition routine.

When Should You See a Doctor for Abdominal Pain?

Although abdominal pain may seem like a simple symptom, it can be a sign of a serious health problem. Therefore, in some cases, urgent medical intervention and expert opinion are required. Situations in which a doctor should be consulted for abdominal pain can be listed as follows:

• Severe and sudden abdominal pain,
• In cases of high fever accompanying abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bleeding in stool and urine,
• If conditions such as gallbladder or appendicitis are suspected,
• If you experience severe abdominal pain during pregnancy,
• If there is weight loss accompanying chronic abdominal pain,
• If abdominal pain recurs frequently and lasts for a long time, you should immediately consult a healthcare provider.

Abdominal pain is a health problem that can negatively affect a person’s daily life, work performance and school success, depending on its severity or frequency of recurrence. Therefore, it should not be neglected. If you suffer from frequently recurring abdominal pain, you can contact a healthcare institution and consult with specialist physicians.