Abdominal pain by location of occurrence | Abdominal pain

Abdominal pain by location of occurrence

Abdominal pain, which occurs more frequently on the left side, can have many causes. On the left side of the abdomen there is the stomach. Especially in the case of a gastrointestinal infarction, it can happen that the stomach contents do not pass into the intestine as usual but are vomited again.

Before this happens, severe abdominal pain may occur on the left side, which then indicates either poisoning or something intolerable. However, there are also more serious causes for stomach pain on the left. Although the appendix vermiformis is located in the right abdomen, appendicitis can lead to abdominal pain on the left.

An inflammation of the stomach lining can also lead to severe abdominal pain on the left. It is important to localise the pain exactly. If the abdominal pain radiates more towards the flanks, renal colic may be the cause.

If the pain radiates more towards the lower abdomen, an inflammation in the intestine may be the cause. For example, abdominal pain on the left side is caused by inflammation of an embryonic relic, the diverticulum. In rare cases, abdominal pain on the left can also indicate a heart attack.

It is therefore important to consult a doctor if the abdominal pain lasts very long or if the abdominal pain on the left or right side is suddenly extremely severe. In most cases, however, the abdominal pain disappears very quickly and can be caused by an over-inflated stomach or an intolerant meal. The right abdomen contains the liver, gall bladder, duodenum, small and large intestine, kidney and urinary tract.

Accordingly, abdominal pain on the right side has multiple meanings. The most prominent is probably appendicitis (inflammation of the appendix). This is characterized by abdominal pain in the lower right, which can also radiate into the left lower abdomen.

In this case it is important to consult a doctor immediately so that a dreaded breakthrough does not occur, which then infects the entire abdomen. If severe abdominal pain occurs on the right side when fasting, a duodenal ulcer may be the cause. The pain gets better as soon as you eat something.

Another cause of abdominal pain on the right is gallstones, although the pain here can radiate into the right shoulder area. Despite being located in the right upper abdomen, liver damage (hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver) cannot be diagnosed solely by abdominal pain on the right, as the pain is usually felt in the entire abdominal area. In the case of the so-called Crohn’s disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, severe abdominal pain occurs mainly in the right abdomen.

In the upper abdomen, in addition to the stomach (gastrectum), the liver (hepar) and the gall bladder are located, as well as the duodenum. Abdominal pain in the upper abdomen is caused, for example, by an inflammation of the gallbladder. In this case, the patient feels colicky abdominal pain in the upper abdomen, especially on the right side, usually combined with fever.

Gallstones also cause pain in the upper abdomen, but this is more common after a meal. Kidney stones can also lead to severe pain in the upper abdomen. Inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) also leads to severe abdominal pain in the entire upper abdomen, which often radiates into the back.

Such inflammation is usually caused by chronic alcohol consumption. Furthermore, inflammation of the stomach lining can lead to severe abdominal pain (gastritis) in the upper abdomen. These pains usually disappear after a few hours, but if they return frequently, they can indicate a stomach ulcer.

In addition to the gastrointestinal organs, the spleen can also cause severe pain in the upper abdomen. However, since the spleen is surrounded by a very strong capsule, pain usually only occurs when the spleen swells enormously and the capsule expands. This is for example the case with Pfeiffer’s glandular fever.

You should also pay attention to the heart, which is not located in the upper abdomen, but in case of a heart attack the pain can radiate into the left upper abdomen. Particularly in older patients, you should also consider a bulging of the aorta (aortic aneurysm), as this can also lead to pain in the upper and lower abdomen. The lower abdomen contains the small and large intestine, the urinary tract and the genitals.

Abdominal pain often has a simple explanation and is due to intolerant food or an over-inflated abdomen. If the small intestine is swollen (diverticula), abdominal pain in the lower abdomen can also occur. A complete intestinal obstruction (ileus) causes extremely severe pain, especially in the lower abdomen but also in the upper abdomen.

If the pain is localised mainly on the right lower abdomen, an inflammation of the appendix appendix (appendicitis) is likely. Crohn’s disease is an inflammation of the intestine, which initially causes severe pain in the lower abdomen and without treatment leads to general severe abdominal pain. At the same time, intolerances such as lactose intolerance can lead to severe pain in the lower abdomen but also in the upper abdomen.

In addition to the digestive organs, the kidney and the ureter can also lead to severe pain in the lower abdomen. Especially urinary tract infections or cystitis can cause severe pain in the lower abdomen. In women, pain in the lower abdomen can also be caused by the uterus.

Especially before the period, the muscle contraction can cause severe pain. An ectopic pregnancy can also manifest itself through severe pain in the lower abdomen, as can inflammation of the fallopian tubes or ovaries (pelvic inflammatory disease). If abdominal pain is located in the middle, the cause is usually in the stomach or pancreas.

Harmless causes of abdominal pain in the middle are flatulence, constipation or a so-called irritable bowel. Irritable bowel is an excessively sensitive gastrointestinal tract, which reacts with digestive problems and severe pain, especially when under psychological strain (stress, overwork). Less harmless causes are, for example, a stomach ulcer (ulcer) or inflammation of the stomach lining (gastritis), which also lead to severe abdominal pain in the middle.

But a perforation of the stomach, which is usually the result of stomach cancer or a stomach ulcer, can also lead to severe abdominal pain in the middle. At the same time, the abdominal wall becomes very hard and sweating occurs. This is an absolute emergency!

Also an intestinal obstruction (ileus) leads to severe abdominal pain in the middle of the abdomen, but this usually spreads further to the entire abdomen. Special attention should be paid to older patients. If they have extreme pain in the umbilical region, which then subsides after about 7 hours, the closure of a blood vessel (due to arteriosclerosis) may be the case.

Since the abdominal cavity cannot be adequately supplied, an inflammation (peritonitis) occurs, which can then lead to life-threatening blood poisoning (sepsis). An inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis) can also lead to severe abdominal pain in the middle, but this usually radiates into the flanks. It should not be forgotten that appendicitis can also start in the middle of the abdomen. So if the abdominal pain lasts for a long time and there is also a fever, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible.