Accompanying complaints
Depending on the underlying cause, various symptoms can accompany central abdominal pain:
- Nausea and vomiting (see abdominal pain and nausea)
- Constipation (see abdominal pain and constipation)
- Diarrhoea (see abdominal pain and diarrhoea)
- Flatulence (see abdominal pain and flatulence)
- Heartburn (see symptoms of heartburn)
- Pain when urinating and frequent urge to urinate
- Fever and chills (see abdominal pain and fever)
- Chest tightness
- Blood in stool or urine
Nausea and vomiting very often occur together with central abdominal pain. The possible spectrum of diseases ranges from inflammation of the stomach lining or pancreas to gallstones and food intolerances. In most cases, the nausea after eating is initially significantly increased.
In order to be able to differentiate diagnostically between these diseases, an ultrasound is often performed in addition to a blood test. Here, inflammations, masses or gallstones can be very well visualized. A gastroscopy can also be helpful in some cases.
The combination of flatulence and abdominal pain is not uncommon. It is often accompanied by diarrhoea or constipation. The strong gas development is due to intestinal bacteria in the large intestine.
In addition to fibre-rich food, it is above all indigestion that leads to flatulence. These include the stress-associated irritable bowel, but also more serious diseases such as liver cirrhosis, chronic pancreatitis or Crohn’s disease. However, incompatibilities must also be considered here.
Almost all patients with lactose intolerance report suffering from abdominal pain, severe flatulence and nausea after consuming dairy products. The prolonged use of antibiotics can also lead to paralysis, as the bacterial intestinal flora is altered and gas-forming bacteria can gain the upper hand. If back and abdominal pain occur simultaneously and anew, this information can be decisive for further diagnostics.
Which illnesses come into question here also depends largely on the course of the pain. If the pain starts slowly and develops over several days, pancreatitis, for example, can be the cause. The localisation of the pain is often described as belt-shaped and extends from the middle upper abdomen to the back.
But also an ascending bladder infection can lead to this combination. “Ascending” in this context means that the inflammation extends from the bladder to the ureter. Since the latter runs directly along the back muscles, an irritation can occur here which is perceived as back pain.
An acute onset of pain, on the other hand, can indicate, for example, a kidney stone, a vertebral body fracture or an aortic aneurysm. Especially if the back pain has reappeared, a medical consultation is always recommended. Quite a few patients with central abdominal pain report that the pain occurs mainly after eating.
This information alone helps to narrow down the spectrum of possible diagnoses. For example, the connection between eating and pain is very often seen in patients with inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach (gastritis). The pain is usually accompanied by loss of appetite and severe nausea.
Inflammation of the pancreas or the bile ducts and gall bladder can also lead to severe pain after eating. This connection is based on the fact that the digestive secretions of these organs are increasingly excreted into the intestines after the intake of food, which leads to a renewed irritation of the inflammation. Furthermore, food-related pain can also be caused by intolerances. These include above all intolerance to lactose or gluten. Detailed information can also be found under stomach ache after eating.
