Central abdominal pain

Introduction

Abdominal pain is a very common symptom that most people know. Especially in small children, about up to the age of three years, almost all diseases express themselves with abdominal pain, regardless of whether it is related to the stomach or not. In older children, adolescents and adults, abdominal pain is a rather unspecific symptom. There are also causes of abdominal pain that actually have nothing to do with the stomach itself.

Classification of abdominal pain

Important for the classification of abdominal pain is the question of where exactly the abdominal pain is and whether it radiates into another part of the body. For example, abdominal pain can affect the whole abdomen or just parts of it, or radiate into the leg or shoulder. The doctor needs to know when and under what circumstances the pain started.

The worst form of abdominal pain is a so-called “acute abdomen“. This is a sudden illness that is accompanied by severe abdominal pain and worsens very quickly. The causes of the acute abdomen are varied and often life-threatening, which is why rapid diagnosis and therapy is absolutely essential.

In any case, the possible diagnostic methods include a detailed anamnesis and physical examination. Depending on the suspicion, the cause can be found by taking a blood sample, an ultrasound examination, an X-ray and various other imaging procedures as well as an ECG. In many cases, however, no cause can be found in the acute abdomen, which is why emergency surgery is performed to find the cause of the severe abdominal pain.

The worst form of abdominal pain is a so-called “acute abdomen”. This is a suddenly occurring disease that is accompanied by severe abdominal pain and worsens very quickly. The causes of the acute abdomen are varied and often life-threatening, which is why rapid diagnosis and therapy is absolutely essential.

In any case, the possible diagnostic methods include a detailed anamnesis and physical examination. Depending on the suspicion, the cause can be found by taking a blood sample, an ultrasound examination, an X-ray and various other imaging procedures as well as an ECG. In many cases, however, no cause can be found in the acute abdomen, which is why emergency surgery is performed to find the cause of the severe abdominal pain.

Causes

Abdominal pain is a symptom that can occur in many different diseases. In adults, the cause of abdominal pain is usually also found in the abdomen, the different diseases are discussed in more detail below, depending on their localisation. Nevertheless, there are many other diseases whose cause lies outside the abdominal cavity.

Causes affecting the heart can be a heart attack, angina pectoris (chest tightness) or inflammation of the pericardium. Vascular diseases are also possible causes: Aneurysms (dilatations) of the aorta or vascular inflammation are possible. Various metabolic diseases as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system can lead to abdominal pain.

Examples are diabetes, the Addison crisis and vertebral body collapse. Abdominal pain is often caused by the urinary tract: kidney and ureteral stones, kidney or bladder inflammation are common causes of abdominal pain. In women, an extrauterine pregnancy, endometriosis, ovarian cysts or inflammation of the ovaries and fallopian tubes are not uncommon causes of abdominal pain, which then tends to be localised in the lower abdomen. Other causes of abdominal pain can be the lungs or various blood disorders. .