Introduction
Cramp-like pain in the upper abdomen can indicate a variety of disorders and diseases. A distinction is made between acute and chronic pain conditions. Cramps in the upper abdomen can be caused, for example, by intolerances, nutritional errors, allergies, inflammations, functional problems as well as malignant changes in organs.
Often the pain is perceived particularly at a certain point, but the cause of the pain does not always have to be directly related to the organs of the abdominal cavity. Pain in neighboring organs such as the diaphragm, the urogenital tract or the spine can also manifest itself as cramps in the upper abdomen. In children, causes such as an upset stomach, tooth growth or various psychological anxieties are at the forefront when they suffer from cramps in the area of the upper abdomen.
The upper abdomen contains various organs, in addition to the digestive organs, stomach, intestines, gall bladder and pancreas, the liver, spleen, blood vessels, lymphatic system and kidneys are also located there, all of which can cause cramps in the upper abdomen under certain circumstances. Diabetes mellitus can also lead to a so-called pseudoperitonitis when the blood sugar level is abnormal, which manifests itself as severe upper abdominal cramps and severe nausea. Such symptoms can also cause other metabolic disorders, which must be treated as an emergency. During pregnancy, cramps in the upper abdomen also occur occasionally, whereby harmless growth disorders must be distinguished from serious complications. General information about abdominal cramps can be found here: Abdominal cramps
Causes
The majority of all abdominal pains or cramps in the upper abdomen are relatively harmless, not life-threatening and are caused by a spoiled stomach, dietary errors, an infectious inflammation of the intestines (enteritis) or a lack of digestive juices (dyspepsia). Stomach diseases are very often the cause of cramps in the upper abdomen, for example due to inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, irritable stomach, heartburn or a stomach ulcer. Constipation also quickly leads to pain or cramps in the upper abdomen.
Here, even small changes in eating habits (e.g. increasing vegetable consumption) and drinking enough can often provide relief. Another harmless cause of cramps in the upper abdomen are side stitches, which occur mainly during sustained physical exertion. Peritonitis (inflammation of the peritoneum) can also cause cramps in the upper abdomen, usually resulting in a very tense and painful abdominal wall.
Pneumonia or pleurisy can also cause upper abdominal pain, although these are typical diseases of the chest. Very often pain originating from the heart or coronary arteries (e.g. heart attack, angina pectoris in coronary heart disease) is also felt in the upper abdomen. Likewise, inflammation or other diseases of the pancreas can manifest themselves through cramps in the upper abdomen.
An emergency situation is a rupture of the wall (dissection) of the aorta, which can be manifested by severe chest pain and pain in the upper abdomen, possibly also by circulatory shock. Cramps in the upper abdomen are usually caused by pathological changes in the liver and bile. If the cramps are to be understood in the sense of severe wave-like pain, one speaks of a biliary colic.
The term colic itself refers to severe pain caused by cramps in the muscle cells of hollow organs. These hollow organs in this case are the gallbladder and its excretory ducts. Most often, the symptoms of biliary colic are caused by an inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) or a gallstone disease (cholelithiasis). If such a stone obstructs the bile duct that leads to the intestine, and if this duct becomes inflamed, this is known as inflammation of the bile duct (cholangitis).