Prognosis
The prognosis depends on the risk factors and the course of the respective genesis. If someone has all the risk factors for gallstones (overweight, female, of fertile age, under 40 years old, fair-skinned complexion, ill family members), the probability of a recurrence (recurrence of the stones) is high. In general, it is also true that half of all those affected with biliary colic develop a new colic within one year.
Therapy – What to do for cramps in the upper abdomen?
Particularly in the case of acute abdominal pain or cramps, it is often necessary to distinguish between harmless causes and diseases requiring immediate treatment. Especially if there are additional symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, circulatory symptoms or fever, it can be a variety of diseases in different parts of the body, which must be followed by an (emergency) medical examination and possibly even hospitalization. Since cramps in the upper abdomen are in many cases relatively harmless, simple measures can often alleviate the symptoms.
Local application of heat with a hot water bottle, a grain pillow or a warm bath often leads to relief of cramps in the upper abdomen. Heat supplied by drinking warm tea is also often helpful. The use of painkillers should be handled with caution if the cause of the cramps is unclear, since in certain situations painkillers can make the symptoms worse.
A frequent example of this is inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach, in which the cramps in the upper abdomen are further aggravated by drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen. If diseases of the internal organs are the cause of the upper abdominal cramps, treatment depends on the respective diagnosis. In any case, if the symptoms are unclear and persistent, a doctor should be consulted in order to reliably rule out serious diseases.
A precise description of the localization of cramps and pain in the upper abdomen often provides initial indications of the cause of the complaints. In the right upper abdomen, the liver occupies a large space and the gallbladder is also located here. An inflammation of the liver (hepatitis) or the gallbladder as well as other diseases of these organs can lead to cramps in the upper abdomen.
The so-called biliary colic, which is caused by gallstones, is particularly common. This leads to persistent severe cramps that radiate into the right shoulder and may be associated with nausea, nausea, sweating or jaundice (icterus). Cramp-like pain in the right upper abdomen can also be triggered by appendicitis.
The appendix is usually located in the right lower abdomen, but in the case of an inflammation, the pain can also be felt in the upper abdomen. On the left side of the upper abdomen is the spleen. Various diseases of this organ can cause pain or cramps in the left upper abdomen and radiate into the left shoulder.An infection or an abscess in the spleen can lead to a severe enlargement of the organ, which causes discomfort.
Acute left-sided cramps in the upper abdomen can possibly indicate a splenic infarction. The left kidney can also cause cramps in the left upper abdomen in case of inflammation or due to other causes, which are often also noticed in the left back. However, symptoms originating from the pancreas or stomach can also be perceived in the left side under certain circumstances.
Typically, diseases such as inflammation of the esophagus, inflammation of the stomach or pancreatitis, especially on the left side, lead to cramping pain. If the cramps are localized in the upper abdomen, especially in the middle, the pain usually originates in the stomach. Acid reflux refers to the backflow of acidic gastric juice through the esophagus, which can be very painful and can also lead to cramps.
Cramps can also occur in the upper abdomen in the case of an irritable stomach syndrome or inflammation of the mucous membrane of the stomach (gastritis). Diseases of the pancreas, but also gallstones or diseases of the gall bladder are often also felt in the middle of the upper abdomen. Inflammation of the pancreas is most often caused by chronic alcohol consumption and usually manifests itself as a cutting, burning, cramp-like pain in the middle of the upper abdomen.
