Summary of lower abdominal pain
Lower abdominal pain is a non-specific symptom with numerous diagnoses. For this reason, an exact anamnesis of the pain character and duration is essential to make the right diagnosis. In which area of the lower abdomen the pain occurs is also an important indication of the cause.
While appendicitis causes pain in the right lower abdomen, diverticulitis is mostly found in the left lower abdomen. In the middle lower abdomen is the urinary bladder, so cystitis can cause pain in this area.Due to the variety of causes, however, more extensive diagnostics using imaging techniques and a blood test are always necessary. Abdominal pain can also occur during pregnancy or after food intake.
Since in these cases other causes can be the reason for the pain, a pregnancy or a reference to food intake should also be reported in the medical history. Pain during pregnancy can be accompanied by simple adjustment processes, but also by dangerous inflammatory diseases that require rapid diagnosis and therapy. After eating, pain occurs especially in children and should then also be examined closely, as children often suffer from failure to thrive and developmental delays when they are suffering from a food allergy. However, pain after eating should also be urgently diagnosed in adult patients, as the symptoms are often agonizing and serious illnesses can also be a possible cause.
