Symptoms
Abdominal cramps are typically accompanied by so-called vegetative reactions of the body. These are a variety of symptoms caused by the vegetative nervous system (not arbitrary nervous system). The autonomic nervous system is responsible for the regulation of all automatic processes of the body, such as the movement of the intestine or the speed of the heartbeat.
Vegetative symptoms of abdominal cramps therefore range from a rise in blood pressure, palpitations, sweating to circulatory collapse. Characteristic for colic are also the accompanying symptoms of nausea and vomiting, as well as a strong restlessness of the affected person. The cramp-like pain itself is often very strong.
The occurrence at a certain location often provides information about the diseased organ and can be helpful in diagnosing the underlying disease. By informing the patient that the abdominal cramps occur on the right side, the list of possible causes can be narrowed down. These include in particular colic of the small or large intestine.
In principle, it can affect the entire abdominal cavity, including the right upper and lower abdomen. It can be caused by various diseases, such as gastrointestinal infections, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) or food intolerances. Right-sided colic can also be triggered by biliary colic, which usually occurs when the main bile ducts are blocked by gallstones (cholelithiasis).
The cramp-like, usually very severe pain is localized mainly in the right upper abdomen (see: Gallstone symptoms).Apart from this, a quite rare inflammation of the seminal vesicle(s) can also cause cramp-like pain radiating into the (right) lower abdomen. This is primarily caused by urinary tract infections and causes pain mainly in the groin region. A frequent accompanying symptom is the bladder voiding disorder.
Furthermore, a (right-sided) ureteral colic can be a trigger for right-sided abdominal cramps. Typically, the pain is often localized in the respective flank region, but the colic can also radiate into the lower abdomen and the groin region. Left-sided abdominal pain is very often caused by cramps in the intestine.
As described above, it is often caused by gastrointestinal infections, chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) or food intolerances and is accompanied by unspecific vegetative symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, palpitations or shock symptoms. Furthermore, left-sided ureteral colic due to urinary calculus can also cause cramps in the left lower abdomen. However, the pain caused by this is mainly located in the left flank.
Likewise, the rarely occurring inflammation of the seminal vesicle can be responsible for cramp-like pain in the left lower abdomen and the left groin region. Finally, pancreatic colic can also be the cause of left upper abdominal cramps. However, it is also quite rare.
As in the rest of the abdominal cavity, the most common cause of centrally located abdominal cramps is intestinal colic of the small or large intestine, which can be caused by various diseases, but infections in particular. Apart from this, colic located in the middle of the upper abdomen is in rare cases also caused by a so-called gastrospasm, a permanent cramp of the stomach. However, if the pain is localized in the middle of the lower abdomen, the uterus could also be responsible for the cramps, at least in women.
Possible causes are uterine fibroids (tumor of the muscle layer in the uterus) or polyps (enlargement of the mucous membrane). Finally, urinary stones stuck quite deep in the ureter can also cause cramp-like pain in the middle lower abdomen, near the bladder, which is located behind the pubic bone. Back pain in combination with severe abdominal cramps is a rather specific combination of symptoms.
Although it is also conceivable that both symptoms occur independently of each other, in principle they should make you think of two clinical pictures in particular. One of these is ureteral colic, which is caused by the closure of the ureter by a urinary stone. The result is severe, contraction-like pain, which is usually localized in the flanks and lower abdomen, but can also radiate into the back and the scrotum or labia.
The second clinical picture that can be accompanied by abdominal pain and back pain is the acute inflammation of the renal pelvis (pyelonephritis). The character of the pain can be both spasmodic-wave-like and stabbing, and can be localized either in the flanks, in the back itself or even belt-shaped around the trunk. Fever and chills usually accompany the pain.
Strong pain is also typical, even with light to moderate tapping of the flanks (see: Symptoms of Pelvic Inflammation). This shows how helpful it is to pay attention to the exact nature of the pain. Acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas), for example, also triggers intense pain radiating from the upper abdomen to the back in the form of a belt.
However, this pain is not spasmodic and therefore cannot be described as colic. Flatulence, known as flatulence in the technical terminology or, in the case of more severe, possibly painful manifestations, as meteorism, is caused by an increased accumulation and release of intestinal gases. These gases consist mainly of methane, carbon dioxide and the odorous hydrogen sulfide, which are also produced during the normal digestive process.
The excessive production and accumulation of intestinal gases with accompanying cramps and flatulence can have various causes. Usually, however, flatulence is harmless and is caused by a sudden change in diet or psychological stress.Fiber-rich foods, as well as foods that are very rich in carbohydrates or protein and fatty foods can cause digestive disorders if they are unaccustomed to them. However, if abdominal cramps and flatulence are very intense, last for many hours or even days, or are accompanied by vomiting, a medical examination should be performed.
This can be caused by serious diseases. Typical triggers of recurrent intestinal colic and flatulence are malabsorption (reduced absorption) or maldigestion syndromes (reduced breakdown of food components), i.e. subtypes of food intolerances. These include gluten intolerance (sprue / celiac disease) and lactose intolerance.
The Flatulenzen are caused here by the fact that intestine bacteria take over the dismantling of the insufficiently or not at all digested food components. In this process, increased intestinal gases are produced, which lead to a painful stretching of the intestinal wall due to the bloating of the intestine. Some further conceivable causes of flatulence and intestinal cramps are irritable bowel syndrome, food allergies, a disturbed intestinal flora in the context of a lengthy antibiotic therapy or even pancreatic diseases.
It is precisely because the complex of symptoms of flatulence and colic is so unspecific that the necessity of a visit to a doctor should be considered. Similar to flatulence, constipation (constipation) is a very extensive topic and can be based on various causes. However, constipation is a very widespread disease of civilization and can typically be attributed to factors such as a low-fiber diet, lack of fluid intake and lack of exercise.
However, various metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus or hypothyroidism are also conceivable, as are disorders of the electrolyte balance, narrowing of the bowel and side effects of drugs such as opiates, to name but a few causes of constipation. People who frequently suffer from constipation should start by changing their diet accordingly. This includes in particular a sufficient fluid intake of 1.5 to 2 liters per day, as well as fiber-rich meals.
Vegetables and above all fruit are recommended. A large part of constipation can be effectively treated within a few days if these measures are implemented consistently. Of course, severe and regularly occurring abdominal pain should still be clarified by a doctor so that its underlying causes can be identified and treated.
More or less severe abdominal pain is the companion of every pregnancy. The character of the pain varies greatly from woman to woman. Some complain of a slight pulling, others develop a cramp-like character.
Especially the latter can be very worrying for the expectant mother. But first of all: cramps, just like pulling pain, are in most cases only the result of an increasing strain on the ligament and muscle apparatus in the pelvis. These are responsible for stabilizing the uterus – a task that understandably becomes more demanding as the child’s weight increases.
This can result in abdominal pain as well as back pain, which can resemble menstrual cramps or even aching muscles. In addition, the abdominal cramps can also have other causes. For example, sexual intercourse during pregnancy can lead to slight pain, which can even resemble slight contractions.
Nevertheless, it should be mentioned at this point that sex nevertheless does not pose any danger to the child. Nevertheless, cramps during pregnancy can in rare cases indicate an imminent premature birth or miscarriage. In almost all cases, however, these are accompanied by slight bleeding or discharge.
At the latest when this is the case, it is important to consult your gynaecologist or midwife. Severe bleeding and abdominal pain even constitute an emergency and require in-patient treatment. Warning signs, which should always involve a visit to the doctor, include worsening abdominal pain, as well as fever and chills or symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and burning when urinating.
None of these symptoms must necessarily be the result of an impending miscarriage. Nevertheless, they are serious symptoms which can be the consequence of serious illness.You can find more information under: Abdominal pain during pregnancy. Abdominal pain can have many causes in children as well as in adults.
In fact, abdominal pain is often not an organic cause. Instead of intestinal infections, flatulence or food intolerances, the pain often has a psychosomatic background. Especially in older children, stress and anxiety lead to nausea and cramp-like pain.
However, it is rarely easy to recognize this. For this reason, parents should pay attention to warning signs. These include unusually strong and suddenly occurring pain of the child with great anxiety.
On the other hand, long-lasting pain whose cause is not clear should also make you wonder. Likewise, a very tense abdominal wall, as well as other symptoms such as fever, chills, diarrhea and vomiting can indicate a serious illness of the abdominal organs. However, another problem arises in the clarification of abdominal pain in children.
Small children in particular are not yet able to locate pain precisely and so often report pain in regions that are actually quite far from the abdomen as abdominal pain. This is aggravated by the fact that pain can also radiate into the abdominal region or radiate from there to other parts of the body. A classic example of this is biliary colic, which can cause pain in the area of the right shoulder.
For all these reasons, it is therefore helpful to consider when and in what context the abdominal pain occurs. If they occur during urination, a urinary tract infection should be considered. If they become worse when breathing in or out, on the other hand, a respiratory tract infection or even pneumonia may be present, whereas abdominal pain during bowel movement may indicate a constipation or intestinal infection.
Gastrointestinal complaints during running training are a frequently described phenomenon. It is often not just abdominal cramps; other symptoms such as heartburn and diarrhoea can also occur. Although these complaints are widespread, little is known about their background.
It is noticeable, however, that the complaints occur mainly during intensive training or an increase in exercise. An obvious link in the search for the causes is the reduced blood flow to the digestive organs during physical exertion. The additional blood available as a result of this can instead be used to supply the muscles with oxygen and nutrients and thus represents a useful mechanism for improving performance during heavy physical exertion.
If the athlete eats food during or shortly before training, it is digested much more slowly and can cause gastrointestinal problems. However, the runner’s diet is also generally a major focus in the search for solutions. For example, it is often recommended to reduce the proportion of dairy products in the diet, which seems sensible in so far as the human digestion is not optimally adapted to processing large quantities of lactose.
In some cases, a reduction in dietary fibre or short-term carbohydrates in the diet should also be able to remedy the situation. Apart from this, however, there are also references to the respective breathing technique. Likewise, strengthening the trunk muscles should in some cases lead to an alleviation of the complaints.
However, to what extent all these measures actually counteract cramps during jogging remains questionable. Unfortunately, no general advice can be given on this. Abdominal cramps during periods are one of the most common gynaecological complaints.
The pain can even radiate to other parts of the body. Back pain or pain in the thighs are also often described during periods. The cramps have their origin in contractions of the uterus.
These are caused by a drop in the female sex hormones, which sets in after fertilization of the egg has failed. This finally causes the previously built up mucous membrane of the uterus to be shed, resulting in a bloody discharge. In some women, very severe abdominal cramps can be caused by diseases such as endometriosis (irregular appearance of uterine mucosa) or benign muscle tumors of the uterus (myomas).
Overall, however, this is rarely the case. Endurance sports are a well suited means of relieving pain.This increases the blood flow to the pelvic organs, so that cramps are reduced. In addition, taking the contraceptive pill is often suitable for surviving the cycle more painlessly.
The first and often most important step in diagnosing almost any disease of the human body is the anamnesis, i.e. the taking of a medical history and the questioning of symptoms. Information about the exact location and intensity of the cramps, when they occur or what can relieve them can be particularly useful here. Current and past illnesses of the patient and recently taken medication can also play a role.
As a standard, every diagnosis of abdominal discomfort includes a subsequent physical examination including listening, tapping and palpation of the abdomen. Nowadays, imaging procedures are also of special importance. While x-rays are only of limited help in cases of abdominal disorders, ultrasound is used.
With its help, the trained examiner can detect an enormous variety of diseases of the abdominal organs. CT and MRT images of the abdominal cavity, on the other hand, are rarely initiated. Depending on the suspected cause of colic, laboratory blood tests and endoscopic examinations (reflection of hollow organs) can provide further information. The endoscopic examination of the large intestine is called colonoscopy, the examination of the stomach and duodenum is called gastro- or duodenoscopy.
